Ramona & the Holy Smokes w/ Rebecca Porter

Ramona and the Holy Smokes

Based in Central Virginia and with family roots in South Texas, Ramona and the Holy Smokes represent a new generation of honky tonk music. With powerful female vocals that cover an emotional range from determined to comic to vulnerable, and a talented backing band steeped in classic country and western styles of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, the band exhibits a “clarity and sincerity that bring Patsy Cline to mind” (Nashville Scene, 2025). Fronted by Ramona Martinez, whose songwriting has earned her recognition from Wide Open Country as one of the "15 Latino Artists Shaping Country Music," this Charlottesville, Virginia-based band is rooted in the traditional sounds of country music but unafraid of pushing boundaries and highlighting the connections across border cultures. They have appeared at several Americana festivals including Red Wing Roots (2024), Rooster Walk (2025), and Bristol Rhythm & Roots (2025), and has opened for touring artists like Margo Cilker, Colby Acuff, Willi Carlisle, Redd Volkaert, Joshua Hedley, Donna the Buffalo, and Kashus Culpepper. Their self-produced debut album, Ramona and the Holy Smokes, a collection of original songs about heartache and resiliency, was released on September 26.

Rebecca Porter

Born in Guam and raised in Virginia, Rebecca Porter writes unflinchingly personal songs that challenge the boundaries of genre and amplify voices often left out of the country canon. With commanding live performances and a cinematic debut album, Porter’s work invites listeners into stories of identity, resilience, and acceptance. Her 2023 EP Queen of the Local and 2025 debut album Roll With the Punches have earned national and international recognition, including features on NPR’s Mountain Stage, No Depression, The Bluegrass Situation, KEXP, and Lonesome Highway. 

Food Vendors

Twisted Provisions and Farmacy

Sponsors

It takes a village to make these magical concerts possible! A huge thank you to our sponsors: Sun Tribe, Martin Horn, The Nature Conservancy of Virginia, Piedmont Paint & Finish, NOLA Builds, Alloy Architecture & Construction, Bottle House, Woodard Properties, Mountaintop Montessori, WNRN, and C-ville Weekly.

We'd also like to extend special thanks to Random Row Brewing Company, Potter’s Craft Cider, Eastwood Farm and Winery, our exclusive beverage partners, and Hogwaller Brewing,  our artist hospitality sponsor. Please support these local businesses – they’re passionate about our community, and we’re grateful to feature them at Rivanna Roots 2026!

This event is a part of the Rivanna Roots 2026 Concert Series, presented by The Front Porch and Rivanna River Company. Doors open at 5:30 PM and music runs from 6:30-9:30 PM. This is an outdoor show and all concerts are rain or shine. For more information about what to bring, parking, and policies, check out our FAQs!