Frequently Asked Questions
What is a "music trail," and why did the N. C. Arts Council choose this approach to talk about traditional music and dance along the Blue Ridge Mountains?
A music trail is a way of organizing "tours" that feature live music and dance reflecting the authentic heritage and traditions of the mountain region. These trails feature 160 sites, open to the public, where this unique musical legacy thrives in the form of bluegrass and string band music, ballad singing, fiddling, shape-note singing, gospel music, clogging and other traditional forms of music and dance. This approach has been successfully used in two other collaborations with UNC Press—the Cherokee Heritage Trails Guidebook, and Literary Trails of the North Carolina Mountains—as well as in the HomegrownHandmade.com and Historic Happy Valley Web sites, and in other online resources currently in development that will highlight Performing Arts, North Carolina Craft and African American Music.
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How are the trails used?
Each trail highlights a handful of venues that lie within 25 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway, or are situated within counties traversed by the Parkway, making them easily accessible to travelers along that historic and scenic road. Whether visited by plan or by whim, we recommend that you contact the venues in advance to insure they'll be open on a particular date or at a particular time. The search feature on the Blue Ridge Music Trails Web site allows you to identify particular types of music or dance to suit your interests, as well as additional activities like craft, kiln openings or holiday festivals.
Read more about how to use the Blue Ridge Music Trails site »
What artists are included in the Blue Ridge Music Trails Web site and companion book, and how were they selected?
The music venues selected for the Blue Ridge Music Trails have been identified by professional folklife fieldworkers. Though listeners may well hear an array of musical styles at a given event, each site includes a substantial amount of traditional Blue Ridge music performed by musicians native to the region. All of the events listed are on-going and are open to the public.
How did the Blue Ridge Music Trails project originate?
You can read more about the project and its origins in the Contact section of this site.