Corie and Katie haven’t played as much music in public since Corie married. And since the boys were born it’s hard for them to even find time to play at home. But over the last several months they’ve been dipping their toes, or maybe I should say their fingers back into performing.
They’ve played at church several times and set in with the band a couple of times for dances at the folk school.
Last Friday night they traveled three hours to play their first real gig and it was a big one.
Many of you are likely familiar with Jan Karon’s best selling book series “The Mitford Years.” If you’ve never heard of Karon her books are New York Times-bestselling novels. They are Christian fiction and feature Father Tim who is an Episcopal priest. The fictional town of Mitford is located in the mountains of North Carolina. The books are heartwarming and have interesting story lines as well as fascinating characters.
Jan Karon heard the girls playing online and fell in love with their music. She invited them to be part of the hoopla surrounding her newest book. The celebration for the new book My Beloved was a two day event. The girls performed on the first day which featured Appalachian clogging and music.
They had a wonderful time and made a video of the entire trip. The video below starts with their performance (at 22 minutes and 39 seconds), but you can watch the entire video by going back to the beginning.
Hope you enjoyed their performance!
Tipper
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Tipper, I just saw this post today. I am so disappointed that I missed Katie and Corie at the Jan Karon event. My mother loved Jan Karon. She had every one of her books. When she passed away in 2019 my dad gave all of her Jan Karon books to my sister Julia who also loves her books. I did not know she had a new book out until I heard you talking about it on your YouTube channel. I immediately went and bought the book for my sister which really made her day. I live very close to the Jan Karon museum and would have loved to attend this event but I was not aware of it until after the fact. I plan to keep up with current events more closely in the future. Thank you so much Tipper, Matt and your whole family for what you do. You all have been a great blessing to me and my husband.
Oh my good! I loved your performance! Y’all are so very good ! Wow! I hope you record that happy fiddle & guitar music & your singing as well! I would love to have a cd! God bless y’all! What a blessing you are & I love the author, Jan Karon! I have the set of snowmen from her series of books! I will order her new book also!
I waited to comment until I was able to watch the girls’ video. It was very enjoyable and entertaining. I think their little “mamma break” from performing only made them better. They seem so natural, have wonderful harmony and their comedy is just enough to show how relaxed they must be. They’re comments about history, Appalachian life and the instruments only added to the performance. I hope they are able to continue with their music as much as family life allows. Thanks to all of you for sharing.
i am so glad i took time to watch this video. i so so enjoyed listening to your girls
I love Jan Karon’s books about Mitford, and I can’t wait to read her new one.
I neglected to say how much I enjoyed the Girls’ presentation. Their voices have matured since last I heard them. Their voices seem to have drifted apart somewhat which makes their harmony more prominent. Katie sings at a lower pitch and Cories is higher. That harmony produces another third voice that brings it all together. 1+1=2+1 It don’t work out mathematically but it sure does when they sing. Listen for it!
OK. I was not ready for Paradise, one of my all time favorites. Brass Town was really good too. /applause.
I so enjoyed listening and watching their performance on their channel. it was evident that they were having a fun time singing for folks again. The Mitford Museum is one of the top things I want to visit when I get to North Carolina and was thrilled to death to catch a glimpse of it in their video. I have read and reread and listened on CD to Jan Karon’s books for years, definitely one of my top favorite authors.
I enjoyed listening to the girls. They sing and play so well together. And they looked adorable too. My mama reads a lot to occupy her days without dad…and she enjoys Christian fiction. I am gonna look for the Mitford books in large print. I think she would love them.
Beautiful performance ladies. Thank you.
That was great! It seemed like the girls were ‘young-er again’.
I’ve read all Jan Karons books, and went to one of her signings (in Raleigh NC) probalby 25 years ago.
Great to hear the that the girls were personally invited, and a delight to see them play.
We watched it last night .Such a treat and they know what they’re doing ,a natural stage presence that draws the audience in.
What an honor for the girls and they are well worthy for it! I am happy that they are taking the time to use their talent! You must be so proud of them, for all reasons. How is Granny?
In my humble opinion, The Pressley Girls could have a successful career as a musical comedy duo. But first, they’d need to answer the really Big Question: Would their development of a professional act be worth the personal sacrifices they’d have to make to pursue it? That’s a question only they can answer.
That bridge across the Lake Rhodhiss there is called Castle Bridge. The bridge, as it stands today, is on its last legs. A few years ago it was closed and deemed “ready to collapse” but has been patched up for now. Work on a third bridge has begun. The first bridge was named for a Cassel family who lived in the area earlier. The second one was named Castle Bridge reportedly due to an error by someone at the DOT. It would be nice if the third bridge was renamed Cassel.
I get the “heebie-jeebies” every time I cross that bridge. Am I trusting my life to someone who can’t even spell Cassel right?
Just lovely girls. Thanks for sharing. Have a great Sunday everyone.
Good morning! I watched this on the girls you tube channel last night ! I loved it ! They did a great job ! I also loved that the gig was for Jan Karon’s book launch . I’ve read & loved the Mitford series & look forward to reading her new book .
That bridge crosses the Catawba River at Lake Rhodhiss. The town ahead is Baton. If you turn at that Dollar General and and follow Dry Ponds Road you will come out on Alt 321 in Granite Falls just about ÂĽ mile north of the Little Light Christian Bookstore.
Baton has the only Ingles Store in the area since Helene took out the one in Morganton. I go to Ingles every couple of weeks because they have watermelons year around and the only kind of buttermilk I drink (I know, Yuck! Buttermilk).
I live about 6 miles from the Milford Museum as the crow flies. To think my girls were performing there and I didn’t know. But I couldn’t go if I did know. Oh well, such is life.
I watched the girl’s video on their channel and thought it was wonderful! It was so good to see them performing. I enjoy Jan Karon’s books and look forward to reading this new one. Prayers for Granny and all of you.
Well done, Ladies!
Such natural talent and sweet hearts these beautiful women have. God bless them and their families always. Have a wonderful and blessed week. And to all who need prayers may God be with you all today, tomorrow and always. Love, prayers and comfort to Miss Louzine. Truly hope she’s resting and feeling some better.
They played the song we heard them practicing when you filmed them at the window. It was all so beautiful. I’m so happy for them. Love ya.
I watched the video when they posted it – the girls did a fantastic performance – but that was not a surprise was it? – they are very good at what they do! 🙂 Before you know it those sweet boys will be joining them on stage with their own instruments and voices. Oh happy day! 🙂 I have enjoyed many of Jan’s books as well. Ongoing prayers for Granny and you all. (since I use a desk top computer, I’ve not figured out how to do anything but smiley faces, or there would be some hearts added in my comment)
i love Jan Karon books!!! i have them all, and if i see them in a thrift store I cant leave them behind…..
More than wonderful
WOW! The girls were better than ever! I was impressed, pleased, tickled and honored to watch. Thank you!
What a wonderful way to start the day. One of the songs, “In the Garden,” left me misty-eyed thanks to the fact it was Mom’s favorite, while John Prine’s powerful, poignant “Paradise” somehow catches the spirit of Appalachia and has long been a staple when a bunch of treasured friends get together for pickin’ and grinnin’.
Jim “In The Garden” is also one of my favorites. At church this morning we sung another old hymn that means a lot to me “The Nail Scarred Hand.”
Wonderful! How exciting! Y’all did amazing! I love Jan Karon’s books!
I really enjoyed watching the girls video. They sounded wonderful and very entertaining on stage. Loved their outfits too. I saw someone commented on their channel that the school was where Jan Karon attended school.
Katie and Corie’s performance was very enjoyable. The instruments and their voices blended so well together. I also enjoyed the songs they chose to sing. I especially like their renditions of the old hymns. They are a blessing to me and very entertaining. I hope they continue to perform in public. I’m keeping Granny in my prayers.
We are fans of the Presley girls and of Jan Karon. I’m glad Jan found them and made them a part of her latest book release. I watched the video and now I can see why they were not happy about being steered away from following their interest in traditional mountain music when they were in college. Mountain music is too rich; too wide and too deep to be minimized, as its own long life and popularity continues to testify. To me, it and its ability to include regional and cultural influences, make “country music'” the national music. And its popularity back ‘across the pond’ to England, Ireland, Scotland and beyond says the same thing. It would be possible, I think, and it likely has been done, to tell the story of America throughout its history from 1600 or so in ‘story songs’. But it would also be an “embarrassment of riches” with so much to choose from.
Congratulations Pressley girls and hats off to Austen as the driver through the night. That road looked awful empty but it was in a good cause.
Tipper, I have been reading the Mitford series and know some of the Appalachia language because of following you (foundered). I was thinking I have to tell Tipper about these books in case she doesn’t know about them and then you mentioned them! I love the series and never want it to end!
Beautiful! I hope everyone enjoys this beautiful sunny weather on this gorgeous Sunday morning the Lord hath made.
So wonderful! Thank you for posting the video! Music is a gift from Heaven!
I have enjoyed Karon’s books for a long time, and it only endears her work to me the more that she loves Corie and Katie’s music too. ❤️
I loved watching the video of your girls performing. They are awesome with their pure and sweet voices!
Jan Karon’s books are great. I love Father Tim!
Have a wonderful day with your family!
I thoroughly enjoyed their video they shared about the event. I was so happy for them and they were awesome, very natural on the stage! Also loved the Mitford series, I read them years ago. Maybe I should go back for a visit.
thank you for this presentation of the girls, I will be listening soon, I posted prayer for granny, and the family, on my channel, I have requested prayer, God bless Granny Wilson, God bless her family
so nice to see them playing again. I remember the first time I saw them preform. at the little park in Young Harris, they were clogging and also the first time I saw you all play music. Pap was there.
A great performance. Like the story tellers of old, put to music.
Enchanting.
Kim in Ohio
❤️
I was at the event and what a treat it was to watch the girl play, live in person! They did a fantastic job, and their harmonies were simply outstanding. That family sound just cannot be beat, and their selection of songs was perfect. When they sung the song Corie had written about Brasstown, which was my first time hearing it, all I could think of was “I bet Tipper is proud as punch of this one”
It was a special weekend indeed, and I’m so very glad the girls made a video to have a lasting record of such a great night! I’ve already watched it back, and shared it with friends and family. God bless!
I saw the girls’ post and watched their performance. They were great. I had no idea that Jan Karon was from Hudson! Continuing prayers for Granny and all y’all.♥️