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 The Celebration of Traditional Music (CTM) was first held in the
fall of 1974 and has continued every fall since then, except for
two years (1999 and 2000), when a May weekend was tried out to
see if that would increase the audience. The Celebration is part
of the Appalachian Center’s overall mission of encouraging
and coordinating many of the Berea College’s special Appalachian
programs, involving students and faculty, serving the region, and
documenting the region’s culture.
“The celebration is being held both for the sheer fun of it and
for the advancement of music scholarship,” explained Loyal Jones in the
Appalachian Center’s 1974 Newsletter. Combining education and entertainment
has continued into the present, including interpretation and context for the
music by the hosts in their introductions. The musicians have always been encouraged
to provide their own contexts and communicate that to the audience as well.
The festival always includes a symposium, in which some aspect of traditional
music is explored by an authority in the field. Subjects for the symposium
have ranged from music of the Civil War, to shape note music, Kentucky fiddlers,
women banjo players, and biographical presentations on influential musicians.
The CTM has been supported and advised by a Traditional Music
Committee, made up of musicians, music producers, scholars, and
appropriate Berea College personnel to provide suggestions for
performers, symposium topics, and contexts for the traditional
musicians invited to the festival. Past members have included country
music greats Bradley Kincaid and Asa Martin; music and festival
producers John Lair and John Rice Irwin; music scholars and collectors
John Harrod and Gerald Milnes; musician/scholars Jean Ritchie and
Betty Smith; archivists Gerald Roberts and Harry Rice.
This year’s Traditional Music Committee is comprised of
Chad Berry, Atossa Kramer, Chris Miller, Genevieve Reynolds, Harry
Rice, Susan Spalding, and Al White.
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