LIVING TRAD
Community Development through Arts & Culture
Our Story: Kentucky Old-Time Music, Inc., was founded in 2006 in Morehead, KY by a group of local artists committed to celebrating, practicing, and sharing living Kentucky folk traditions, fostering the “passing down” of cultural knowledge, practices, and values from one generation to the next, all the while exploring deeper, more diverse, more authentic histories of our region and cultural inheritances. The Morehead Old-Time Music Festival was our flagship event from 2006-2016, attracting festival-goers from all over the world to Morehead to experience Kentucky cultural traditions first-hand. In order to sustain these efforts we officially obtained our 501(c)3 nonprofit status in 2011. Today, we serve as an all-volunteer network of Kentucky traditional artists who collaborate and share resources in order to strengthen the grassroots infrastructure dedicated to supporting these precious community art forms and telling unique Kentucky stories.
“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. Through our events, classes, and festivals, we seek to promote an inclusive environment where all are respected and valued across identities such as 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.
The Importance of Supporting Local Artists
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. They are the ones who bare their souls, ignite our imaginations, and create an indelible impact on our culture. It’s important that we support them and celebrate their contribution. Here are a few areas where local artists help enrich our society and why it’s important:
1. Cultivating Vibrant and Diverse Artistic Expression
Local independent artists and musicians are a treasure trove of creativity and innovation. They often explore uncharted territories and defy conventional norms, daring to challenge established paradigms. By supporting them, we foster an environment that encourages the flourishing of diverse artistic expression. It is through this diversity that our culture thrives, benefiting us all by offering a broad range of artistic experiences, perspectives, and narratives.
2. Nurturing Local Culture and Identity
Local independent artists and musicians are the keepers of our distinctive local traditions and cultural heritage. They embody the essence of our history, stories, and values, and by supporting them we help preserve and promote our unique local culture, preventing it from being swallowed by a homogenized, globalized mainstream. Supporting these artists is a way to honor our roots, protecting our cherished traditions for generations to come.
3. Economic Growth and Sustainability
Supporting local independent artists and musicians is not merely a cultural endeavor but also an investment in our local economy. These artists contribute significantly to the growth and vibrancy of our communities. 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.
4. Fostering Creativity and Inspiration
Local independent artists and musicians provide inspiration beyond measure. Their stories, sounds, and visuals have the power to uplift, move, and induce reflection. By supporting them, we inspire others to unleash their creativity and pursue their passions fearlessly. We create an environment where young artists and musicians feel encouraged to share their voices, knowing that their community values their unique talents.
Over the past decade, the music industry has witnessed a remarkable surge in the rise of independent artists. Armed with passion, creativity, and digital platforms, they’ve managed to break free from the constraints traditionally imposed by major record labels. The advent of social media, streaming services, and DIY production tools has empowered independent musicians to reach a global audience without relying on the traditional gatekeepers. This newfound autonomy has fueled a diverse range of musical styles and voices, fostering a rich and vibrant landscape. With their genuine connection to fans, innovative approaches to promotion, and artistic autonomy, independent artists are shaping the future of the music industry.
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 Native American music 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. In these settings, distinctions are often made to evaluate "bluegrass banjo" and "bluegrass fiddle" as separate entities. 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 achieved notable success and became popular hits, the Okeh company, which had previously coined the terms "hillbilly music" to describe Appalachian and Southern fiddle-based as well as 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, including the influential Fiddlin' John Carson, who began recording his music in 1923. 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. It remains the term preferred by both performers and listeners of this genre of music. 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, which have been inhabited by their ancestors 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 commit to ensuring that this acknowledgment transcends a mere token statement and that we genuinely prioritize and center Indigenous and minority perspectives and experiences as we move forward. In conjunction with our fellow community members, we actively pursue those necessary conversations and collaborations, including advocating for an increase in the presence of, and support for, those who identify as marginalized within our society. We also acknowledge the historical reliance on the labor of those individuals who have been enslaved, displaced, and marginalized in the construction of the spaces and institutions that define Kentucky today. We join in the ongoing efforts to recognize, honor, and value the vital work of all those who contribute to making everyday life possible in our communities.
“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