Alma Russ

Alma Russ

Alma (say it like “Alamo”) lives in Mill Spring, NC when she’s not on the road. She plays patchwork music: country, folk, and Appalachian roots sewn together to make something unique. 

As a child, she fell in love with classic country when she saw The Country Bear Jamboree at Disney World. She became interested in Appalachian culture and music, started learning historic Scotch-Irish murder ballads, and took up fiddle at 12. Banjo and guitar followed, and then she made friends with a hobo who taught her to write songs, so that’s what she keeps doing. Music has taken her lots of places, from the hometown bars, to church, to the highways, and she’s been bumming around the country playing her songs since she was 19. She spent a while performing as an entertainer on the passenger train in Bryson City, NC, and once she wound up getting 3 yeses from ABC’s American Idol Judges on Season 1 and being sent to Hollywood, CA. She recently recorded a critically acclaimed album in an abandoned church in the West Texas desert.

Her influences include John Prine, Gillian Welch, Patty Griffin, Nanci Griffith, Townes Van Zandt, Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams, Dolly Parton, among others.

Honky Tonk

Honky Tonk Thursday is a free music series showcasing root-tootin’ honky tonk, western and country bands from near and far!  Free and open to guests of all ages (unless noted otherwise), grab your crew and two-step on over to Highland. 

In warmer months, live music is held on the scenic Meadow stage where camp chairs and blankets are welcome. Coolers and outside beverages are not permitted. Shows are rain or shine – if the skies don’t cooperate, the music moves indoors to the Taproom where we’ve got plenty of room for you to boogie down!