June 23 - 27, 2008 Hazard, Kentucky the Cowan Creek Mountain Music School, Produced by the Cowan Community Action Group, Inc
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
June 23 - 27, 2008 Hazard, Kentucky The Cowan Creek Mountain Music School, produced by the Cowan Community www.allnightmedia.livejournal.com Action Group, Inc. and hosted by the Cowan Elementary School, will bring together some of this country’s finest old time musicians along with students of all levels, Cowan to enjoy a week of learning and fun. Join us as we share and celebrate our rich mountain heritage of lively tunes, heart-felt singing, spirited square dancing and Community Center storytelling. Whether an absolute beginner or an advanced musician, all students 81 Sturgill Branch will have an opportunity to improve their playing, dig deeper into the rich repertoire Whitesburg, Kentucky 41858 of Kentucky music and gain experience playing with other musicians. Phone: 606-633-3187 Historically, mountain music has been passed down through the generations as young learners listened to and played along with their older family members and neighbors. In keeping with this tradition, all classes at the Cowan Creek Mountain Music School are taught by call and response rather than written music or tab. Whatever your level, this will improve your ear for music and help you join in the fun of playing with other musicians right from the get-go. In addition to classroom instruction, students will enjoy classroom visits and performances by masters of traditional music Lee Sexton and Rich Kirbyand our first master-in-residence Paul Smith. In the afternoon, students can choose between a beginner’s slow jam and informal string band workshops led by school instructors. Following the jams, there will be a variety of options for afternoon workshops, including a master class with Paul Smith, ballad singing, clogging, dulcimer and more. Each evening, students, instructors, and neighbors will gather for square dancing and fellowship, and all students will have an opportunity to be part of the dance band. Jam sessions and open-mic nights at the Summit City Coffeehouse in downtown Whitesburg will offer more opportunities for music making. On Thursday evening Paul Smith and the school’s talented faculty will perform at the Appalshop in Whitesburg, Kentucky. And the week wraps up on Friday with a community potluck, student recital and square dance hosted by the Cowan Community Center. Published in Whitesburg, Kentucky every Wednesday for the past 96 years. The Cowan Elementary School, Cowan Community Center and Appalshop are wheelchair accessible. The Cowan Creek Mountain Music School is 41 North Webb Street a family event; no alcohol, drugs or profanity are permitted. Whitesburg, Kentucky 41858 Phone: (606) 633-2252 Music from the Mountains ... in the Mountains Donavan Cain (Old Time Singing) was born and raised in Knox County, Kentucky Arrangements for accommodations must be made by the student. and plays a variety of traditional instruments. He has performed and led workshops in traditional mountain music around the eastern United States and holds a Masters Lodging: Camping: degree in Appalachian Studies from Appalachian State University in Boone, North Super 8 Motel Carr Creek State Park Carolina. In graduate school, Donavan learned to collect and perform coal mining 251 Medical Plaza Lane P.O. Box 249 songs, especially those that emerged from the struggles in the Kentucky coalfields Whitesburg, Kentucky Sassafras, KY 41759 in the 1930s. He has also taught banjo at CCMMS and has taught singing at (606) 633-8888 (606) 642-4050 [email protected] Appalshop’s Old Time Music Days for Youth. Parkway Inn 3749 Highway 15 Primitive Camping: Roger Cooper (Advanced Fiddle) is from Lewis County, Kentucky. As a teenager, Whitesburg, Kentucky Roger learned fiddle from his neighbor Buddy Thomas. His recordings include (606) 633-4441 Wiley’s Last Resort Snakewinder on Berea College’s AC series, Going Back to Old Kentucky and KY 119 South Seco Bed and Breakfast Whitesburg, Kentucky Essence of Old Kentucky on Rounder Records. Roger’s performance credits include Highway 805 (606) 633-7006 the Lincoln Center in New York City, Celtic Fest Chicago and the Roots Festival Seco, Kentucky in San Diego. He has also taught fiddle at Augusta and the Festival of American (606) 855-7968 Nell’s Field Fiddle Tunes in Port Townsend, Washington. Cowan Creek Oven Fork Mercantile Bed & Breakfast Whitesburg, Kentucky Angie DeBord (Storytelling) was born and raised in western North Carolina in the 8494 KY 119 South (606)633-3187 midst of an extended family who she credits as the inspiration for her present work Whitesburg, Kentucky [email protected] as a playwright, storyteller and workshop leader. She performed for 21 years with (606) 633-8909 Appalshop’s Roadside Theater. Among her many performance credits are Lincoln Center, Cornell University, the International Children’s Festival in Seattle, and the London International Festival of Theaters. In 2003, Angie received a Rockefeller Fellowship to research her story sharing workshop. She has performed and led storytelling workshops at Swannanoa, Augusta, the Kentucky Women Writers The Cowan Creek Mountain Music School is produced by the Cowan Community Conference, and The University of Iowa. Action Group, Inc. and hosted by Cowan Elementary School. CCMMS receives support from Appalshop, Letcher County Board of Education, Kentucky Appalachian Michael Garvin (Early Intermediate Fiddle) from Greenup County, Kentucky Ministries, the Steele Reese Foundations, the National Endowment for the Arts and plays many different instruments including thumbpick guitar and fiddle. In 2005, the Kentucky Arts Council. Michael completed a Kentucky Folklife apprenticeship with Roger Cooper and performed with him at several festivals around the state. He currently performs The Cowan Community Center was founded by the Cowan Community Action with his father and Roger as Kentucky Memories and has created a website by that Group, Inc. in 1964 using an abandoned schoolhouse. After a fire, the community name to honor northeast Kentucky’s great old time musicians. rebuilt and in 1985 completed the current site which includes a beautiful wood dance floor and shady grounds. In 2003, the center’s work, particularly the Cowan George Gibson (Advanced Banjo) grew up on Burgey’s Creek in Knott County, Creek Mountain Music School, was recognized by the Mott Foundation as a Kentucky. He learned banjo from listening to and watching his father, uncle and “promising practice” in after-school programming. In 2007, the center’s 40 year many neighbors. George’s playing uses a driving and complex drop-thumb style partnership with Save the Children ended, but the center continues to be the center strum, two- and three-finger picking and a wide variety of tunings. In recent years, of social, educational and cultural activities to the Cowan community. George has performed widely at regional festivals, such as the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes in Port Townsend, Washington, the Florida Old Time Music Appalshop is a multi-disciplinary arts and education center in Whitesburg, Kentucky. Championships, Augusta and Home Craft Days. His 2000 JuneAppal release Last For over 30 years, Appalshop has produced and presented work in a wide range of Possum Up the Tree reflects the unique repertoire of Knott County. media celebrating the culture and voicing the concerns of people living in the Appalachian Mountains. Its Traditional Music Project provides year-round Carla Gover (Kids on the Creek) a Letcher County native, first learned clawhammer opportunities to learn old time music through the Pick & Bow program, workshops, banjo from Lee Sexton. After earning a degree in Appalachian Studies from the jam sessions and apprenticeships. Appalshop’s community radio station, WMMT University of Kentucky, she toured as a clogger with the percussive dance ensemble 88.7 FM is the “24 hour voice of mountain people’s music, culture and social Footworks. Her recordings include Hush, My Restless Soul, Pearl and Birds Fly issues.” It presents several weekly old time music programs and live broadcasts of South. She currently performs with Brett Ratliff and JT Cure, and with the Hell or old time and bluegrass music. WMMT can also be heard via the internet at Highwater Cloggers. Carla loves to sing the old-time songs, and write new ones www.appalshop.org/wmmt/ as well. She has won Merlefest’s Chris Austin Songwriting Contest. John Harrod (Intermediate Fiddle) from Shelby County, Kentucky, first learned old time music from Darley Fulks, Bill Livers, Asa Martin and Lily May Ledford. In the 80s he worked with Gus Meade and Mark Wilson to produce a large and influential body of field recordings of musicians around central and northeastern Kentucky. These can be heard on Rounder CD’s Fiddle Music of Kentucky (2 June 23 - 27, 2008 volumes) and Along the Ohio’s Shores. John performs with Kentucky Wild Horse; their new recording is Spirits of the Lonesome Hills. He has taught fiddle workshops FRIDAY SCHEDULE at the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes, Berea College and the Ed Haley Old Time Fiddle Festival. 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Classes at Cowan Elementary School John Haywood (Early Intermediate Banjo) grew up in Floyd County, Kentucky. NOON : Lunch at Cowan Community Center He became interested in the banjo from listening to recordings of Roscoe Holcomb 1:00 PM : Youth Band Recital and “Banjer” Bill Cornett and learned from Lee Sexton and George Gibson. John 2:00 PM : Jam Sessions and Singers Circle plays both clawhammer and two-finger style and has won competitions at the 4:00 PM : Play party games led by Randy Wilson Tazewell Fiddlers Convention and the Morehead Fiddlers Convention. He performs 5:00 PM : Potluck dinner hosted by the Cowan Community Center. at regional festivals with Ponty’s Camper. John is also a visual artist whose work Everyone welcome. Please bring food to share. frequently uses images of mountain musicians. 6:00 PM : Student Performances 7:00 PM : Square Dance Sarah Howard (Beginning Guitar) of Perry County, Kentucky comes from a family 9:00 PM : CCMMS All-Star Show at Summit City Lounge with a strong tradition of gospel singing.