The City of Cherryville: Where Bluegrass Blossoms
By: Grace Smith – Wise News Network
CHERRYVILLE, NC (WNN) – The melodies of bluegrass music rang in the Cherryville air as Darin and Brooke Aldridge returned to their hometown. They’ve left a permanent mark, one that is on display in the new mural that is featured downtown.ย
On Thursday, October 5, 2023, the musical duo journeyed to Cherryville threw a free concert to celebrate their appearance in the mural. The City of Cherryville wanted to honor the hometown heroes for their hard work and dedication to their craft.
David Day, Cherryville’s downtown and economic director, said that the City Council drew inspiration from bluegrass murals in other municipalities. He wants this mural to boost downtown foot traffic.
“The city was looking at different ideas of our decorating and doing things to Main Street to draw merchants and to draw people here.” said Day.ย
Darin Aldridge hails from Cherryville, and Brooke Aldridge is originally from Newland, NC. They crossed paths and developed a connection because of their passions for music, a fact noticed by their mutual friends who thought they made a harmonious match.
The pair married in 2008, shortly after forming their band. The Aldridges have been joint in music ever since, boasting successful careers marked by multiple achievements and milestones.
Specifically, they are proud of their multiple performances at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, TN. The Aldridges have played over 50 shows at the concert hall.
“We had dreams and ambitions and goals that we had set early on. But, you know, you can always only hope that you can get to do the things that you have those goals for.” said Brooke Aldridge.ย
The Aldridges have been nominated for several International Bluegrass Music Association Awards. Brooke Aldridge has won the IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year four times. In 2017, Darin Aldridge won IBMA Mentor of the Year.
Feeling a strong connection to the Opry, the couple chose a photo from one of their performances there for the mural. Day contacted Scott Nurkin, a renowned NC muralist, to paint the dedication piece.
“He wanted kind of an action shot instead of us just standing there, and so we picked three different pictures and all came to an agreement on the one that you see there.” said Brooke Aldridge.ย
The Cherryville mural is the newest addition to Nurkin’s NC Musician Murals Project. In 2020, Nurkin decided to honor NC musicians by depicting them in murals around the state. He embarked on this process to educate residents of the state on NC’s storied musical history.
Nurkin plans to create 10 musical murals in NC musicians’ hometowns. So far, his work includes murals for Earl Scruggs in Shelby, NC, and Jimmy Wayne in Kings Mountain, NC, among others.
For the Aldridges mural, spray paint was Nurkin’s medium of choice. He spent three days in the July heat working on the hyper-realistic black-and-white piece. The final product was uncanny.
Darin and Brooke Aldridge are exceedingly proud to call Cherryville home. As Darin Aldridge stood on the stage, looking out at the crowd of the free concert, he recollected on time spent with community members.
“I recognize just about everybody here. It’s no secret, I’ve lived in Cherryville for 46 years.” said Darin Aldridge.
The pair have been asked why they never moved to Nashville like other great country stars. The answer for them is simple. They love Cherryville too much to move.
“We love the community, we love being from here, and we’ll probably always be here.” said Darin Aldridge.
Just as the Aldridges are proud to be from Cherryville, the residents are equally eager to boast about the musicians. Cherryville’s Major, HL Beam, welcomed the couple and their band warmly before inviting them on stage.ย
“Bluegrass stars, Darin and Brooke Aldridge, have achieved nationwide stardom.” said Beam.
Citizens of Cherryville relished in the strumming of musical strings and delicate spray paint strokes. Many consider themselves lucky that these forces of talent, Darin and Brooke Aldridge and Nurkin, came together to spice up the downtown.
Their job takes them wherever the music calls and the duo does not stay in one spot for long. However, a part of them will always exist in Cherryville, up on a brick wall for the whole city to admire.
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