ROCKINGHAM — The legendary Embers return to Cole Plaza Thursday to close out the 2024 installment of Plaza Jam.
The band was founded as the Satellites in Raleigh in 1958 by drummer Bobby Tomlison and guitarist Jackie Gore and has been through several lineup changes in the past 60-plus years.
The Embers were among the inaugural Carolina Beach Music Awards Hall of Fame inductees in 1995 and were inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2018.
Current frontman Craig Woolard has been off and on with the band since the ‘70s and spent time with his solo career. In addition to lead vocals, he also plays saxophone and flute.
The Embers have performed several times in the Plaza Jam series and was the first band to play in July 2021 following the pandemic.
The show starts at 6:30 p.m.
Plaza Jam is just one of several concerts this weekend around Richmond County.
Also on Thursday, the Luke Vuncannon Band is performing in the second installment of Pickin’ in the Park from 6-8 p.m. in Ellerbe.
Guitarist Luke Vuncannon said in a social media video that there will be two food trucks on site, Perfectly Imperfect Treats and Taco Loco.
There will also be a trailer on site for donations to be sent to those in the mountains affected by the flooding caused by Hurricane Helene. Those items will be taken to Western North Carolina on Friday.
Norton Farms kicks off its three nights of music on Friday with Clark Bennett. Erik Hawks is scheduled to perform on Friday and Jonathan Robinson is slated for Saturday. See the Norton Farms Facebook page for a full list of food trucks.
On Friday, the Safety Committee will be playing at Hudson Brothers Deli, honoring late band member Mervyn Celso, who passed away over the summer. The set list will feature songs that Celso sang during his time with the band.
Striker’s Lounge will host Brooks Shumake in his first appearance at the venue at 8 p.m. Saturday, and Frankie Moree is scheduled to perform at American Legion Post No. 49 in Hamlet from 6-9 p.m.
NOTE: This story has been corrected to change the name of the band for Pickin' in the Park. 4:14 p.m. 10-2-24
