S.G. Goodman
For Rock the Plateau, the Salon Series at Highlander Mountain House is more than a calendar of concerts.
It’s a gathering place, a reason to step out on a cool evening, and a reminder that live music can make a community feel larger and closer at once.
This season, that mission comes alive through three performances tracing Americana, folk, and roots music. Each evening has its own voice, yet together they show what organizers Bill and Mallory Samson hoped to build when they founded Rock the Plateau: a destination where acclaimed artists feel at home and listeners experience songs in an intimate, memorable setting.
The first chapter belongs to Kathleen Edwards, whose October 22 appearance carries the anticipation of a long-awaited return. With her album Billionaire on Dualtone Records and produced by Jason Isbell and Gena Johnson, Edwards brings more than two decades of modern alt-country and Americana to the room: songs that feel conversational, unsparing, and deeply human.
For listeners on the Plateau, Edwards offers the rare pleasure of hearing a seasoned songwriter up close – close enough to catch the phrasing, wit, ache, and quiet courage inside the lines.
Tift Merritt
The second chapter arrives November 19 with S.G. Goodman, who returns from the Western Kentucky bottomland with Planting by the Signs, out on her own Slough Water Records via Thirty Tigers. Inspired by love, loss, reconciliation, and the ancient practice of timing life by the moon’s signs, the album pairs vulnerable folk with punchy rock ’n’ roll, chiming guitars, and Goodman’s singular voice.
The record also carries a hard-won tenderness. After personal loss and a reconciliation with longtime collaborator Matthew Rowan, Goodman found her way back to the studio with songs that consider humanity’s dependence on the natural world and the only way forward: together.
The third chapter continues December 17 with Tift Merritt, a Grammy-nominated North Carolina singer-songwriter whose songs feel literary and lived-in. Her music carries country soul, Southern restraint, and restless curiosity, while new work from Sugar suggests an artist returning with freshness, energy, and hard-earned joy.
Merritt’s evening is likely to feel like a homecoming – not because the room is familiar to everyone, but because her songs understand place, memory, and belonging. In a mountain community where stories pass from table to table, her performance fits Rock the Plateau’s larger purpose: building connection through artists who make listeners lean in.
Kathleen Edwards
Together, the three nights reinforce the promise behind Rock the Plateau’s name. The artists arrive with accolades – Grammy nominations and wins, Americana recognition, devoted followings – but the true measure is what happens when the music begins and the audience becomes part of the moment.
The Samsons’ path began after they moved from the Chicago area to Highlands in 2018. They loved the town’s natural beauty, restaurants, and people, then found a vibrant arts scene through CLE, the Performing Arts Center, The Bascom, and festivals such as Highlands Food & Wine and Bear Shadow.
A pop-up night at Highlander Mountain House during Food & Wine sparked the idea. After hearing Lily Hiatt perform and meeting owner Jason Reeves and singer-songwriter Shelly Colvin, Bill and Mallory saw a chance to help make Highlands a destination for music lovers and music makers.
Today, Rock the Plateau supports music-centered events, funds artists, and brings special experiences to this corner of the world.
As a 501(c)(3), it relies on donations, memberships, and sustaining patrons, with tax-deductible gifts starting at $5. To donate, become a member, or learn more, visit rocktheplateau.org.
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