Finest Folk Artists Honored in Free Night of NC Culture
Frank Stasio, host of the popular radio show, The State of Things, will emcee an exciting and free evening packed with North Carolina culture including performances by bluegrass pioneer George Shuffler, Joe Thompson, African American string band musician, and legendary storyteller Orville Hicks on
Thursday Oct. 25.
The event also features the works of sixth-generation weaver, Mike Harman; nationally-known Haliwa-Saponi potter, Senora Lynch; and preservers of the coastal fishing tradition, Walter and Ray Davenport.
Presented by the North Carolina Arts Council to honor the state’s most eminent folk artists, the event recognizes recipients of the North Carolina Heritage Award. Since 1989, the award has deepened awareness of the stories, music and artistry that comprise our rich and diverse cultural and folklife traditions.
Thompson received the National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment last month in Washington, D.C. The late Appalachian musician, Mary Jane Queen, was also honored during the ceremony.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to meet the artists, take photographs and register for door prizes, including a trio of tourism guidebooks featuring the new Literary Trails of the North Carolina Mountains during a reception, which follows the event.
The free event is scheduled at the Fletcher Opera Theater at the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh at 7:30 p.m. Seating is on a first come, first serve basis, so plan to arrive early.
For more information or questions, visit www.ncarts.org or contact the North Carolina Arts Council at (919) 807-6500.
RECIPIENTS:
Davenport Brothers
Walter and Ray Davenport, Preservers of Coastal Tradition (Tyrrell County)
Brothers and fishermen, Walter and Ray Davenport preserve traditions associated with fishing the rivers, sounds and ocean waters of North Carolina’s coast. Boatbuilding and netmaking are among their many skills and they are unsurpassed in their knowledge of weather patterns, local currents and tides, and of the fish and wildlife that inhabit the sounds.
Orville Hicks
Orville Hicks, Appalachian Storyteller (Watauga County)
Storyteller Orville Hicks specializes in the Beech Mountain Jack Tale tradition. Bringing his own personal creativity and delightful spirit to the tales, Hicks makes them relevant to today’s audiences. He learned many tales from his mother, and from his neighbor, renowned storyteller Ray Hicks, a recipient of the NEA’s National Heritage Fellowship. Orville Hicks performs his stories at festivals, in schools and universities, family reunions and conventions throughout North Carolina and the South.
Mike Harman
Mike Harman, Coverlet Weaver (Ashe County)
Mike Harman is an incredibly talented sixth-generation weaver. Through his business, Buffalo Creek Weavers, Mr. Harman has woven and marketed cotton coverlets utilizing traditional weaving patterns such as “Whig Rose,” “Lover’s Knot,” and “Morning Star.” Harman enjoys a national reputation for his work and has been awarded commissions for President Bill Clinton and Pope John Paul II, among others.
Senora Lynch
Senora Lynch, Haliwa-Saponi Potter (Warren County)
An extraordinary potter from the Haliwa-Saponi tribe, Senora Lynch builds her pots using the traditional coiling method while decorating her work with Native American symbols and motifs. Telling the story of her tribe and her American Indian heritage, Lynch’s pottery has been displayed at the White House, the Smithsonian Institution and at the North Carolina Museum of History.
George Shuffler
George Shuffler, Bluegrass Musician (Burke County)
George Shuffler is one of the pioneers of bluegrass music. During Shuffler’s long career as a professional musician, including twenty years as a member of Ralph and Stanley Carter’s band, he developed a unique style of “cross-picking” the guitar that has been widely emulated by bluegrass musicians.
Filed under: Folklife, General, Music, Performing Arts, Visual Arts
