“Hillbilly” music originated in the Southern regions of the United States in the 1920’s and focused on story telling in ballads and dance tunes. In the 40’s this genre gained popularity the term Country Music was adopted; also known as Honky-Tonk, Bluegrass, folk and gospel and crossing over into. The musical instruments commonly played are fiddles, banjos and various types of guitar coupled with line dancing.
In Second Life, Blue Ridge Country is a venue dedicated to Country music and rock. It is a place where friends and good times are what it’s all about. Visitors can Rock the Dock on Saturdays with a whole day of rock. For those that like playing games, there is a Game room, Water horse rezzers and trails to ride on. There are also boat rezzers and an open water area to enjoy as well as Stores to shop. The SL Enquirer met up with owner Hannock Evergarden to learn more about Blue Ridge Country and what it has to offer Country Fans gridwide.
Interview with Hannock Evergarden
SLE: Hi Hannock, before we get down to the nitty gritty, can you tell us how you discovered Second life and what inspired you to create Blue Ridge Country?
Hannock: I encountered SL almost 11 years ago. It was just a curiosity, and I had no intention of staying long term, but I discovered friends and fun destinations that intrigued me. I found a few fun clubs and from the start I had a fascination with some day starting my own. I had left Sl for a while and found many of the clubs and friends had disappeared. It was during Covid that I found my way back in and looked for a club I could call home. At the time I was not all that familiar with country music but found a love for it along with many new friends. After about a year I became interested in becoming a DJ and absorbed all I could from my favorites. It was through the help of many close friends that happened to be DJ’s that I learned the ropes and as of 5/22 I performed my first set as a DJ and the rest is history. I learned a lot about how a club works and eventually became part owner of a well-established country club. After about a year I started toying with the idea of starting my own club. Lola and myself started from scratch and built a country club based on the Appalachian Mountains on a ¼ region. On September 1 2023, Blue Ridge Country opened with only 3 sets per day for 5 days. We only had 7 DJ’s and 7 Hosts. Within 2 months we grew to 27 DJ’s and 27 Hosts and with 4 sets per day 7 days per week.
On 3/1/24 Blue Ridge Country moved to a whole region with an adjoining sim wide open water area. Blue Ridge continues to grow with hopes of expanding sets from 6AM – 10PM.
Lanai: Your backstory is impressive. It shows with hard work and the right people in your circle to really manifest your vision into virtual reality! Every successful venue has a solid team, can you share who makes up your team and what their roles are?
Hannock: Hannock and Lola Evergarden – owners
Ange Blackwell – General Manager
Myth Blackwell - General Manager
Rayn Vortex – Day Manager
Jessie Demure – Schedule Manager
Lanai: It looks like you have management covered! Country music is gaining popularity amongst the millennials and Gen Z as new talents hit the recording studios and popular singers Like Beyonce coming out with a whole Country Album. What does Country Music mean to you and how do you feel about other artists crossing over to the genre?
Hannock: I came from a rock background and knew very little about country music before I became a DJ. I learned quickly from other DJ’s and binged all the popular country songs on my music app and listened to them every day and downloaded everything that appealed to me. I never play a song that I do not like. Country music has now become my favorite music genre and I get excited finding new songs every day.
Lanai: I like how motivated you are to try new things and really get involved in Country music so quickly. What type of events do you host at BRC?
Hannock: We have future RFL events in the planning stage. We have a racetrack skybox that we will soon be having competitions. Live singers are being approached and we hope to host a live event in the near future.
SLE: That sounds like fun! Are you currently hiring? If so, what positions are you offering?
Hannock: We are always looking for good energetic DJ’s and Hosts. Many of our sets are covered but we always need cover DJ’s and Hosts as well as hoping to expand our sets in the mornings.
SLE: Aside from live shows and DJ events, what other activities do you offer at Blue Ridge Country?
Hannock: Blue Ridge country has several stores with owners that would be happy to create something personal for you. We have an open water area with boat rezzers, bumper boats, kayaks, canoes and jet skis. Islands to explore, a huge tree house with several levels, cuddle spots and plenty of scenic photo opportunities. We have a trail that surrounds the region and horse rezzers to take a casual stroll around to see the mountainous sites. There is a beach area where occasional music sets are located. The huge club can accommodate over 100 vips with a massive game room upstairs.
SLE: it sounds like a little something for everyone. What group can guests join to stay up to date with your events?
Hannock: Blue Ridge Country, we also have subscribers if you are out of group space.
SLE: Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers about BRC?
Hannock: We are a family friendly club where our number one goal is having fun and making friends. Blue Ridge Country will never have a sploder or linden chasers, we prefer genuine folks that enjoy good country music, good friends and a good time. Blue Ridge Country wants to be your club and a place anyone can call home.
Additional Links:
SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/lohana/113/112/29
Discord: https://discord.com/channels/1132415568000065608/1132415569124130938 
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