Past Events › Ramsey Center

When English musicologist Cecil Sharp visited Madison County in 1916, he found so much music that he wrote that he’d discovered a “nest of singing birds.” He collected songs from 29 Madison County singers on his trip and some of the descendants of those singers are still proudly carrying on the tradition. In this intimate setting (and from the comfort of your own home!) you’ll have the chance to hear 7th and 8th generation ballad singers as they breathe life…

Since we can’t gather for the Bascom Lamar Lunsford Festival in person this year, why not do the next-best thing and join us online from the comfort of your own home! We'll be hosting an intimate fiddle round-robin featuring Lillian Chase, Sara Nell Chase, Bryan McDowell, Rhiannon Ramsey, and Carol Rifkin. Pull up a chair and have a listen to some of the distinctive styles from this region! This online event is free, but please reserve a ticket as space…

This presentation has as its objective to create a dialogue in the Mars Hill community about the intersections of musical tradition, identity, and history. We will explore these intersections by specifically looking at how the traditional dance music of Ireland and Scotland shaped American Oldtime & dance music musically, culturally, and historically. Different from other presentations, this will be entirely musical in nature. I'll play the tunes, styles, and settings of the fiddletunes common to these traditions and we'll compare…