Participation Type
Poster
Session Title
Session 3.09 Poster Session
Presentation #1 Title
Traditional Music Alive in "New Appalachia"
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
Music has always been a highly valued tradition in the Appalachian region. Centuries of stories have been told through the cry of an old fiddle and the twang of a banjo. While old time tunes and styles are still cherished, there are new genres of music appearing in the region and new ways of promoting this unique bit of culture, both to local communities and to the masses across the globe. The music industry has changed vastly in the past 50 years and contemporary technologies offer great opportunities for new music to rise from underground scenes. Today, musicians and those interested in preserving the region’s music are using websites and social media to inform the public about upcoming performances, competitions, and festivals. This web project is working to make information related to Eastern Kentucky music resources more readily available, with postings on regional musicians, instrument shops and repair outlets, dances, and workshops. A listing of performance venues is also being assembled to give broader exposure to groups and small businesses that might not otherwise be able to afford advertising. Living and thriving in “New Appalachia” requires us to adapt and alter our means of communication with each other and the world outside of our mountains. Efforts like the Eastern Kentucky Arts Project are making headway in keeping the public informed and immersed in Appalachian traditions and heritage on the local level.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Montana Hobbs is a senior at Morehead State University with a major in Sociology and a double minor in Appalachian Studies and Traditional Music. Originally from Zachariah in Lee County, Kentucky, Hobbs plays the old time banjo for The Local Honeys, and old time string band that performs in and around Eastern and Central Kentucky.
Traditional Music Alive in "New Appalachia"
MSC Lobby
Music has always been a highly valued tradition in the Appalachian region. Centuries of stories have been told through the cry of an old fiddle and the twang of a banjo. While old time tunes and styles are still cherished, there are new genres of music appearing in the region and new ways of promoting this unique bit of culture, both to local communities and to the masses across the globe. The music industry has changed vastly in the past 50 years and contemporary technologies offer great opportunities for new music to rise from underground scenes. Today, musicians and those interested in preserving the region’s music are using websites and social media to inform the public about upcoming performances, competitions, and festivals. This web project is working to make information related to Eastern Kentucky music resources more readily available, with postings on regional musicians, instrument shops and repair outlets, dances, and workshops. A listing of performance venues is also being assembled to give broader exposure to groups and small businesses that might not otherwise be able to afford advertising. Living and thriving in “New Appalachia” requires us to adapt and alter our means of communication with each other and the world outside of our mountains. Efforts like the Eastern Kentucky Arts Project are making headway in keeping the public informed and immersed in Appalachian traditions and heritage on the local level.
