Old Time and Us
One of the most integral pieces of culture belonging to the region of Appalachia is the tradition of Old Time Music. Stemming from a variety of other cultural traditions regarding the style of the music and the instruments used, Old Time is a melting pot that melds together to show the true diversity of the region.
Though labeled as Old Time and sometimes misrepresented as in the past, the genre and practice remains quite contemporary throughout the region due not only to the hard work and dedication to the art form by many organizations in Appalachia, but also because of the pure salience it has within our culture. Of these organizations working to maintain and spread the tradition, we can look to the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture, and History (WVDACH), the Appalachian School of Luthiery in Hindman, KY, Virginia’s Crooked Road Music Heritage Trail, the Cowan Creek Mountain Music School, along with many more! Here are a few examples of groups working on music preservation in the region.
The West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture, and History
Of their many programs, WVDACH notably puts on both the Vandalia Gathering and the Appalachian String Band Music Festival to maintain the tradition through community gathering, contest, education, and plenty of other festivities!
As for the Vandalia Gathering, visitors can make their way to the WV State Capitol Complex for impromptu jam sessions, fiddle, banjo, mandolin and guitar contests outside during the day, concerts in the State Theater in the evenings, display/performance of the international heritage of West Virginia dance in the Great Hall, and finally a plethora of art/craft/food vendors around the complex. If you’re interested in Old Time traditions, musical or otherwise, make sure to mark your calendars for Memorial Day weekend at Capitol Complex in Charleston, West Virginia.
In addition to the Vandalia Gathering, WVDACH also leads the Appalachian String Band Music Festival that’s been held in Clifftop, WV for over twenty years. The festival features “A five-day mountaintop gathering of musicians and friends with contests, concerts, workshops, square dances, camping and vendors, where Old time Appalachian music is presented to an audience of more than 3000 musicians and string band music lovers of all ages.” Make sure to pencil in July 30 to August 3rd at Camp Washington Carver to attend!
The Crooked Road: Virginia’s Music Heritage Trail
For an Old Time experience to take at your own pace on a road trip, look no further than Virginia’s Crooked Road! “This 333-mile-long driving trail connects 10 major venues and over 50 affiliate venues that preserve and promote traditional Appalachian old time and bluegrass music,” and you won’t want to miss out on experiencing it! In addition to hitting major landmarks in the history of Old Time/Country music like the Ralph Stanley Museum and the Carter Family Fold, the Crooked Road is holding jam events to celebrate their 20 year anniversary through the end of the year!
The Appalachian School of Luthiery and the Cowan Creek Mountain Music School
To undertake more of an education endeavor, one can seek out the Appalachian School of Luthiery in Hindman, KY! The school offers a wealth of services, including marketing and professional development assistance, as well as education to build, service and restore guitars, mandolins, and many other stringed instruments at a professional level. As a part of the Appalachian Artisan Center, one could plan recurring visits to take blacksmithing, ceramic, or luthiery courses.
If you’re interested more in music and performance, head on over to Letcher County, KY in Big Cowan for the Cowan Creek Mountain Music School! The Mountain Music School is open to any and all skill levels for a week of Old Time music immersion and learning, though they are certain you’ll leave with much more than tunes and techniques, as the context, history, and narratives are also integral to the pieces taught.
