University Communications Pauline Young, Director News www .moreheadstate.edu Morehead State University UPO Box 1100 Morehead, KY 40351-1689 (606) 783-2030 Feb. 1, 2002 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MOREHEAD, Ky.---Whether its Bluegrass, Celtic or folk, music lovers may enjoy it all at Morehead State University's "Americana Crossroads Live" on Friday, Feb. 22, in Duncan Recital Hall on the campus. The concert, which begins at 7:30p.m., will feature Atwater-Donnelly, Greg Trooper, and Melvin Goins & Windy Mountain. Doors open to the public at 7 p.m. to allow campus guests to visit the performers and sponsors display tables. Aubrey Atwater and Elwood Donnelly, are self-taught musicians from Rhode Island who formed a duo in 1987. Atwater has performed original songs of social commentary, as well as contemporary folk songs and traditional ballads. Donnelly, who has performed professionally since he was 15, began with a rock band, then as a solo artist, and later in a Cambodian band. He writes songs for voice, guitar and harmonica. The pair has performed throughout the United States and British Isles and their seven recordings receive international airplay. They have completed extensive research on folk music in New England, Ireland, England, Prince Edward Island, the Ozarks and Appalachia. The duet has shared festival billing with a number of folk legends, such as Jean Ritchie, Pete Seeger and Doc Watson. Among Atwater and Donnelly's latest projects was a live recording titled "And Then I'm Going Home." They also completed two books of poetry, written by Atwater, and a 130-page songbook titled "Song by Song." The free concert is presented by WMKY 90.3 FM, MSU's public radio to the mountains, and the University's Kentucky Center for Traditional Music (KCTM). Sponsors include Farmer's Mercantile, Morehead Tourism Commission, Poppy Mountain Bluegrass Festival and KCTM. A recording of the live performance will air on WMKY on Thursday, Feb. 28, at 8 p.m. WMKY has produced a CD, "Best of Americana Crossroads Live," which features 18 performances from the first six concerts in the series. The CD may be purchased at Farmer's Mercantile, the Kentucky Folk Art Center and Main Street Music in Morehead, as well as CD Central in Lexington. Additional information on the concert or the CD is available by calling WMKY at (606) 783-2001 or (800) 286-9659. Details also may be found on the Web site at www.wmkyradio.com. #### MSU is an affirmative action, equal opportunity educational institution. --~University~Commum~·cations Pauline Young, Director PhOto wWw .moreheadstate.edu Morehead State University UPOBox llOO Morehead, KY 40351-1689 (606) 783-2030 MSU TO PRESENT FOLK DUO Aubrey Atwater and Elwood Donnelly will perform in concert at Morehead State University's "Americana Crossroads Live" on Friday, Feb. 22, in Duncan Recital Hall on the campus. The program, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 7:30p.m. Also featured will be Greg Trooper, and Melvin Goins & Windy Mountain. The concert is part of a series offered by WMKY 90.3 FM, MSU's public radio to the mountains, and the University's Kentucky Center for Traditional Music. The program will be recorded for airing on WMKY on Thursday, Feb. 28, at 8 p.m. Additional information is available from WKMY at (606) 783-2001 or (800) 286-9659. (MSUphoto) 2-1-02 MSU is an affirmative action, equal opportunity educational institution. University Communications Pauline Young, Director News www .moreheadstate.edu Morehead State University UPOBox 1100 Morehead, KY 40351-1689 (606) 783-2030 Feb.5,2002 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MOREHEAD, Ky.---Don Rigsby, award-winning singer and director of Morehead State University's Kentucky Center for Traditional Music, now has a "Song of the Year" to add to his list of honors. 1 Rigsby's "Empty Old Mailbox" was voted "Song of the Year" at the 28 h Annual Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America (SPBGMA) awards on Sunday, Feb. 3, in Nashville. The song, written by Kentucky native Tom T. Hall and his wife, Dixie, is the title track on Rigsby's latest solo CD. "I am quite happy and surprised to have won," said Rigsby, "especially since I was up against some tough competition. This has been a groundbreaking year for traditional music so I'm very proud to have been recognized." Rigsby, who also plays mandolin, guitar and fiddle, was nominated in three other categories including Bluegrass Album of the Year, Traditional Male Vocalist of the Year and Mandolin Player of the Year. In more than 17 years in the music industry, Rigsby has accumulated several other awards, including the 2001 SPBGMA Traditional Male Vocalist of the Year, 2001 Governor's Kentucky Star Award and two awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association. 1 Rigsby returns to the stage on March 22 for the 4 h Annual Don Rigsby Homecoming Concert at the Paramount Arts Center in Ashland. The concert will kick off the release of his first CD recorded with his new band, Rock County. 1 He plans to begin recording his 5 h solo CD in March as well. Rigsby was named as the first full-time KCTM director at MSU in December. KCTM was established in June 2000 with the goal of preserving and promoting traditional music in all forms, especially Bluegrass, historical folk and gospel. The Center's offices opened last year at 133 E. First St. in Morehead. Additional information is available from Rigsby at ( 606) 783-9001 or from the KCTM Web site at www.moreheadstate.edu/units/kctrn. #### dlb MSU is an affirmative acUon, equal opportunity educational institution. University Communications Pauline Young, Director News www.moreheadstate.edu Morehead State University UPOBox 1100 Morehead, KY 40351-1689 (606) 783-2030 Feb.5,2002 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MOREHEAD, Ky.---Jacquelyn H. Scott, non-traditional and commuter coordinator at Morehead State University, has been appointed to the Committee on State Government Employees of the Governor's Task Force on the Economic Status of Kentucky's Women. During the one-year term, Scott will be involved in examining issues that affect women and provide feedback to the task force. The next step, Scott noted, will be to compile information. To accomplish this goal, she will be asking for suggestions when she sends out a short survey in the next week. "There are so many issues that we need to determine which are the most important," Scott said, "whether it is retirement, flex time, maternity leave or child care," In November, Gov. Patton and the Kentucky Commission on Women created the task force to examine the barriers that affect the economic progress of women, to identify solutions and to develop a plan of action. Since coming to MSU in 1982, Scott has served as counselor for the Displaced Homemaker Program; coordinator for Job Training Program and counselor for non-traditional students before being named to her current post in 1991. She served on the Education Task Force on Welfare Reform which made recommendations that resulted in House Bill434. Scott is currently director of the STEPS project that provides workstudy wages to K-Tap recipients as part of the community service requirement of the welfare reform act. Scott received her B.S. degree in psychology with a history minor from Abilene Christian University and a master's degree in adult and continuing education from Morehead State. Additional information on the task force or the issues survey is available by calling (606) 783-2102. #### MSU is an affirmative action, equal opportunity educational institution. University Communications Pauline Young, Director News www .moreheadstate.edu Morehead State University UPO Box 1100 Morehead, KY 40351-1689 (606) 783-2030 Feb.5,2002 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BY DON BOWMAN MSU Staff Writer MOREHEAD, Ky.---With higher test scores, rising teacher enthusiasm and growing student motivation, an award-winning set of programs coordinated through Morehead State University is moving mountains to improve literacy in the Pike County school system. "We're already seeing differences," said Dr. Melinda Willis, MSU associate professor of education and director of Pike County's Elementary Reading Academy. "Students are showing more excitement about reading and learning, even when they are not under direct supervision." In the past two years, the district's CATS (Commonwealth Accountability Testing System) scores in reading have catapulted. As of Spring 2001, lOth grade reading scores in each of the county's six high schools have risen by at least 5 percent since 1999. Three high schools (Elkhorn City, FedsCreek and Phelps) had double-digit increases with Phelps leading the pack in an eye-popping 28.3 percent jump. Fourth grade students in the district's 19 elementary schools improved their reading by an average of more than 4 percent. Scores in five elementary schools rose by more than 13 percent. According to results from the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS), reading levels for third grade students climbed from the 47th percentile in 1999 to the 57th percentile in 2001. The biggest improvement came at Kimper Elementary where third grade reading skills improved by an astounding 47 percent in two years! "This program is still young," said Judy Lester, Pike County Schools' director offederal programs, "so we can only hope scores will continue to improve as more teachers go through the academy." After a 1999 internal study pointed to student reading ability as an overwhelming concern among its teachers, Pike County Schools Superintendent Frank Welch began looking for solutions. Using the state­ sponsored Kentucky Reading Project as a model, the district formed a partnership with MSU and established a reading academy for its teachers in Spring 2000.