(extended synth note) (gentle jingle plays) (upbeat bluegrass music plays) - [Announcer 1] This week on "Expressions".

A performance from Bristol Lightning.

♪ La la, la la la la, la la ♪ ♪ La la la la, la la ♪ ♪ La la la la la ♪ ♪ La la la la la la la ♪ ♪ La, la la la la, la la ♪ ♪ La la la la, la la ♪ ♪ La la la la la ♪ ♪ La la la la ♪ ♪ La, la la la la, la la ♪ ♪ La la la la, la la ♪ ♪ La la la la la ♪ ♪ La la la la la la la ♪ ♪ La, la la la la, la la ♪ ♪ La la la la, la la ♪ ♪ La la la la la ♪ - [Announcer 1] All tonight on "Expressions".

(audience applauds) - [Announcer 2] Funding for this program is provided in part by viewers like you.

Thank you.

- Hello, and welcome to "Expressions".

I'm your host Adara Alston.

For this episode, we are featuring Bristol Lightning.

Led by world renowned cellist Dave Eggar, this ensemble blends bluegrass, folk, classical, hip hop, and even tap dance to create a truly unique sound.

Our first song was inspired by Dave's childhood friendship with the great American songwriter Aaron Copeland.

Here is "Appalachian Mozart".

(bluegrass classical music plays) (music continues) (music continues) ♪ I took the train to Bristol ♪ ♪ Music on my mind ♪ ♪ Hurtin' soul is weary ♪ ♪ I'm wandering all the time ♪ ♪ I saw the lightning ♪ ♪ Running through that Tennessee sky ♪ ♪ It's clear here in Virginia ♪ ♪ Let's stroll across that line ♪ (music continues) ♪ Land of mother Maybelle ♪ ♪ Moonshine to drink ♪ ♪ Big Bang of country music ♪ ♪ It's more than what you think ♪ ♪ Come see the lightning ♪ ♪ Blazing through that Tennessee sky ♪ ♪ Virginia's for lovers ♪ ♪ Let's stroll across that line ♪ (music continues) ♪ Come on down ♪ ♪ Breathe the sound ♪ ♪ Dance until you're crazy ♪ ♪ Light the fire within your soul ♪ ♪ You know you got to see your baby ♪ ♪ Leaving on a jet plane ♪ ♪ Gotta fly, gotta hop on the next train ♪ ♪ Can I ride southbound, city mountainside ♪ ♪ Gotta drive, I'm headed for the Southside ♪ ♪ Southside, I'm running ♪ ♪ Back roads running, I'm running, ground burning ♪ ♪ I feel the heat on my feet, I'm burning ♪ ♪ Southside calling to me, I'm yearning ♪ ♪ Missing my home in the trees ♪ ♪ And my peeps with a beer in the back in the Jeep ♪ ♪ And my man on the porch with cigar and a drink ♪ ♪ Music will get the folks out of they seat ♪ ♪ Get so lit I lose count of the sheep ♪ ♪ Lordy have mercy, have mercy, Lordy Lordy ♪ ♪ Get baptized or return me to the water ♪ ♪ Going Southside so my roots get stronger ♪ ♪ Ain't got a dime, anybody got a quarter ♪ (music continues) (music continues) (gentle acoustic music plays) (bluesy bluegrass music plays) ♪ Tell me who you are, who you really are ♪ ♪ Tell me if it's God, is it really God ♪ ♪ Stand on the edge of the Earth ♪ ♪ Does it work if I let myself fall into the dirt ♪ ♪ Let the rain soak into my shirt ♪ ♪ As nature plant her seed under my skirt ♪ ♪ Never put myself first, amen, that hurts ♪ ♪ It's much worse depriving the soul of what it thirst ♪ ♪ Letting the Devil in, 'cause he's a flirt ♪ ♪ Lying to myself's my favorite quirk ♪ ♪ Tell me who you are, who you really are ♪ ♪ Tell me if it's God, is it really God ♪ ♪ Yeah, tell me who you are, who you really are ♪ ♪ Tell me if it's God, is it really God ♪ (music continues) ♪ What's my place, what's my favorite face ♪ ♪ Such a disgrace, changing up the pace ♪ ♪ Does it work if I really pray ♪ ♪ I'll give my answer some other day ♪ ♪ Sometimes I talk and rarely listen ♪ ♪ I'm missing out on my life's mission ♪ ♪ I'm stuck, but I blame it on the system ♪ ♪ I've got no action, just wishing ♪ (music continues) (music continues) ♪ If I can give it up and start again ♪ ♪ Would I erase my sins, would I have learned lessons ♪ ♪ I'm a person with a purpose ♪ ♪ Speak the truth, I go within ♪ ♪ Can't you understand I am only human ♪ ♪ If I can give it up and start again ♪ ♪ Would I have learned lessons, would I erase my sins ♪ ♪ I'm a person with a purpose ♪ ♪ Speak the truth, I go within ♪ ♪ Can you understand I am only human ♪ ♪ If I can give it up and start again ♪ ♪ Would I erase my sins, would I have learned lessons ♪ ♪ I'm a person with a purpose ♪ ♪ Speak the truth, I go within ♪ ♪ Can you understand I am only human ♪ ♪ If I can give up and start again ♪ ♪ Would I erase my sins, would I have learned lessons ♪ ♪ I'm a person with a purpose ♪ ♪ Speak the truth, I go within ♪ ♪ Can you understand I am only human♪ (music continues) ♪ Tell me who you are, who you really are ♪ ♪ Tell me if it's God, is it really God ♪ (music continues) - That was Le'Asha Julius with the vocals on "Valet".

And we have even more electric performances from Bristol Lightning coming right up.

A reminder that you can visit wskg.org/expressions to see even more of their performance.

And to also revisit Dave Eggers' past performances on the "Expressions" stage.

Our next selection was written by mandolin player Blake Collins during the depths of the COVID pandemic.

Here is "Letter from Cambodia".

(mandolin folk music plays) (music continues) (music continues) (music continues) (music continues) (music continues) (music continues) (music continues) (music continues) (music continues) (music continues) (music continues) (music continues) (upbeat acoustic melody plays) - [Le'Asha] Bonjour!

(speaks French) ♪ Ooh la la ♪ (mandolin classical music plays) (music continues) ♪ 'Twas a week so full of toil ♪ ♪ My heart it runs on engine oil ♪ ♪ Let's go into town and spoil ♪ ♪ Oh my sweet lady ♪ ♪ At the show there was a daze ♪ ♪ Dancers' dresses were ablaze ♪ ♪ Kicking legs, oh we did gaze ♪ ♪ It was so amazing ♪ ♪ Lift your dresses ♪ ♪ Kick your legs and dance along ♪ ♪ Raise your glasses ♪ ♪ Have a drink and sing along ♪ ♪ Harvest over, now it's time for jubilee ♪ (music continues) (music continues) (Le'Asha speaks French) ♪ Ooh la la ♪ (music continues) (music continues) ♪ Hey, lift your dresses ♪ ♪ Kick those legs and dance along ♪ ♪ Raise your glasses ♪ ♪ Have a drink and sing along ♪ ♪ Harvest over, now it's time for jubilee ♪ (music continues) ♪ Lift your dresses ♪ ♪ Kick those legs and dance along ♪ ♪ Raise your glasses ♪ ♪ Have a drink and sing along ♪ ♪ Harvest over, now it's time for jubilee ♪ ♪ Dance hall's calling ♪ ♪ Let's go in and have a seat ♪ (music continues) (music continues) ♪ La la, la la la la, la la ♪ ♪ La la la la, la la ♪ ♪ La la la la la, la la la la la la ♪ ♪ La, la la la la, la la ♪ ♪ La la la la, la la ♪ ♪ La la la la la, la la la la ♪ ♪ La, la la la la, la la ♪ ♪ La la la la, la la ♪ ♪ La la la la la, la la la la la la ♪ ♪ La, la la la la, la la ♪ ♪ La la la la, la la ♪ ♪ La la la la la ♪ - Bristol Lightning with a one of a kind performance of the classic Parisian dance, the Can-Can.

For our final number, we decided to bring in some special guests to join tap dancer Connor Coleman.

Be on the lookout for Irish folk singer Pat Kane and his friends as they join in on the classic bluegrass tune "Angeline the Baker".

Enjoy the performance.

And thanks so much for watching "Expressions".

I'm Adara Alston.

Goodnight.

(dramatic acoustic music plays) (upbeat bluegrass music plays) - [Dancers] Woo!

Woo!

(music continues) (music continues) (music continues) Woo!

Woo!

(music continues) Woo!

Woo!

(rhythmic clapping) - Woo!

(dancers applaud) Thank you so much everyone!

(audience applauds) (music continues)