Old Time Music

Waynesville is known for the beautiful leaves and vast mountains in the fall — but there’s more to the quaint little town.

Main Street not only crawls with Mast General Store, Boojum, and The Strand Theater, but hidden among the tourist attractions are two pickin’ and grinnin’ gentleman, deep within the heart of town. “Old Time Music,” two recycled metal sculptures made by “Steebo,” can be found on Miller Street across from the Sweet Onion. The sculptures are of two men playing commonly recognized Bluegrass instruments.

Stefan “Steebo” Bonitz grew up with artistic parents, who he says inspired his artistic passion. He originally used several mediums for his creations, but ultimately found his identity through recycled metals and folk influenced art.

“Old Time Music” is a malleable ode to the folk music that first ricocheted through the valleys of Western North Carolina. Bluegrass was a common pastime for WNC ancestors on weekends or after a long, hard day of working on the farm. They gathered together and sang about their spiritual faith, woes, and family for all to hear. Little did they know how precious the eccentric sound would become only generations later.

Bluegrass is commonly identified by the fiddle, banjo, violin, guitar and dobro. Downtown Waynesville cherishes the lively and fast-paced sound, spreading the love through festivals year-round. Folks come together to dance, drink, and celebrate the rich heritage of the Appalachian Mountains.

Bluegrass and mountains go together like fiddles and banjos — they just belong.