Participation Type
Panel
Session Title
Session 10.03 Music and Folklore
Presentation #1 Title
June Appal Recordings at 40
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
Appalshop’s June Appal Recordings turns 40 in 2014. In this panel we will trace the history of the project from its beginnings up to the present and consider the commercial, technical, and cultural challenges of recording and distributing traditional music in the age of the Internet. June Appal was formed in 1974 by a loosely knit group of young regional musicians who wanted an outlet for their own work and for the older artists who had inspired them. These twin goals were reflected in the first two releases, ballad singer/union organizer Nimrod Workman and songwriter Si Kahn. In the years since, June Appal’s 86 releases have included artists who are famous and artists scarcely known outside their own communities; solo performers and bands; unaccompanied singers, instrumental virtuosos, and string bands; and some artists who can fairly be called “legendary,” including 6 National Heritage Award winners. Like the Appalachian Studies field itself, June Appal has spanned several generations of cultural, political, and technological change (we have gone through four sound-reproduction technologies.) This panel will trace June Appal’s founding and course through four decades, with an account of what decisions were made and why, and some reflection on the challenges along the way. We will end with a look at the present day, and an analysis of the challenges and opportunities for innovation in operating a traditional music record label in the 21st century.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Rich Kirby recently retired from Appalshop’s WMMT-FM. He was one of the founding members of June Appal and has produced several recordings on the label, most recently in 2010
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #2
Jack Wright was a founding member of Appalshop's June Appal Recordings and of Roadside Theater. He recently retired from teaching film at Ohio University.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #3
Josh May works at Appalshop, where he currently serves as staff for June Appal Recordings
June Appal Recordings at 40
Appalshop’s June Appal Recordings turns 40 in 2014. In this panel we will trace the history of the project from its beginnings up to the present and consider the commercial, technical, and cultural challenges of recording and distributing traditional music in the age of the Internet. June Appal was formed in 1974 by a loosely knit group of young regional musicians who wanted an outlet for their own work and for the older artists who had inspired them. These twin goals were reflected in the first two releases, ballad singer/union organizer Nimrod Workman and songwriter Si Kahn. In the years since, June Appal’s 86 releases have included artists who are famous and artists scarcely known outside their own communities; solo performers and bands; unaccompanied singers, instrumental virtuosos, and string bands; and some artists who can fairly be called “legendary,” including 6 National Heritage Award winners. Like the Appalachian Studies field itself, June Appal has spanned several generations of cultural, political, and technological change (we have gone through four sound-reproduction technologies.) This panel will trace June Appal’s founding and course through four decades, with an account of what decisions were made and why, and some reflection on the challenges along the way. We will end with a look at the present day, and an analysis of the challenges and opportunities for innovation in operating a traditional music record label in the 21st century.
