Participation Type
Performance
Session Title
Session 10.17 Music
Presentation #1 Title
Cecil Gurganus, Traditional Music Mentor for Many Around Boone
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
Cecil Gurganus has been a driving force in Watauga County, NC and beyond in passing on traditional music to youngsters. In the foreground of the Junior Appalachian Musicians program that serves as an after school program, Cecil has started and promoted the music talents of children in the area as he teaches fiddle, guitar, drums, and bass and provides them with performance opportunities. An award winning fiddler, his influence has trickled down to current Bluegrass major and fiddler, Meade Richter. Meade’s portion of the presentation will overview his learning to play fiddle under Cecil’s mentorship. Cecil's band, Laurel Creek Stringband, has won many awards as Cecil has won himself including dual fiddler with Meade Richter at several Fiddler Conventions and Festivals. He accompanies youngsters when they compete as he has many times for Meade. My discussion will include Cecil’s importance as an educator of ole timey music in the same county that heralds such iconic musicians as Doc Watson. Though he makes a living as a carpenter and a farmer, not only has he performed with famous musicians but also has promoted the musical careers of others. The presentation will Include videos of the JAM program and of Meade and Cecil performing. Meade will perform solo during the presentation as well.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Hilda Downer is an Appalachian poet and is a member of the Southern Appalachian Writers Cooperative. She has taught at Appalachian State Univerrsity and worked as a psychiatric nurse for the past 30 years.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #2
Meade Richter, from Boone, NC, is a Bluegrass major at ETSU. At Fiddlers Grove, 2014, he was proclaimed a Master Fiddler. He belongs to the band, Jesse Gregory and Faultline that won Vocalist of the Year Momentum Award at IBMA 2914.
Cecil Gurganus, Traditional Music Mentor for Many Around Boone
Cecil Gurganus has been a driving force in Watauga County, NC and beyond in passing on traditional music to youngsters. In the foreground of the Junior Appalachian Musicians program that serves as an after school program, Cecil has started and promoted the music talents of children in the area as he teaches fiddle, guitar, drums, and bass and provides them with performance opportunities. An award winning fiddler, his influence has trickled down to current Bluegrass major and fiddler, Meade Richter. Meade’s portion of the presentation will overview his learning to play fiddle under Cecil’s mentorship. Cecil's band, Laurel Creek Stringband, has won many awards as Cecil has won himself including dual fiddler with Meade Richter at several Fiddler Conventions and Festivals. He accompanies youngsters when they compete as he has many times for Meade. My discussion will include Cecil’s importance as an educator of ole timey music in the same county that heralds such iconic musicians as Doc Watson. Though he makes a living as a carpenter and a farmer, not only has he performed with famous musicians but also has promoted the musical careers of others. The presentation will Include videos of the JAM program and of Meade and Cecil performing. Meade will perform solo during the presentation as well.
