Retired Librarian gives life savings to Appalachian studies
James Montgomery discovered bluegrass music at age 9 in his native North Carolina. He was suffering from polio and spent a lot of time listening to the radio. Now, 68 years later, and retired in Austin, TX, Montgomery recently donated $500,000 dollars to Mars Hill College in North Carolina.
The school has an Appalachian Studies program that includes the studio of regional music, including bluegrass and old-time music. In addition to the money, Montgomery also plans to donate his collection of 1,500 records and CDs to the school for use as reference material.
I just want to keep this music alive, and if I can do it through academics, so much the better.
The financial donation will be used to fund two annual scholarships for students studying the culture of the Appalachian region.
Statesman.com has the full story.
Email This Post
| Print | Top | 0 Comments
Students at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC have been learning a lot about bluegrass recently.
In the fall of 2006 the university began offering a concentration in Appalachian Music: Roots and Influences from the College of Arts and Sciences for the Center for Appalachian Studies for those...
When looking for a higher education in the area of bluegrass music, there are limited choices. The one I chose was South Plains College in Levelland, TX. One of the things I loved about the school was the close association of the music program with recording program.
East Tennessee State University...
Missouri State University in Springfield, MO has created an Ozarks Studies Program intended to preserve the culture and history of the Ozarks. The program focuses on the collection and study of information about the culture and people of the Ozark Mountian region.
Gordon McCann, a native fiddler...
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro School Of Music will host StringFest, a free one day event on April 7 which celebrates and explores traditional old time music from the Appalachian regions of North Carolina. The event will feature fiddle and guitar workshops in the morning, followed by...
A unique chance to experience World Class instruction while surrounded by the Appalachian culture & music. Styles include B.G, Canadian, Scottish, Irish, Contest, Classical, Old-timey, Swedish and Appalachian, as well as traditional dance. Jam with locals, enjoy an artist performance, bust a button...
Curly Seckler will be honored at the 13th Annual Leon Kiser Memorial Tribute Show to take place at the Paramount Centre for the Arts in Bristol, Tennessee, on February 28. Seckler will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award, Musician Category, for his contributions to bluegrass and old-time music. He will...
Newsweek and MSNBC.com have posted an online feature on The Carolina Chocolate Drops, the black string band making waves at festivals all over the US this summer. Their sound is a mix of jug band and old time music, but all heavily influenced by the contributions that US black and African folk artists...
Sarah Jarosz will be among the thousands of college freshmen descending onto the city of Boston next month. Long regarded as one of the biggest college towns in the US, Boston is the home of The New England Conservatory, where Sarah will begin her studies in September. She will join a first year class...
Leave a comment
Comments are open and unmoderated for our registered users, only your first comment will require approval before publication. Comments do not necessarily reflect the views of The Bluegrass Blog. Obscene, abusive, silly, or annoying remarks may be deleted, but the fact that particular comments remain on the site in no way constitutes an endorsement of their content by The Bluegrass Blog.
You must