The Huntsville Traditional Music Association is pleased to announce our “Behind the Music” series. Each month, HTMA is planning a presentation of casual conversation and songs with some of our favorite musical artists hosted by our current HTMA President Mike Ball. We hope this series will provide an environment conducive to developing a deeper understanding among us of the power of music to promote connections to one another. The Behind The Music Series will be held at the new HTMA studio #1038 inside Lowe Mill.
Featured Performance: Kirk Jones

Kirk Jones is a semi-professional “FUNsician” who teaches beginner to intermediate ukulele lessons and performs in and around the Huntsville, Alabama area as well as around the United States. While Kirk is a talented musician and vocalist, his greatest gift is the joyful and entertaining way that he connects with his audience. He sometimes refers to himself as “Orangutan” or “Lion” because he loves being goofy but also recognizes that it is sometimes important to muster up to the courage of a lion to pull on the heartstrings.
Featured Performance: Kelly Abraham Joyner

“Ethereal and haunting” are two adjectives often used to describe the vocals of Singer/songwriter Kelly Abraham Joyner who has recently been performing throughout the Tennessee Valley region and beyond as the lead singer for the Americana Band Luna Koi.
Featured Performance: Mike Roberts

Although Mike Roberts is one Huntsville's favorite singer-songwriters and multi-instrumentalists, he has also been prominent across the Alabama, Tennessee, and Florida music scene for decades. Influenced by everything he heard, he began singing and making up jingles at an early age. The authenticity of Southern raising is prevalent in Mike's writing, performance, and the neighborly spirit that accompanies him everywhere he goes.
Featured Performance: Microwave Dave Gallaher

HTMA is honored to welcome Huntsville’s own inimitable blues icon Dave Gallaher to the April edition of our “Behind the Music” series. He has been playing guitar before appreciative audiences since he was a teenager in the ‘60’s and hasn’t stopped. Each year, Huntsville celebrates Microwave Dave Day to raise funds to support the Microwave Dave Music Education Foundation in its efforts to promote music education in local schools. His fans include the acclaimed author Steven King, who wrote the foreword for his book, “I’m a Road-Runner.”
Featured Performance: Amber Schmidt

Amber is an indie-folk songwriter based in Huntsville, Alabama, known for her raw lyricism and intimate soundscapes. Her music blends delicate melodies with poetic honesty, drawing listeners into stories that are both deeply personal and universally relatable.
Featured Performance: Sylvia Dean

Sylvia Dean is a fiddler, singer, and songwriter who has been a part of the Huntsville music scene since childhood when she was a featured performer on Huntsville cable TV. She played with several bands at a variety of venues while earning her Ph.D. and teaching.

Matt Prater is an extraordinary gifted local singer-songwriter and soulful storyteller with Country, Honky-Tonk, Folk and Roots Rock Music influences whose songs are relevant across generations. He has had success in writing everything from independently produced solo projects as an artist, to custom songs for others.

Cristina Lynn is a petite Americana singer/songwriter with a rich and powerful voice but her most significant attribute is a demeanor that radiates pure joy. Her glowing face and effusive smile that emanates an uncommon sense of peace and authenticity that makes it easy to recognize that her music is not just about performance, it's about extending a friendly hand and opening the door to life.

Taylor Burton is a singer-songwriter, guitarist and lead singer of The Silver Silos. Originally from Augusta, GA, and now living in Madison, Taylor has been playing music semi-professionally since 2002. He has shared the stage with Caitlin Cary (Whiskeytown), Paleface (The Avett Brothers, Kimya Dawson collaborator), The Alternative Champs (HBO's "The Righteous Gemstones"), and JJ Grey and Mofro.

HTMA President Mike Ball is honored to host Mike Cole for an evening of conversation, music, and fellowship at the home of the Huntsville Traditional Music Association, located at Lowe Mill Studio 1038.
In 1975 when Mike Cole started playing guitar at 9 years old, he couldn't have known that he would eventually become one of the most talented guitarists in our region and that his guitar would provide his living for 40 years.
During his long career as a working musician, he has played with many famous, semi-famous and not-so-famous artists. Although he often does solo performances, Mike has been comfortable performing with many bands in a broad range of musical styles.
Even though he is a master of the guitar, Mike doesn't overplay by constantly trying to overwhelm listeners with flashy licks and riffs. His playing fascinates fellow guitar players, but you don't have to be a musician to appreciate the smooth, pleasant sounds emanating from the stage when Mike Cole performs a song.
Mike can be seen performing solo, with other artists at different venues across the Tennessee Valley, including praise and worship music. He also performs regularly as the lead guitarist for the Matt Prater Band.
Enter Lowe Mill through Door #4 on the North side of the building and take a right at the 2d hallway. Admission is free, but a donation to HTMA will be greatly appreciated to help pay the rent and compensate our guest. See you there!
Mike Ball hosts Behind the Music of Mike Cole
Wednesday, November 5th, 2025, 6:30 PM

Behind the Music of Taylor Burton
Wednesday, October 1st, 2025, 6:30 PM

Mike Ball hosted Cristina Lynn for Behind the Music
Wednesday, September 3rd, 2025, 6:30 PM

HTMA hosted Matt Prater for an evening of conversation, music & fellowship on
Wednesday, August 6th, 2025, 6:30 PM

Behind the Music of Sylvia Dean
Wednesday, June 4th, 2025

HTMA hosted Amber Schmidt for an evening of conversation, music, and fellowship at the home of the Huntsville Traditional Music Association at Lowe Mill Arts & Entertainment in May 2025.

Huntsville’s own inimitable blues icon Dave Gallaher was the featured artist at the April edition of the “Behind the Music” series.

Mike Roberts will joined HTMA President Mike Ball for the Behind the Music series at the NEW HTMA studio space at Lowe Mill on March 5th, 2025.

February 6th, 2025 Behind the Music - Kelly Abraham Joyner at the NEW HTMA studio space at Lowe Mill.

Kirk Jones joined HTMA President Mike Ball for the Behind the Music series at the NEW HTMA studio space at Lowe Mill on January 8th, 2025.

Ricky j Taylor performed during the Behind the Music series at the NEW HTMA studio space at Lowe Mill on December 4th, 2024.

Tim Cannon was the featured artist for the Behind the Music series at the NEW HTMA studio space at Lowe Mill on November 13th, 2024.

Jim Parler kicked off the Behind the Music series at the NEW HTMA studio space at Lowe Mill on October 9th, 2024

501C Ruling: The IRS has recognized the Huntsville Traditional Music Association as a tax exempt non-profit corporation, under section 501.c3 of Internal Revenue Code, effective August 25, 2006. Your charitable donations to help us continue our mission of maintaining a folk and traditional music presence in the Tennessee Valley are both appreciated and tax deductible.
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