ABOUT
Asheville Junction is a bluegrass/Americana band from the high country of North Carolina. Their lively, entertaining shows feature hot fiddlin', vocals, harmonies and much more. Folks find themselves singing, clapping, and toe-tappin' along to the music. Asheville Junction formed when mother-daughter duo Tierra and Maria Raiti moved to Asheville and joined up with long-time local musicians Brad Pope on upright bass, and Ken Sager on dobro.
Tierra Raiti: Fiddle and Lead Singer
Tierra Raiti, lead and harmony singer and fiery fiddler for the band, has been noticed as a formidable rising musician and invited to appear on the Woodsongs International Radio Show in 2022. Tierra is a featured singer and player on Galax to Toledo Tracks. Recordings from this album have been played in roots and Americana radio shows around the world. Tierra is a phenomenally accomplished and versatile singer and fiddler, having won numerous fiddle contests and violin competitions, as well as singing competitions and scholarships ranging from jazz to classical to country.
Ken Sager: Dobro and Guitar
Ken has been a musician all his life. He began performing violin publicly at the age of 10 and played electric guitar for large audiences at 13, and ever since has loved playing for live audiences from 1 to 10,000. Sharing music with other musicians and listeners has become a long-running conversation for Ken. He has performed on more than 40 albums for other groups and soloists, and even released a solo album Here in 2007. Ken is also the 2004 State Flat Pick Guitar and Mandolin champion. When not playing music Ken enjoys poker, fly fishing and traveling with his wife Sherri.
Brad Pope: Bass, harmony and occasional lead vocals
I was born and raised in Asheville, NC. I have a lot of family around these parts, and that exposed me at an early age to old time, bluegrass and just goodle mountain music. 22 years ago I heard dwightyoakamacoustic(net) CD and it socked me in the eye and I said 'I WANNA DO THAT!' So my Mom got me a guitar for Christmas that year, and I sat down and taught myself guitar, and as time went on, mandolin and bass. In other music, I play tenor guitar and mandolin with the Lazybirds. In the spare time that I rarely see at my door, I'm a painter as well. I also love pasta, crocodiles, Shel Silverstein, late night ice cream, crickets when they're crickin', crows, trains and turtles.
Maria Raiti: Rhythm guitar, harmony and occasional lead vocals
When Maria and her daughter Tierra lived up north, Tierra was taking classical violin lessons, but kept expressing passionate interest in bluegrass fiddle. So Maria picked up a guitar and mother and daughter discovered joy and bonding in playing music together at local jams, and eventually bluegrass bands. Maria always joked with friends and family that one day she would move and take her talented daughter to Nashville. Then in August of 2021 Maria and Tierra actually made the move, no joke. Except instead of Nashville, they stopped and got off at The Asheville Junction!
We book private and public events as a duo, or a full band of up to five musicians. Contact us for more information!
