By Liz Beavers
lbeavers@newstribune.info
Managing Editor

KEYSER — Two of the areas most popular bluegrass bands, plus a reunion of a band which made a name for itself regionally almost 50 years ago, will fill the air at Keyser High School with some good old-fashioned foot-tapping bluegrass when Warm the Children presents its first benefit concert on Saturday, Nov. 14.
Highland Grass and Black Diamond are slated to perform. In addition, Joe Winebrenner of Highland Grass will reunite with his brother Gene for a reunion of Gene & Joe and the Valley Troubadours.
The idea for the concert, and for the reunion, occurred to Joe Winebrenner one day during an out-of-town appearance with Highland Grass.
Someone had approached him with the idea of doing a benefit, but the venue was so far away that
Joe decided he'd rather help out a needy group closer to home.
That's when he was approached by a representative of Warm the Children.
“The very next week, somebody said, 'why don't you and Gene get back together?'” he recalls.
And the rest, as they say, is history.
Doors will open for the concert, to be held in the KHS theater, at 6:30 p.m. and the concert will get underway at 7 p.m.
Tickets will be sold at the door on the night of the program.
Refreshments will be available for sale, as well as tickets for a $100 cash raffle, and all proceeds will benefit Warm the Children, the Mineral Daily News Tribune's campaign to provide warm winter clothing for children in need.
The concert is the culminating event to a Warm the Children Weekend which will get underway Friday, Nov. 13,  with a visit by author, educator and Olympic darling Debbie Phelps. Phelps is the mother of Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps and became an instant celebrity when she and her daughters cheered Michael on to victory at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
In addition to a book signing at Main Street Books in Keyser and a visit to New Creek Primary School, Phelps will be greeting visitors to the Warm the Children Open House scheduled for 4 p.m. at Peebles in Keyser.
Santa is also scheduled to visit, and will be available for photos with the youngsters.