by Doreyl Ammons Cain –
An afternoon of old time mountain music, clogging, storytelling, mural art, and a cakewalk, Sunday, June 14, 2015, from 2-5 p.m.
Catch the Spirit of Appalachia, a WCU Mountain Heritage Award winner, has brought together some well-known local entertainers to celebrate the mountain folk heritage as a fundraiser for the nonprofit organization.
“In this, our 26th year,” says Doreyl Ammons Cain, cofounder of the arts and heritage organization, “we wanted to have some fun by sharing some of the entertainment we experienced as children. Like the old mountain music we used to hear on the front porch; shape note, hymn, and the ole time call and response singing in church; the clogging we did in school; and cakewalks that raised money for good causes. Of course, we would have some storytelling with spontaneous art as my sister, Amy, and I have done for these many years!”
Opening the program as Master of Ceremonies is Richard Hurley, from Canton, who produced the album, My Mountains, My Songs.
The Ammons Sisters from Jackson County are mountain storytellers who have entertained thousands of children and adults throughout their tours.
Mike Nichols, assistant director of the WNC Community Chorus, will lead the audience in a mountain-grown traditional harmony of shape-note. This old time style of singing originated in 1801, and is designed to facilitate congregational and community singing.
Betty Brown, a guitar teacher with the Jackson County Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) will demonstrate “Hymn Lining” (old time call and response singing). This celebrated tradition dates back to slavery, where hymn lining incorporated African tonal languages and rhythmic and percussive hand clapping and stomping.
The high stepping J. Creek Cloggers will perform. Based out of Haywood County NC, the team is keeping alive the old mountain traditions of clogging, audience participation square dances, and broom dances. Members will demonstrate buck dancing, flat-footing, and clogging under the direction of Kim Ross.
The “house band” will be the popular Bill Cole and Blackberry Jam Band. The band will perform and then will also be playing for the cakewalks which will be happening many times throughout the afternoon, sandwiched in-between the young musicians who will be featured.
To add to this old time gathering will be homemade cakes, cookies, coffee and tea!
If You Go: Passing the Music On, Sunday, June 14 from 2-5 p.m. at Folkmoot USA Fellowship Hall, 112 Virginia Avenue in Waynesville. Admission is $10 per adult; $3 for children under 9 years. $1 per cakewalk ticket. For more information, call (828) 293-2239.
