Blue Mountain Myst

Lenora Carver, Staff Writer 22.JUN.10
The music of Blue Mountain Myst started with one song, a kitchen sink, and three friends.
In July 2002, Laura Ashworth, Beth Ihme, and Bitsy Davis joined together in Ashworth’s Brevard kitchen to produce something other than supper but a new country music group called Blue Mountain Myst.
“We were all acquaintances though different ways. But I heard they could sing,” said Ashworth.
Davis was working at Child’s World daycare while Ihme and Ashworth worked at the local cable company.
Ashworth, who plays and teaches guitar, said she had a melody for a new song but wasn’t sure what it would sound like if sung.
“I had a tune in my head and I wanted to hear them sing it back to me,” said Ashworth.
Once they all came together in the kitchen, they began producing the bluegrass, alternative country, folk and eclectic flair of what is now Blue Mountain Myst.
“That’s why we called our first CD kitchen jam,” said Ashworth.
Ihme was the leader in pushing her friends to make a CD.
“The work these other ladies did was awesome,” said Ihme.
And a local recorder named Donald Britt and Engineer David Owen produced the groups first two CD’s, Kitchen Jam then Lonely Highways.

Ashworth, Ihme and Davis continued to practice in the kitchen and produce songs from the soul while working their everyday jobs and caring for their children. Ashworth was a single mom with three children, Davis was a single mom with four children, and Ihme was married with two children.
Nothing stopped the three women from singing and making music even when Davis moved to Clifton Forge, Va. to help care for her mother.
“It was all about being at the right place at the right time for us,” said Ihme about the groups beginning.
“We give God the credit.”
And it was all about being in the right place when the group met their manager Kelly Corwin.
Corwin, who is a singer and songwriter and also works with the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation in Asheville, was taking guitar lessons from Ashworth when she learned about the group.
“I knew she was in a band but eventually she gave me her CD,” said Corwin.
“I thought wow, this is incredible. There music is great and the harmony is amazing. There music is just incredible.”
Corwin, who manages four other artists, told Ashworth, Davis and Ihme that she wanted to help them.
“It just kind of grew into this thing that I was managing them at one point,” said Corwin, who added that Blue Mountain Myst was easy to promote.
The group has had many of their songs played on radio waves across America.
In addition, they have performed live at festivals, on WBTV/PBS in Roanoke, Va., played venues from Tootsies to the Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn., and were runners up in the Colgate Country contest.
But their biggest break came in 2008 when Ashworth, Ihme and Davis performed at the Battle of the Bands in Covington, Va.
Corwin said after the group’s performance, CMI Entertainment handed her their card and wanted to know more about Blue Mountain Myst.
“It took a year of coordination with CMI to get them on their roaster,” said Corwin.
But in 2009, Blue Mountain Myst signed a contract to produce their music with CMI Entertainment label.
This was the same month that the group’s Lonely Highways song was selected to air on Outbound Music Radio stations.
“I consider them as good as the Dixie Chicks or any other group out there,” said Corwin.
In early 2010, several of the groups’ songs were selected to play on the Women of Substance Radio station in Los Angeles, which resulted in their song True Love, written by Ihme, to reach number three in the station’s top ten charts.
“When you hear their harmonies, it’s just amazing. Your just captivated,” said Corwin.
But Ashworth and Ihme said they never imagined they would be performing or hearing their songs on the radio, they just enjoyed singing in the kitchen.
“We are having a good time,” said Ihme.
Ihme said if they could help one person through their music, then they have accomplished their goal.
“And we really enjoy seeing other people have a good time,” said Ashworth, who hates to perform but loves writing songs for the group.
When they are in concert, Ihme and Ashworth said they have enjoyed playing live with the Mysti Mountain Boys.
“Before, we had this band, we had to hire musicians like my son,” said Ashworth with a laugh.
All of these triumphs enforce Ashworth’s and Ihme’s feeling that the group’s musical path and destination has been laid out by God.
“When we get on stage, there is an energy there,” said Ihme.
Ashworth added, “There is just a chemistry.”
This same chemistry is carried over when they produce music.
Ashworth said on one occasion Davis asked her to tune her dulcimer.
“I tuned it wrong,” said Ashworth.
“And I was playing a song,” added Ihme.
“Then Bitsy started singing,” said Ashworth.
“Within 30-minutes, the song was done.”
Ashworth said sometimes the rhythm come first, sometimes the me - Transylvanian Times

"When Bitsy begins singing, it's almost like a light radiates from her and caresses everyone in the audience."
"They put on a first class performance, equal to none."
"Their original music and quality of performance would make any Highlander proud to say they heard them live, right here at home."
"You certainly won't regret seeing them, and we can all say we knew them when." - Virginian Review

"Three mountain gals echo the harmony of these hills." "Their music will move your soul." - Virginian Review