About this Event
JEFF BARBRA & SARA PIRKLE
They say the couple that plays together, stays together. Jeff Barbra and Sara Pirkle can certainly attest to that. Their lives, both personally and professionally, are tightly intertwined. Aside from the fact that they’ve hosted the monthly musical program “Behind the Barn” at what is now BluetickTavern in Downtown Maryville, they’re also involved with teaching music and fostering appreciation for Appalachian culture and tradition via afterschool and summer programs for young people at the Great Smoky Mountain Heritage Center.
For his part, Barbra has been playing bluegrass music since he was a small child. Pirkle said she was aware of bluegrass, but didn’t pursue it until she was nineteen. “A friend of mine loaned me a Bill Monroe CD boxset one weekend and I just fell in love with it,” she recalls. “The music is so intense, but also so simple because you can play it with just your own two hands. That’s where I learned about Appalachian culture and became so proud of the people and the region that I come from.”
Shortly after they were married in 1997, they pursued their interest in music by opening a music store on East Broadway in Maryville. “That was an adventure,” Pirkle says in retrospect. “We learned a lot and we got a nice guitar and a fiddle out of it before we closed. We also made a lot of friends. Then we started getting gigs around the area and writing songs for the fun of it.”
From that point on, their progress continued. “We entered the MerleFest Chris Austin songwriting contest in 2000 and took first place in the gospel division,” Pirkle notes. She was also honored by being inducted into the East Tennessee Writers Hall of Fame. In 2021, she became a recipient of the Traditional Master Folk Artist Fellowship from South Arts, an organization that focuses on sustainability, momentum, and impact while working to advance Southern vitality through the arts.
In that regard, the pair began recording in 2000, mostly at their home in Barb Hollow. They’ve released five albums to date — Sweet Creation, Country Music For Country People, Family Singing, Barb HollowSessions, and Sarah’s solo album, Walking Tall Through High Weeds. They continue to write and record
DOOR TIME: 6:00 PM ET
SHOWTIME: 7:00 PM - 8:30 - 9:00 PM ET
WHAT TO BRING: Cash for artist merch, BYOB or drink of choice with small cooler is fine if you're over 21.
THE STATION'S ADDRESS: 4206 Miser Station Road, Louisville TN 37777.
FAQ's & MISC INFO
- Is it ok to BYOB or bring in small cooler? Yes if you're over 21 yrs old feel free to BYOB or drink of choice, and bringing in a small cooler that fits under your seat is fine. Just please drink responsibly and/or have a designated driver.
- Should we bring our own chairs? No, we have plenty of seating.
- What's the address? 4206 Miser Station Road, Louisville TN 37777.
- Do you have a restroom? Yes
- Is The Station a smoke free venue? Yes, smoking is only allowed outside, and far enough away to not bother guests.
- Can we bring the kids? Keep in mind some folks bring adult beverages, but The Station's certainly not a bar environment. but rather a listening room. We must respect folks paying to listen to the music, so we prefer kids be 12 yrs or older to attend our shows. That said we're reasonable folks so contact us if you need to request an under 12 exception.
- Are advance ticketed shows refundable? Yes, if given 7 day advance notice.
- Is The Station available to rent for private events? Yes! The Station is available to rent year round for weddings, birthday parties, and private events!
- For more info email [email protected] or text/call JJ at 850-688-3503.
Event venue & nearby stays
The Station, 4206 Miser Station Road, Louisville, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.