Join the Western North Carolina Historical Association (WNCHA) Thursday, July 28 at 6pm as for this live Zoom webinar exploring the musical legacy of Bascom Lamar Lunsford. This even will also be recorded.

Lunsford was born in 1882 in Madison County, North Carolina, home to Cecil Sharp’s “nest of singing birds.” He was both a traditional musician and a collector of “folk” music. He established the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival in Asheville in 1928; was recorded performing hundreds of tunes, songs, and dance calls; and collected thousands of song transcriptions – many of which are now housed in the Southern Appalachian Archives at Mars Hill University (also home to the annual Lunsford Festival). Lunsford’s work helped shape the public’s perception of Appalachian regional identity – in all of its nuance and complexity.

About the Presenter:

Leila Weinstein is the program coordinator of the Appalachian Studies Program and the Ramsey Center for Appalachian Studies at Mars Hill University, where she also directs the Lunsford Festival. She holds a master’s degree in Appalachian Studies with a concentration in culture and music.

Tickets: $5 for WNCHA members/ $10 for General Admission. We also have no-cost, community-funded tickets available. We want our events to be accessible to as many people as possible. If you are able please consider making a donation along with your ticket purchase. These donations are placed in our Community Fund, which allows us to offer tickets at no cost to those who would not be able to attend otherwise.

Viewing: Registrants will receive a Zoom link with which to view the program. It will also be recorded and later available on our website.

(Image: Lunsford poster courtesy Bascom Lamar Lunsford Collection, Southern Appalachian Archives, Mars Hill University)

For questions or more information, email Trevor Freeman at education@wnchistory.org

Western North Carolina Historical Association received an American Rescue Plan Humanities Grant from North Carolina Humanities, www.nchumanities.org. Funding for this grant was provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) as part of the American Rescue Plan Act economic stabilization plan. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of North Carolina Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.