Local band Nowhere Valley will perform Friday at the Downtown Art Walk. The band will perform at 5 p.m. in front of Simple Blessings and at 8 p.m. at the Bonnie Kate Theater.

The band, which is composed of local artists Jennifer Gillenwater and Sam and Ginger Dalton, play old-time, bluegrass, pop, gospel, and original bluegrass music. The trio within recent days has released its first CD titled Distant Voices, which includes 17 songs, many of Sam’s originals such as “Cloudland” and “Lost Cove,” and a few of Jennifer’s, including “The Pillar of Pogie” and “Pearlie’s Packages.”

“We write a lot of our songs, which deal with local history and legend. We also do a lot of old-time, bluegrass and gospel music,” said Jennifer, who is from Poga and is a retired teacher with the Johnson County School System. Sam and Ginger live in the Happy Valley community.

Sam plays the guitar and bowed psaltery, Ginger plays the mountain dulcimer and autoharp, and Jennifer plays the Dulcijo, a cross between the dulcimer, banjo and flute, and back-up guitar.

Sam is a retired teacher with the Carter County School System, having taught at Central Elementary School. Ginger works with Holston Methodists and as part of her job arranges musical events for seniors.

All three have been involved with music most of their lives. Jennifer has been making music since she was a child. Her first instrument was the flute, which she played in school. Sam and Ginger have been making music and singing together since they were married and Sam has been writing songs for 30 years or longer.

“Music is the language of the soul, and most often it tells a story. All of us have done a lot of church music,” said Jennifer. She considers Flat Springs Baptist Church and Bakers Gap her “jumping-off” churches. Those are the two churches she calls home and she has performed at numerous services at both. The Daltons do a lot of music at Calvary Baptist in Erwin, their home church.

“We enjoy singing at local churches, retirement homes, and local festivals. Most recently we performed at Tipton-Haynes Historical Site and we perform at Shirley’s Restaurant and Dry Hill Country Store on occasion,” Jennifer shared.

The three have been making music together for the past three years.

Their new CD sells for $15 and can be purchased from the three directly. They will also be available for purchase at the Downtown Art Walk Friday.