By Chloe Cloutier
Photos Courtesy of Mason Cole, The Local Boys, and Howltree
Gardner Webb University will be hosting musicians Mason Cole, The Local Boys, and Howltree in a western North Carolina benefit concert on Oct. 27, 2024.
This event, which is coordinated by the Office of Student Engagement, was originally set for Family Weekend 2024, but had to be rescheduled due to damage from Hurricane Helene. After the hurricane, the musicians decided to partner with the university and focus their efforts on raising money for the people in western North Carolina.
Admission to the concert is simply a monetary donation or canned goods to support the relief effort. Proceeds from the concert, which is set to begin at 5 p.m., will go directly to N.C. Baptists on Mission.
Musician Mason Cole shared his excitement for finally playing Gardner-Webb’s Brinkley Amphitheater. “I’m stoked to be the headliner for this event. Since the amphitheater has been built, it’s been a dream of mine to play for the town,” said Cole.
Cole specializes in acoustic guitar and also plays electric guitar.. He has played at several venues across the country including The MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nev, and the Burl in Lexington, Ky.
Cole shared that he is grateful for the opportunities he’s had since he started performing. Among his favorite memories are gracing the same stage as some of his idols in country music, such as Tyler Childers, Colten Wall and Jason Isbell.
Howltree, a duo known for their rich vocal harmonies, also shared some of their highlights as performers.
Their favorite memory on the road was playing at a coffee shop in Newport, Tenn.
“The show was a mix of a fine dining event, and candlelit concert,” the musicians said. “The audience was super engaged with our original music, and the night was a lot of fun.”
Along with two vocalists, Howltree also has an acoustic guitarist and combines bluegrass, country, blues, and old-time influences.
For event tickets and inquiries about the concert, Jessika Raduly and Brian Arnold of The Office of Student Engagement can be reached at [email protected] and [email protected]. For those unable to attend but would still like to make a monetary donation, N.C. Baptists on Mission can be reached at Baptists on Mission – Donate.