Mason Via & Friends @ Dogtown

Mason Via & Friends at Dogtown – Sat Dec 19 – 8 pm – $3

Mason Via is a talented young musician/singer/songwriter out of Danbury, NC, who is on his rise to stardom. At the moment he has just released his debut CD, “Up, Up, Up”, which contains only Mason’s originals. Mason has recorded this CD at the studio of one of Ben Fold’s past touring guitarists, Britt Uzzell, commonly known as Snüzz. Britt is also currently a founding member and active part of the NC Music Love Army.

Mason has been playing acoustic guitar since the age of 12. Being taught by his father, notable bluegrass musician David Via; winner of the 2009 International/American Folk Alliance Songwriters Contest, held at Mountain Stage and 3 time Chris Austin Songwriting contest winner(Merlefest). As well as being taught by accomplished musicians Rex Mcgee, Ryan Cavanagh, and Clay Jones.

Mason’s lyrics are considered by many to be the driving force behind the band’s music, and his vocals back up the deep emotion that his lyrics possess. Mason Via & Friends play a wide variety of music with genre titles such as Soulful Acoustic, R&B(Rhythm and Bluegrass), Funky Folk, Indie Blues/Jazz; their musical horizons are never limited.

The band is named “Mason Via & Friends” because Mason Via performs with various talented musicians from several different musical origins. Mason himself won the Fall ’14 Shakori Hills mandolin competition, he also placed in Male Vocal at Union Grove Fiddlers Convention ’15. The group has been featured twice on 90.9 WQFS Guilford College Radio’s Carolina show, They have won the Shakori Hills Grassroots Fest Band Competition as well as their Front Porch Acoustic Stage Contest, they have won the Winston Salem Shuffle 3 times, and have shared lineups with bands such as Nahko & The Medicine for the People, Tim Obrien & Darrel Scott, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Donna The Buffalo, The Lonesome River Band, John Cowan, The Duhks, The Wood Brothers, etc