Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library

Appalachian Music Masters Forum & Concert

Presented by:
Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library Foundation
Floyd Friends of the Library
Montgomery Friends of the Library

Saturday, March 20 @ Christiansburg High School

4:30pm-6pm: Forum (Free)
7:30pm: Concert

One of the distinct aspects of Appalachian culture, admired and studied worldwide is its music, and our region is blessed with many acknowledged masters of the music. On Saturday, March 20, Appalachian music lovers can hear 13 of these masters in concert at 7:30 pm at Christiansburg High School. The Concert evolved from a recent recording of the legendary 5-Time World Champion Fiddler, Buddy Pendleton from Patrick County. Mr. Pendleton will be joined on stage by the 12 master musicians who helped make the recording entitled "Buddy Pendleton & Friends - Gems From A Master Fiddler".

In addition to the concert, the Library will host a Forum with the musicians from 4:30 to 6:00 pm led by Kinney Rorrer, string music scholar and host of the popular "Back to the Blue Ridge" radio program on Public Radio WVTF. Kinney will lead a discussion with the musicians and facilitate interaction between the musicians and audience. The Forum will explore the connection these master musicians have with the larger Appalachian community and beyond. One goal in particular is to examine how those connections have shaped the lives of the musicians; and in return, understand how the musicians have helped shape Appalachian culture and identity. Admission to the Forum is free.

The Concert and Forum will feature many well known artists who are appearing together for the first time. They include Olen Gardner, Jack Hinshelwood, John Hollandsworth, Doug Jernigan, Larry Kirkland, Tim Sauls, Sammy Shelor, Herschel Sizemore, George Smith, Jeanette Williams, Johnny Williams, and Tyler Williams. These talented and respected musicians are all masters of their respective styles and instruments and their contributions to the Bluegrass and Old-Time music of the Appalachians can hardly be overstated. With their various talents as musicians, composers, luthiers, producers, promoters, authors and teachers, these artists have influenced thousands of aspiring musicimuans and music appreciators.

The recording "Gems From A Master Fiddler" was the brainchild of Larry Kirkland, the group's bass player. Larry played bass with Grand Ole Opry star Ernie Ashworth and ran a bluegrass festival featuring Bill Monroe for many years, so he was familiar with great fiddling when he met Buddy at the famous Galax Fiddler's Convention. It wasn't long afterwards that he approached guitarist and fiddler Jack Hinshelwood with the idea of putting together a recording project with Buddy. As Jack says, "There was no lack of enthusiasm among the musicians that were asked to join the project, which is a testament to the respect they have for Buddy's music".

The credentials of these music masters are indeed impressive. Mandolinist Herschel Sizemore has a Bluegrass Instrumental Album of the Year Award from the International Bluegrass Music Association and his instrumental tune "Rebecca" has become a standard in bluegrass repertoire. Banjo player Sammy Shelor, perhaps best known as the leader of the popular Lonesome River Band, was inducted into the Virginia Music Hall of Fame in 2009. Doug Jernigan, a dobro phenom, first played with Jim & Jessie McReynolds as a teenager, and is probably best known as a member of the International Steel Guitar Hall of Fame. Singer Jeanette Williams' "Thank You For Caring" recording with country legend George Jones went to No. 1 on Cashbox Magazine's RockyGrass chart. The accolades for the accomplishments of these musicians go on and on.

The concert will feature much of the music from the recording. As Jack describes it: "A wide cross section of Appalachian music that showcases the wonderful variety present in the music. We have two hundred year-old fiddle tunes mixing with modern bluegrass standards, autoharps sharing the stage with dobros, and hornpipes taking turns with waltzes. Parlor tunes, duet vocals, four part gospel songs, flat pick and fingerpick guitar, clawhammer and three finger style banjo - you name it, the variety is present in so many aspects." Despite this amazing variety, the songs and tunes do have one thing in common - they have withstood the test of time to become deeply embedded in the Appalachian music repertoire. Each one is a gem treasured by people who know and love Appalachian music.

The Appalachian Music Masters Concert and Forum is being presented jointly by the Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library Foundation, the Floyd Friends of the Library, and the Montgomery Friends of the Library. Proceeds from the concert will be shared by the three sponsoring organizations to help support the Library's mission to "strengthen the community by providing individuals with access to information, experiences and ideas". The Forum is funded in part by the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities. The event is also made possible by the generous funding support of The Floyd Country Store, Joseph L. Simmons & Co., and the Citgo Deli Mart.

Tickets for the Concert are $18 in advance (through March 13) at any Library branch (Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Floyd or Shawsville) and $20 after March 13 and at the door. Admission to the Forum is free. For more information contact Linda Spivey at 540 382-6965, ext. 21. Don't miss this truly unique and significant event in Appalachian music!!

Last Updated: March 11, 2010