Twangville x Dial Back Sound: Drunken Prayer, Wiley Gaby, and Pete Mancini
About this Event
Morgan Geer learned his trade in Asheville's backyard jam sessions and bluegrass festivals, part of a music-soaked childhood spent tagging along with his mother's circle of artists, the self-styled "Asheville 1000." By 14 he was on stage playing guitar with a localrockabilly band. In the '90s he co-founded The Merle, a heavy, hilarious garage-punk outfitout of Warren Wilson College, before turning toward country music with Unholy Trio — a band unafraid to cover Public Enemy's "Bring the Noise" and mean it, helping spark Asheville's country resurgence in the process.
A conversation with Tom Waits about church music sent Geer to Portland, where hestarted playing for bikers on Sunday mornings — and Drunken Prayer was born. Decades later, the project remains his musical home: his latest record was made with Drive-ByTruckers' Matt Patton and a cast of friends from Appalachia and the Delta, including members of Wednesday. Restless and prolific, Geer keeps turning up in unexpectedplaces — including a 2026 cover of his song "Cordelia" by The Deslondes — while staying rooted in the Asheville scene he helped build.
Wiley Gaby is a queer country/folk singer-songwriter who grew up in a small town in northern Florida before landing in Brooklyn, where his music now carries both places at once — classic country and rural roots colliding with the noise and stumbles of city life. His voice does a lot of that work, swelling into high notes and emoting with a sly, balladeer's finesse.
Gaby first broke through as one half of Goldenchild, his collaboration with Jeff Doker. Their 2015 debut Bridges married country and pop on honest, heartfelt ground. Now stepping out fully under his own name, Gaby is set to release his solo debut on Mississippi's Dial Back Sound, produced with Drive-By Truckers' Bobby Matt Patton — the first single "IDGAF No More" arrived in February, with a full LP and vinyl release to follow later in 2026.
Pete Mancini got his start fronting Butchers Blind, a New York band that earned critical notice before splitting after two albums and leaving him to start over. He found his footing as a solo artist instead, releasing Foothill Freeway in 2017 and Flying First Class in 2019.
Behind the music, though, Mancini was carrying years of unprocessed emotion, and knewhe needed to face it head-on.
That reckoning led him to Dial Back Sound in Water Valley, Mississippi, in the summer of 2020, where he began work with producer Matt Patton (Drive-By Truckers) and Bronson Tew on Killing the Old Ways — the album that became his breakthrough, both artisticallyand commercially. He returned to Dial Back Sound and producer Patton for American Equator, released March 2025, his most confident and cohesive record yet. Across songs of American identity, storytelling, spirituality, and grief, Mancini writes with the clarity of someone who's done the work to get there — and he's built a career, on stage and in the studio, alongside artists like Jimmy Webb and Joe Pernice.
For over two decades, Twangville has been a devoted champion of Americana music, shining a spotlight on the artists who give the genre its heart and soul. Whether celebrating beloved favorites or introducing emerging talents, they’ve showcased some of the most compelling voices in music through passionate album reviews, insightful interviews, exclusive videos, and even hosting memorable live performances. Their commitment to discovery and storytelling has made Twangville a trusted home for those who love and support independent music.
Founded in 2005, Twangville is a music review website covering all corners of Americana, including folk, country, bluegrass, rock, and blues.
Please note: all sales final, two item minimum per attendee.
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Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 23.44 to USD 32.22
