MISSION & VALUES
Kentucky Old Time Music, Inc.
Kentucky Old Time Music, Inc., was founded in 2006 in Morehead, KY by a group of local artists who were committed to celebrating and sharing living Kentucky musical and dance traditions. Through these efforts, we set out to foster the “passing down” of regional collective cultural practices and values from one generation to the next. The Morehead Old Time Music Festival was our flagship event from 2006-2016, attracting festival-goers from around the world to Morehead in order to experience these Kentucky living cultural traditions first-hand. Today, we serve as an all-volunteer network of Kentucky-based traditional artists who collaborate and share resources in order to strengthen the grassroots infrastructure dedicated to supporting these cultural art forms and exploring deeper, more diverse, more authentic histories of our region through the practice of traditional arts, community partnerships and educational programs.
“We are so grateful for the presence of KY Old Time Music, Inc. in our community. Not only is it a vibrant force in keeping the mountain music traditions we love alive and thriving, it directly supports independent bands like ours. Because of our partnership, we’ve secured multiple touring grants making possible tours and cultural exchanges in Wales and Ireland.”
Our Vision: Kentucky Old Time Music, Inc. believes that Kentucky's folk and traditional arts should be highlighted as unique, diverse, and influential on the local/global stage.
Our Mission: Through various education programs, events, and resource sharing, Kentucky Old Time Music, Inc.’s efforts support a network among artists and opportunities that broaden the community's reach and honor the complex histories that shape our living traditions.
Our Commitment: We work to tell a more authentic history of Appalachian arts, featuring the diverse cultures that collaborate to innovate within tradition. We seek to promote an inclusive environment where all are respected and valued regardless of their race, gender, age, sexuality and ability. We believe it is only through equitable exchange that these arts live on for the next generation, and the next.
We Believe
In an era dominated by commercialism, it is crucial that we recognize and support the talented local independent artists and musicians who breathe life into our communities daily. They are a treasure trove of creativity and innovation. By supporting them, we foster an environment that encourages the flourishing of diverse artistic expression. It’s through this diversity that our culture thrives, benefiting us all by offering a broad range of experiences, perspectives and narratives. These artists and makers are the keepers of our distinctive local traditions and cultural heritage. They embody our history, stories and values, and by supporting them we help preserve and promote our unique local cultures for generations to come.
Supporting local arts infrastructure is not merely a cultural endeavor but also an investment in our local economies. When we purchase their music, art, or attend their performances, we directly inject money into the local economy. This enables these artists to continue their work, pay their bills, and invest back into the community, creating a sustainable cycle of economic growth. By supporting them, we inspire others to unleash their creativity and support an environment where young artists and musicians feel encouraged to share their voices, knowing that their community values their unique talents.
What is “Old-Time Music?”
Old-time music is a distinctive genre of folk music that has deep roots in the cultural practices of North America. It developed alongside a variety of traditional North American folk dances, which include square dancing, contra dancing, clogging, buck dancing, and others. The music is primarily played using various plucked acoustic stringed instruments, with the fiddle, banjo, guitar, and mandolin being the most commonly utilized. These instruments come together to create an ensemble known as the string band, which, along with the simple yet effective banjo-fiddle duet, has historically represented the predominant configurations for performing old-time music. Especially when including other stringed folk instruments like the dulcimer or autoharp, as well as ballads and other vocal forms, old-time music is likely the most ancient form of North American traditional music, second only to the many Native American musical and dance traditions in terms of age and cultural significance.
In contemporary contexts, particularly at 21st-century fiddlers' conventions and summer music camps, the term frequently describes styles of pre-bluegrass fiddle and banjo music, especially as it has evolved in the Southern United States. However, it's important to note that the definitions of the phrase vary considerably across historical and geographical contexts. This includes racially divided titles that were used in record catalogs during the 1920s and 1930s. When some of its early country music recordings became popular hits, the Okeh company, which had previously coined the terms "hillbilly music" to describe Appalachian and Southern white fiddle-based and religious music, and "race record" to categorize the music of African American recording artists, began using the phrase "old-time music" as a term to describe the music of some white artists. The term “old-time music” proved to be a suitable and acceptable replacement for other terms that were considered disparaging by many inhabitants of these culturally rich regions. Additionally, concert organizers and record companies in the 1960s employed the term “old-time music” to identify traditional instrumental and vocal music styles performed by both rural white and black musicians, making a clear distinction from the then-commercialized "folk revival" music that often featured urban "interpreters" and singer-songwriters. Old-Time Music continues to be a vibrant and evolving tradition, with contemporary artists and musicians carrying on the legacy. It’s influence extends beyond the region, impacting various genres and continuing to be a significant part of American musical heritage.
Kentucky Indigenous Lands Acknowledgment
We acknowledge that we are on the ancestral lands of the Shawnee, Cherokee, Chickasaw and other Nations who have inhabited this place for millenea. We recognize that we have a responsibility to actively counter historical narratives that erase the voices and perspectives of Indigenous peoples and other marginalized communities in the region’s past and present. We also acknowledge the historical reliance on the labor of individuals who have been enslaved, displaced and marginalized in the construction of the spaces and institutions that define Kentucky today. We join in ongoing efforts to recognize, honor and value the vital work of all those who contribute to making our everyday lives possible.
“The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain, is floating in mid-air, until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life.” — Jane Addams