Rising Pittsburgh-founded band November Blue headlining benefit for MS in West Deer

A band of Pittsburgh-area natives that Rolling Stone recently named one of 10 new artists to watch is coming home in August to headline a long-running annual music festival benefiting multiple sclerosis research.

November Blue will be one of four groups performing at Music for MS on Aug. 9 at Corbriwood in West Deer.

Corbriwood is the home of musician John Vento, who since 2008 has staged Corbriwoodstock there as well. This year’s Corbriwoodstock, benefiting Allegheny Cleanways, will take place Aug. 30 and 31.

Michael “Mitch” Arnold, 61, of Hampton has held Music for MS every year since 2014, originally on the main stage at Hartwood Acres. His sister, Dorothy Welsh, 68, lives outside Detroit and was diagnosed with MS when she was 37.

“She is plowing through it like anyone else. It’s a very frustrating disease with a lot of different symptoms,” Arnold said. “She’s been through a lot of different therapies and had pretty good success. It doesn’t go without a lot of pain and frustration, which she’s not going to share but we know it’s there.”

Before starting Music for MS, Arnold said, he and his brother, John, who died last year, had been doing annual golf outings for various charities. They moved to support MS after their sister was diagnosed, but “golf outings tend to run their course,” he said.

“I decided to move it to a music event because of my passion and love for music.”

And while MS has many popular fundraisers involving walking or cycling, some of those living with it can’t walk or bike.

“We wanted to do something they could come to and feel comfortable being a part of,” Arnold said.

Music for MS has raised nearly $300,000 for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

“This event is a great example of people doing something they love for a cause they care deeply about,” said Kevin Moffitt, president of the society’s Pennsylvania-South Jersey-Delaware chapter. “The funds raised by Music for MS provide help and hope to local families with MS and for that we can’t thank the organizers enough.”

In addition to November Blue, the Music for MS lineup includes two groups Arnold is part of, Cue Ball and Tullycavy, and Vento’s band, VZHM Acoustic Union.

A six-piece band, November Blue consists of guitarist John Wilcox and bassist Brodie Holifield, both of Upper St. Clair; guitarists Tom Currey and Dylan Bradley, both from the West Allegheny area; pedal steel guitarist Alex Barcic of Fox Chapel; and drummer Dean Maddox of the Altoona area, who met Currey and Bradley at Duquesne University.

The band was established by Currey and Bradley in 2014.

Wilcox, 29, said they play country rock, inspired by bands such as The Eagles and Lynyrd Skynyrd, with “big harmonies and big guitars.”

The members moved to Nashville in 2019, where they now have a residency at Martins Bar-B-Que Joint, performing there on weekends.

“Pittsburgh has a great music scene. We realized it was more punk and heavy metal and heavy rock, as well as hip-hop and rap, which we liked, but it wasn’t the sound we were going for,” Wilcox said. “We figured we might jump into a big pond and moved to Nashville.”

Being identified by Rolling Stone in June as one of 10 promising artists with “original sound and artistic flair” was, Wilcox said, a surprise none of them saw coming.

“Known for channeling the timeless sound of classic rock and Americana, they bring a refreshing authenticity to the modern music scene,” Rolling Stone said.

The recognition from the classic publication has helped some people discover November Blue, giving them a little validity along with a bump in ticket sales, Wilcox said.

November Blue has released four full-length records, and its singles are available on streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon. Its next album, “Bring Back the Band,” is scheduled for release in the spring, Wilcox said.

The title track “reflects the challenges of a six-piece group holding onto their roots in a music landscape often shaped by solo acts and pop trends,” Rolling Stone said. “With gritty storytelling and rich instrumentation, November Blue is a reminder that real bands still have something to say.”

Before Music for MS, November Blue will perform from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2, at Cadence Clubhouse in McCandless.

At Music for MS, Wilcox said their 60- to 90-minute set will include a recently released single, “Hard Times Easy,” and a couple not yet released, “Little Miss Understood” and “Heart Attack.”

November Blue has played Music for MS for several years. Wilcox said Arnold, his father’s roommate at Penn State, is a big inspiration in his life and “pretty much my nonbiological uncle at this point.”

“This is one of our favorite shows of the whole year. It’s a cause near and dear to Mitch, so it’s a cause near and dear to me,” Wilcox said. “It’s one of my favorites. It feels almost like a family reunion.”

There are no tickets for Music for MS, just a suggested $30 donation. Parking is free.

It moved from Hartwood Acres to Corbriwood in 2020, when, because of the pandemic, they held it with a small audience and filmed it, Arnold said. They expect between 250 and 300 people to attend and can accommodate about 400.

Food will be available from Mission Mahi and Beedle’s Ice Cream. Those attending can bring blankets, short festival chairs and their own beverages.

“It’s a great evening of local and national music to support a great cause, ultimately moving forward through the healing power of music,” Arnold said.