Anya Hinkle and Billy Cardine

Asheville, NC-based roots artists (vocals, guitar) and (dobro) team up for an intimate exploration of acoustic music, rooted in the sounds of Appalachia and seasoned by travels across the globe. Just back from tours in Japan, Denmark, Sweden, France, Netherlands, and all across the US and Hawai’i in the past year, this powerful duo presents a surprisingly dynamic range of styles and influences.

Originally from the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, Anya Hinkle's music is steeped in the tones of folk and mountain music and seasoned by travels across the world with vivid storytelling, vibrant musicianship and arresting honesty. Her diverse influences have brought her into creating her own form of world-inspired Americana while staying true to her roots. Americana Highways writes about her latest album Oceania (2024, Red Parlor Records), “This North Carolina singer-songwriter has an engagingly smooth-toned classic vocal with an album that appears to be pop tunes but isn’t. She’s the real thing – melodic with rich traditional instincts.”

Oceania was produced by veteran Irish producer Kevin Moloney (U2, Sinéad O’Connor), featuring Celtic guitar legend John Doyle and slide guitar master Billy Cardine. Americana UK says, “Hinkle delivers an absorbing vocal performance, full of character and soul…with her own distinctive sound,” while Americana Highways declares the album “one of the year’s best.” RnR Magazine (UK) says, "Her vocal style…has a mix of purity, intensity and richness but never strays into cliché…it mirrors the music itself, individual, distinctive, and deeply satisfying.” Songs from the album were featured on No Depression and Folk Alley’s “Best Of” playlists and the track “Eitil Away” won the USA Songwriting Competition in the World Category.

Billy Cardine has a way with his listeners. His distinctive voice powers through any instrument he plays, song that he composes and album that he produces. Cardine has been recognized as a slide guitar pioneer, taking the dobro with him into unchartered genres. You can sense that he takes great pleasure in bringing the audience along for the ride: setting you off on a gentle float down a river before throwing you into the middle of a raging storm, only to drop you off on the other side, wondering what just happened.
Cardine’s patchwork of diverse musical influences contributes to his chameleonesque ability to fit in with whatever collaboration he joins on the stage, or in the studio. He has performed at Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, the Ryman Auditorium and major festivals, such as Bonnaroo, Merlefest and Rockygrass. As an internationally featured artist, he has toured in India, Japan, Europe and Canada.
Billy’s distinct voice on all things slide has led him to collaborations with Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones, world-renowned Edgar Meyer in his Porous Borders of Music, and alongside dobro king, Jerry Douglas, who said, “Billy Cardine is an amazing Dobro player...He is fluent in everything that I do, and Josh Graves, and everybody that has come before. I got to be with him for a little while at Carnegie Hall for Edgar Meyer’s 'Porous Borders'... I couldn’t have picked a better example for them of where the Dobro is now or what the possibilities are with the instrument.”

Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Children under 12 are free. Advance tickets are available here, or if the show is not sold out, you may purchase your tickets at the door before the show.

Doors open one half hour before show time. We accept cash or Venmo only at the door.

The Back Room is an all-ages, BYOB (for those 21+) space, dedicated to (mostly) acoustic music of all kinds. You are welcome to bring your own food and beverages. The venue is ADA accessible. If you need more information or have any questions, please call us: #510-381-1997.

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Please note: Although masks are no longer required, we strongly encourage their use to keep everyone safe in our intimate space.

Host or Publisher Sam Rudin