Courtesy photo

Jimmy Thackery

Courtesy of Sedalia Center

Faith Ridge

Courtesy photo

Dan Tyminski

SUNDAY

Jimmy Thackery

With Scott Fore

Years ago, while a young'un cycling with friends in Salem, Harry Turner rolled by a Roanoke College frat house and was captured by the sounds of blues music. The band he heard was the Nighthawks, and he told his friends they could ride on -- he was sticking around. He met the band's esteemed guitarist, Jimmy Thackery, and they sparked up a long-lasting friendship. These days, Turner doubles as manager and booking agent for Thackery, whose guitar playing and songwriting has continued to grow over the years. Go to blogs.roanoke.com/cutnscratch to hear a podcast with Turner, who also works with hot retro guitarist Nick Curran, barrelhouse piano freak the Rev. Billy C. Wirtz and singer Reba Russell.

Details: 5 p.m. Sunday. Sunken Garden Amphitheater at Nesselrod on the New, Radford. $10 general admission (all ages); $15 garden amphitheater (21 and older). 745-6643, dlpconcerts.com, sunkengardensundays.com, jimmythackery.com, myspace.com/thehillbillyhotclub.

TODAY-SUNDAY

Bluegrass in Sedalia

With Black Bear Express, Blackwater, Bluegrass Brothers, Deer Creek Boys, FaithRidge, Hard Drivin' Grass, High Ground, Kinney Rorrer and the New North Carolina Ramblers, Mark Templeton and Pocket Change, Reed Creek and Smith Mountain Grass

It's like an all-day train ride, with these local and regional bluegrass acts chugging up a flatfooting tempo.

Details: 4:30 to 10:30 p.m. today and Friday; 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday. Sedalia Center, Big Island. $10 for today's admission; $15 for Friday; $25 for Saturday; $40 for all three days. (434) 299-5080, sedaliacenter.org.

TODAY-SUNDAY

Song of the Mountains Festival

With Jesse McReynolds and the Virginia Boys, Goose Creek Symphony, John Cowan Band, Dan Tyminski Band, The Farewell Drifters, Curly Seckler and Willis Spears, Wayne Henderson, Moron Brothers, Lou Reid and Carolina, more

Another barrel of bluegrass is rolling down at Rural Retreat. This one features some of the genre's best singers, in Cowan and Tyminski, and deviates further from purism by offering up the cult rockers Goose Creek Symphony.

Details: Today through Sunday. Davis Valley Winery, Rural Retreat. $70 for three-day pass; $25 for one-day ticket; free for ages 12 and younger accompanied by a paying adult. songofthemountains.org/festival/2009, DVwinery.com.

TONIGHT

Our Square Planet

With Triscale, Mafia Track Suit

Two pretty new bands are on the bill here. Our Square Planet is just one show out of the gate. Mafia Track Suit, led by former Fashion Smoothies front man Billy Chase, is playing its first show tonight.

Details: 10 tonight. Martin's Downtown Bar & Grill, Roanoke. Free. 985-6278, martinsdowntown.com, myspace.com/hoursquareplanet, myspace.com/triscaleband, myspace.com/mafiatracksuit.

Ben Prestage

This one-man band blues-rocker doesn't need to worry about flaky compadres. He's got the guitar and drums locked into his own internal clock.

Details: 9 tonight. Blue 5 Restaurant, Roanoke. Free. 904-5338, blue5restaurant.com, myspace.com/bprestage.

FRIDAY

Sugarland

With Billy Currington, Holly Williams

Country music chart-topper and multiple award-winning act Sugarland brings No. 1 hits from its latest album, "Love on the Inside," plus a bunch of other smashes. Go to roanoke.com/entertainment/209292 to read more and hear a podcast of our interview with the band's Kristian Bush. Interesting side note: Opening act Williams is a child of Hank Williams Jr.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday. Roanoke Civic Center Coliseum. $29.50; $41.50. 853-5483, roanokeciviccenter.com, sugarlandmusic.com, billycurrington.com

Frantic Recovery

With Spuknof

Dig a hard-rock double-bill at the Pot. And bring earplugs. Spuknof is really good, and really, really freaking loud.

Details: 9 p.m. Friday. Coffee Pot, Roanoke. $5. 774-8256, myspace.com/coffeepotroadhouseinc, myspace.com/franticrecovery, myspace.com/spuknof.

Robin and Linda Williams This couple has been on the "Grand Ole Opry," "Austin City Limits" and "Mountain Stage" programs. Now catch the act at a Moneta church.

Details: 7 p.m. Friday. Trinity Ecumenical Parish, Moneta. $12 in advance; $15 at the door. 721-2904, smithmountainartscouncil.com, robinandlinda.com.

SATURDAY

James Leva and Purgatory Mountain

Leva is a renowned fiddler, banjo man and singer who learned from such Appalachian greats as Tommy Jarrell. His Purgatory Mountain band straddles the line between traditional and newgrass, without sounding like it's hedging any bets.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Theater at Lime Kiln, Lexington. Adults $12 in advance, $15 at the gate; senior citizens $10/$12; students $8/$10; ages 6 and younger free. 463-7088, theateratlimekiln.com, jamesleva.com.

Catherine Russell

Russell likes to work. With just a short time off from an international tour as backing vocalist for Steely Dan, she makes a stop in Roanoke to sing some honest-to-God old-school blues and jazz. Her voice will knock you out.

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday. Jefferson Center, Roanoke. $8 to $18; students half-price. 345-2550, jeffcenter.org, catherinerussell.net.

DecembeRadio

With Brandishing Steel and Only 9AM

HigherGrounds Summer Music Festival features Blacksburg boys DecemberRadio, Grammy nominees and two-time Dove Award winners. This band can rock.

Details: 7 p.m. Saturday. Callaway Church of God, Rocky Mount. $10 donation at the gate. (800) 965-9324, callawaycog.org, decemberadio.com.

American Piano Masters

With Daryl Davis and Gary Patton

These are serious piano players. Davis, a boogie-woogie pounder, played with Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters, where he replaced the iconic "Pinetop" Perkins. Patton's plunking relies on 19th-century parlor-style music with Victorian roots. Wayne Henderson will strap on his guitar to accompany Davis. Patton's nephew, Dempsey Patton, will six-string it to back up his uncle.

Details: 7 p.m. Saturday. Blue Ridge Music Center, Milepost 213 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. $10. (276) 236-5309, blueridgemusiccenter.org, daryldavis.com.

Abingdon Blues Festival

With Lightnin' Charlie, Scott Ainslie, King Bees, Blue Mother Tupelo and Cornbread Revival

If you're looking for a blues road trip, here's a quick one. Ainslie, a brilliant fingerstylist, and showman "Lightnin' " Charlie Dolinger will jam together and front their own acts. Blue Mother Tupelo may well be the most interesting act on the bill -- seriously, check out the music on the band's MySpace.com page.

Details: 4 p.m. Saturday. Latture Field, Main Street, Abingdon. $5. (276) 676-2282, (800) 435-3440, abingdon.com, cattailmusic.com, lightnincharlie.com, myspace.com/bluemothertupelo.

SUNDAY

Jazz Night

Greg Ayers (guitar), James Pace (keys) and Carlos Aranguren (drums) kick off this new feature at 202 Market. With players like these, quality music is practically guaranteed.

Details: 7 p.m. Sunday. 202 Market, Roanoke. Free. 343-6644, 202market.net.

Casey and the Moonshine Band

I was just wondering the other day: What happened to these guys? And here they are, slinging some hard country at Fork in the City.

Details: 9 p.m. Sunday. Fork in the City, Roanoke. Free. 345-3675, forkinthecity.com, myspace.com/caseythemoonshineband.

WEDNESDAY

Melissa Reaves

Reaves works hard, sings well and hits the valleys pretty regularly. Go to blogs.roanoke.com/cutnscratch and put her name in the search engine to hear a podcast with original music.

Details: 9:30 p.m. Wednesday. The Cellar, Blacksburg. Free. 953-0651, the-cellar.com, melissareaves.com.