Posted: June 24th, 2009 A happy gathering of more than 200 people for John McCutcheon and the Carcassonne Square Dance at
Seedtime capped Seedtime on the Cumberland 2009, the 23rd annual celebration presented by Appalshop. Seedtime involved some 775 participants during its June 11 through June 13 run in Whitesburg. Using a formula developed by Appalachian State University for MerleFest, Seedtime organizers calculated a local economic impact of $177,300 from Seedtime, festival chair Art Menius reported. Seedtime, the official kick off for Appalshop’s 40th anniversary, drew participants from Italy, Illinois, Virginia, West Virginia, Mississippi, Minnesota, North Carolina, Indonesia, Tennessee, Indiana, Georgia, Missouri, Wisconsin, California, Ohio, and Kentucky. Seedtime 2010, also part of Appalshop’s 40th anniversary celebration, is scheduled for June 10 through 12.
Data from interviews with 37 festival participants indicated that they attended an average of two days of the festival and spent one and a quarter nights in Letcher County. Not counting tickets, the average Seedtime attendee spent $118 in Letcher, Menius said. Kentucky accounted for not quite half of the Seedtime guests. Letcher County, however, accounted for only 28% of the Kentuckians, down from last year’s 31% and now trailing Fayette County.
“We’re very proud to celebrate our 40 years here by contributing both to the cultural health of the area and the economic health of Letcher County,” Menius said. “Seedtime 2009 proves that money invested in the arts and culture delivers a seven-fold return to the economy. What is more important, however, is presenting outstanding musicians, films, crafts, and other cultural activities here in Whitesburg. Whitesburg is the cultural capital of southeastern Kentucky. Arts and culture will prove essential to rebuilding downtown Whitesburg and improving the economy of Letcher County. Culture is a powerful force for community development.”
Attendees enjoyed performances by Wayne Henderson; John McCutcheon; Ginny Hawker and Kay Justice with Tracy Schwarz; Roger Cooper; Jeni & Billy; Sparky & Rhonda Rucker; Jim & Ada McCown with Paul David Smith; Lee Sexton; Turbo Pro Project, Brett Ratliff and the Blind Tiger String Band, Elkville String Band, Rich and the Po’ Folks, Ras Alan; Paula Larke; and the Cowan Creek Pick and Bow All-Stars. Participants also delighted in jam sessions, film screenings, picking contests, gallery exhibits, an old-time shape note singing school hosted by Dr. Ron Pen, literary readings featuring Gurney Norman, a Youth Bored concert featuring reclusive punk legend Peter Stubb, a display of memorabilia from Appalshop’s forty years of filmmaking, Appalachian Media Institute (AMI) work including the installation in the old Post Office, craftspeople, and food vendors. Storyteller Angelyn DeBord performed Saturday afternoon, while The Cowan Women who presented an original play, “It’s About Time,” in the Appalshop Theater. Shawn Lind’s new Appalshop film about Henderson, From Wood to Singing Guitar, debuted on Thursday.
The support of its sponsors made possible the free components and helped keep the ticket costs down in the evening. 2009 sponsors were the Letcher County Fiscal Court and Letcher County Convention & Tourism Commission, Kentucky Department of Travel, Lonesome Records, Parkway Pharmacy, Community Trust Bank, the Parkway Inn, the Mountain Eagle newspaper, Whitaker’s Food World of Whitesburg & Neon, Mama Mac’s at Kona, Home Town Music, Courthouse Café, Summit City Lounge, Lawson Water Conditioning, and Alternate Roots. Seedtime, as a part of Appalshop, also receives support from Kentucky Arts Council and the Appalshop Production & Education Fund. Seedtime 2009 also acknowledged the support of the City of Whitesburg, WMMT-FM, Cowan Creek Mountain Music School, Letcher County Senior Citizens Centers, Letcher County Community News-Press, National Performance Network, Cowan Community Action Group, National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Historical Publications & Records Commission, Kentucky Foundation for Women, National Film Preservation Foundation, Southern Arts Federation, Roy Tackett, Super 8 Motel, Mountain Heritage Festival, Graham Memorial Presbyterian Church, and Whitesburg First Baptist Church.
Posted: June 11th, 2009 A PDF version of the full Seedtime schedule is now available for download. Click here to download the Seedtime 2009 schedule (2.6mb)
Posted: June 4th, 2009
At this year’s Seedtime on the Cumberland Festival, the Cowan Women will be performing their original play It’s About Time. The performance will take place in the Appalshop Theater at 2:00 pm on Saturday, June 13th. Directed by storyteller Angelyn DeBord, It’s About Time is based on a collection of stories from the lives of the performers and their families in the Cowan Creek community.These stories were collected and turned into a performance piece through a series of workshops facilitated by DeBord and recorded by Appalshop’s Mimi Pickering. The Cowan Women, all living in Letcher County, have come together to share with the Seedtime audience their important and entertaining experiences, honoring the Appalachian mountain women in their lives through oral history.
Posted: June 1st, 2009 Central Appalachia offers the richest living tradition of old-time music. Once again Appalshop’s annual Seedtime on the Cumberland festival welcomes some of the finest traditional musicians of the region to its stages. The Appalshop grounds will host such talents as Wayne Henderson, Lee Sexton, the Elkville String Band, Brett Ratliff, Ginny Hawker, Kay Justice, and Tracy Schwarz, the Cowan Creek Pick and Bow All-stars, Jim and Ada McCown with Paul Smith, and Roger Cooper.
The Seedtime festival, consistent with Appalshop’s mission, promotes the traditions of old-time music within the commuinity by providing a venue for these dedicated artists. The living history of this musical genre is revitalized by live performances, workshops, and established music-makers. Old-time music has found a home in Appalshop through regular programming on WMMT-FM, June Appal Recordings, monthly old-time jams, and the Pick and Bow afterschool program, as well as the Seedtime festival. Young pickers such as the Cowan Creek Pick and Bow All-Stars are mastering the cultural heritage while experienced musicians like Paul Smith lend expertise. The festival will also feature musical performances by John McCutcheon, Jeni & Billy, Paula Larke, Ras Alan, and Turbo Pro Project, all of whom build upon these old-time traditions in creating original music.
Posted: May 29th, 2009
Appalshop’s annual Seedtime on the Cumberland festival welcomes Dr. Ron Pen of the University of Kentucky to lead a shape note singing school during the festival. The workshop will take place in the Appalshop Conference Room on Saturday, June 13th at 11:00am. People of all singing skill levels are invited to participate.
Dr. Pen, a founding member of the Appalachian Association of Sacred Harp Singers, will be teaching Seedtime participants the American singing tradition known as “shape note singing.” This musical style, often called “Sacred Harp” singing, is a type of sight-reading harmonization that is a rich part of American heritage. Dr. Pen’s workshop will be open to everyone willing to participate and will include some background history and social context for the music. No musical experience necessary!
Posted: May 18th, 2009 Roles for volunteers may include working information or ticket tables, stage hands, photographers, and basic construction. A person may volunteer in the days before the festival, helping to set up the grounds and/or during the three days of the festival. Volunteers may help out for the whole festival, or just one day. No experience necessary. Volunteers must be 16 years of age or older.
Volunteers will receive free admission to Seedtime events, and are encouraged to consider camping at the festival grounds or in the City of Whitesburg’s River Park.
For more information, or to sign up to volunteer, contact Mark Kidd at seedtime@appalshop.org or 606-633-0108.
Posted: May 13th, 2009 When six-time Grammy-nominated performer John McCutcheon will be headlining Seedtime on the Cumberland’s bill on Saturday, June 13, it will be a chance to share an evening with one of the many national performers who have been a part of the Appalshop family during its 40 years in Whitesburg. Seedtime on the Cumberland 2009 will take place June 11 through 13 on the Appalshop festival grounds in downtown Whitesburg.
Even before graduating summa cum laude from Minnesota’s St. John’s University, John McCutcheon “headed for the hills,” forgoing a college lecture hall for the classroom of the eastern Kentucky coal camps, union halls, country churches, and square dance halls. His apprenticeship to many of the legendary figures of Appalachian music embedded a love of not only home-made music, but a sense of community and rootedness. The result is music, whether traditional or from his huge catalog of original songs, with the profound mark of place, family, and strength. In the words of Johnny Cash, “The most impressive instrumentalist I’ve ever heard.” John’s first solo album, Wind That Shakes the Barley, appeared on June Appal, as did From Heaven to Earth by Wry Straw with bandmates Rich Kirby and Tommy Bledsoe. John also appears in the early Appalshop film, Sourwood Mountain Dulcimers, with one of his mentors, dulcimer maker and player I.D. Stamper.
Posted: March 17th, 2009 Seedtime is pleased to announce the preliminary schedule for our 2009 festival. Details are available on the schedule page, and more information will be posted as it becomes available.
Posted: March 4th, 2009 Seedtime is now accepting applications from crafts vendors for the 2009 festival. Whether your talent lies in traditional Appalachian forms or contemporary design, we’d love to have you join us this year.
As in recent years, Seedtime will continue to waive registration fees for craftspeople who are interested in sharing their work as demonstrators. For more information, including registration materials, visit the Crafts page.
Posted: February 23rd, 2009 Seedtime on the Cumberland 2009, the 23rd annual celebration presented by Appalshop, will take place June 11 through 13 on the Appalshop festival grounds in downtown Whitesburg. Musical performances will include John McCutcheon, Ginny Hawker, Kay Justice & Tracy Schwarz, Ras Alan, Wayne Henderson, Jeni & Billy, Sparky & Rhonda Rucker, Roger Cooper, Turbo Pro Project, Jim & Ada McCown with Paul Smith, The Elkville String Band, Brett Ratliff, Paula Larke, Lee Sexton, Rich & the Poor Folks, and The Cowan Creek Pick and Bow All-Stars.
Seedtime will also offer film screenings, picking contests, gallery exhibits, Singing on the Mountain, literary readings, a Youth Bored concert, nature hikes, craft and food vendors, and the Carcassonne square dance. All events on Thursday will be free to the public, as will all festival activities before 3pm on Friday and Saturday. Admission to Saturday night’s square dance at 9:30pm will also be free to the public.
Seedtime tickets will be available for $10 per day or $15 for the weekend, with discounts available for advance purchases, students, seniors, and groups. Advance tickets sales will begin April 1 from the Seedtime website and at area businesses.
Performer bios are also now online at the performers page!
