By LEE WARD / THE INDEPENDENT
ASHLAND — Music has been in the family since Beth Stevens’ childhood.
She took up the banjo at 12 and within six months, she and her younger sister were booking local gigs.
“My mom was the first to say, ‘You need to play a few local things,’” she said, recalling talent shows at school.
Although he had a shy streak, Stevens, 39, said it was her father who took to the stage in their family band called The Stevens Family.
The Tennessee resident, who will perform with her band Saturday at the Mountaineer Opry House in Milton, also was known with her sister as The Stevens Sisters for a while. That incarnation of the band performed in Milton several years ago, Stevens said.
“My sister decided she wanted to marry and she took time off and I decided I wanted to still play,” she said. Now, it’s Beth Stevens and Edge, which includes her father, the only member of the family in the band.
“My dad sings, plays guitar and drives the bus,” she said. “My mother is the personal manager.”
During the week, Stevens, a graduate of East Tennessee State University, teacher at her children’s school. She has two boys, 12 and 8. It’s the weekends she has the change to express her creative energy through music. During the summer, she said she’s on the road more.
Her style of music may be considered eclectic, she said, adding her band performs traditional bluegrass, blues, gospel, country. “It’s a little bit of everything,” she said. “That’s why I thought Edge would be a good name for the band. We’re kind of on the edge of it all. It cuts across different genres.”
She points to Dolly Parton as a big influence vocally.
“It was a dream come true to be able to sing on her album and work with her,” Stevens said of her experience singing backup on Parton’s “Halos and Horns.”
As a picker, she said it’s Scott Vestel and Earl Scruggs she admires and aspires to emulate. She also has worked with Tim Stafford and Shawn Lane of Blue Highway, Barry Bales and Adam Steffey, who performs with Mountain Heart and Kenny Chesney.
Stevens’ latest CD will be available on April 19. Those interested in purchasing one can pre-order it at the show or online at pinecastle.com.
The Beth Stevens Band will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Mountaineer Opry House in Milton. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors 55 and older and $5 for children 12 and younger. For more information, call Larry or Mary (304) 743-5749 or visit mountaineeropry.com.
LEE WARD can be reached at lward@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2661.
