HitKicker Homegrown Sessions Hosted By Ashley McMillen

HitKicker 99.7 and The Southern Cafe and Music Hall are joining forces to give country music fans in Central Virginia a place to call home: The HitKicker Homegrown Sessions hosted by Ashley McMillen features the very best local and regional country music talent. The second installment of The Homegrown Sessions will be on Friday, April 25th with Jeremy Staubus, Tara Mills with Yankee Dixie and Stone Aielli. The Hitkicker Homegrown Sessions is a recurring event at The Southern Café and Music Hall, located on Charlottesville's Downtown Mall.

About Jeremy Staubus: Jeremy Staubus is a country singer/songwriter from the small town of Mount Sidney, Virginia. He started singing at a young age in elementary school and in the church choir. As a teen, he listened to 90s rock and started playing bass guitar for a rock band but that didn’t last long. When Jeremy’s grandfather introduced him to country music, he found himself and his ability to write songs.

About Tara Mills & Yankee Dixie: Yankee Dixie combines the soulful Folk & Bluegrass roots of Tara Mills, the driving Punk & Country style of John Howard, and the rock and roll edge of Turtle Zwadlo to create a truly unique and original sound mixing modern day Americana, Folk & Bluegrass.

Inspired by the Blue Ridge Mountains and the rich musical traditions tied to them, Tara Mills describes her music as, "original blue ridge mountain folk". Writing and singing most of her life, it wasn't long before Tara picked up a guitar and taught herself how to express the melodies in her head through her songs and hauntingly beautiful lyrics. Influenced by bluegrass, old country, and traditional mountain folk, she creates an original sound that captures true human feeling and emotion.

Born and raised in Southern Ohio then drawn to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, John Howard has coupled both his knowledge of the Ohio Appalachian lifestyle with the traditions of the Old Dominion to bring us his original brand of Mountain Folk. John has written and played music for much of his life. With guitar or mandolin in hand and the sustain of harmonica he brings life to lyrics that tend to tell the story of a once drifter. From tongue and cheek to heart-on-his-sleeve prose John brings his love to create and play to every live performance. 

Originally from Chicago, Turtle Zwadlo calls Virginia his home. A lifelong electric bassist, Turtle enjoys a renewed sense of discovery and influence set against the backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains as he keeps the beat on the upright bass. Turtle brings his rock attitude and style to the band, coupled with the subtlety of a simpler way of life, to contribute to the foundation and drive of the group's original music. 

Together Tara, John, and Turtle, intertwine their styles, influence, and harmonies, to create a perfect balance of folk, bluegrass, and roots music birthing the unique and original sound that is Yankee Dixie.

About Stone Aielli: Stone has been a performing songwriter for most of his life living in Charlottesville, Virginia for most of that time and, Nashville, Tennessee. Songs he has written have been on the Bluegrass charts, and also has had his songs placed in movies. He is an active member of BMI, and NSAI.