Hard cider and bluegrass - now there’s a natural pairing. The Greenbrier County Public Library invites the public to enjoy the music of the Black Mountain Bluegrass Boys while sipping samples from the Hawk Knob Cidery and Meadery on Thursday, May 26. “String music and hard cider goes way back,” said Richard Hefner of the Black Mountain Bluegrass Boys. “My dad used to make home brew and there was always music at our house.” “They are two old Appalachian traditions. They ought to go hand in hand,” said Josh Bennett, one of Hawk Knob’s owners. The event, scheduled from 6-8 p.m., is a wrap-up party celebrating the conclusion of the 2015-16 General Operating Fund Drive. The hosts are Mardi McMillan and her husband, William T. Shiffer, Jr., the honorary co-chairs for the Greenbrier County Public Library’s 2015-16 General Operating Fund Drive. “We like to be involved in our community,” said Bennett of Hawk Knob. “The library offers a lot of free sources that we utilize ourselves.” Bennett and his business partner, Will Lewis, operate the first cidery in the state of West Virginia. They will serve library patrons samples of Appalachian Classic, which Bennett described as a very crisp and light cider, and an elderberry-infused hard cider. The popularity of the Black Mountain Bluegrass Boys attests to the fine product that results from a blending of experience for nearly five decades. The band is known for its “high lonesome” harmonies and leads, and fiery instrumentals. The band members are Hefner on banjo, Chris Nickell on guitar, Rick Carpenter on mandolin and Mike Smith on bass. “The library is an important part of the community,” Hefner said, mentioning that it offers online access and other services as well as books. “It really means something to a lot of people.” The library depends upon non-governmental local support for a significant portion of its operating budget. Donations designated for the Operating Fund may be sent to Greenbrier County Public Library, 152 Robert W. McCormick Drive, Lewisburg, WV 24901. More information about the fund drive or library services is available by calling 304-647-7568. <a href="https://mountainmedianews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2016/05/Hawk-Knob-WillLewisandJoshBennett.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-18832" alt="Hawk Knob WillLewisandJoshBennett" src="https://mountainmedianews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2016/05/Hawk-Knob-WillLewisandJoshBennett-300x241.jpg" width="300" height="241" /></a> <a href="https://mountainmedianews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2016/05/Black-Mtn-Bluegrass-Boys-Sepia.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-18828" alt="Black Mtn Bluegrass Boys Sepia" src="https://mountainmedianews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2016/05/Black-Mtn-Bluegrass-Boys-Sepia-300x205.jpg" width="300" height="205" /></a>
