Mountain Music in the Blue Ridge
The Carolina Blue Ridge is the heart of a region where traditional music and dance are celebrated as a way of life. The mountains are home to an assortment of Old-time string bands, Bluegrass bands, traditional ballad singers, folk musicians as well contemporary country singers, songwriters and storytellers who create and interpret a music repertoire known as “Mountain Music” There is a vigorous tradition of making music on stringed instruments, mainly fiddles, banjos, guitars, mandolins, and dulcimers.As a living tradition the music of the Carolina Blue Ridge continues to flourish. Many of its master musicians have been awarded the National Heritage Fellowship, our nation's highest honor for traditional artists. Young people growing up in mountain communities are continuing the tradition of music passed down from one generation to the next in their families and communities. Blue Ridge artists perform their mountain music at numerous venues, festivals, fairs, restaurants and informal “jams” all across the region.
