Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country
Founded 05-05-05
May 15, 2008 issue
Event Set for Friday To Sunday, May 23 to 25
More than 20 musical acts will perform on the Sammy Lankford Stage in Wilkesboro’s Tyson Pavilion as well as the adjacent Spotlight Stage at this year’s Third Annual ChickenFest. The event will be held Friday to Sunday, May 23 to 25, at The Record Park at the corner of Fourth and E streets in North Wilkesboro. The third annual event is free to the public and is sponsored by Tyson and hosted by The Record.
“Our goal is to keep the music going non-stop,” said Record Publisher Ken Welborn, who co-organizes the event with The Record editor Jerry Lankford.
All three days of the event are jam packed with local and regional musicians who will be picking a variety of mountain music styles. Much of ChickenFest’s musical offerings center around various banjo styles that have developed in the mountains and beyond.
R.G. Absher will host the program Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Wilkes County and the Banjo starting Saturday at 8:30 p.m.
“What we’re going to do is talk about the banjo from clawhammer to bluegrass and show the different styles,” said Absher.
Clawhammer players Adam Beshers and banjoist Maria Stadlin of the Coffee Pickers of Switzerland will demonstrate the earlier techniques of the instrument. Absher, Rachel Pinson of Shelby and Ramona Church Brooks of Purlear will be featured in the bluegrass segment of the program. Modern and more fusion-oriented approaches to playing will also be showcased.
Absher will also talk about the June inductions to the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame, which includes banjo innovator Earl Scruggs.
“A lot of people don’t know it, but Monroe and his band played at the courthouse years ago,” said Absher. “We’ll also talk about Clarence Ashley, Gurney Foster, Frank Profitt, Dock Walsh and others. Many of these musicians, if they didn’t live here at one time, they performed here.”
Ramona Church Brooks, a regional banjo legend that specializes in the Scruggs style, has been playing since she was a child. She has gone on to perform in many musical groups and has appeared on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.
“I think ChickenFest is a great thing for the community,” said Brooks. “People who might not be able to afford to go to other places can come out and hear some good music for free. I’m glad to help The Record since they do so much for the musicians in this area.”
Friday night is Hometown Opry night and will be hosted by Steve Handy and Ed Racey from WKBC Radio. The evening’s entertainment will be capped off with a jam lead by Grammy winner Tut Taylor. Sunday will be a first for the festival, and will include a morning worship service conducted by Arbor Grove United Methodist Church. An afternoon of gospel music, hosted by Wilkes great David Johnson will follow.
This year’s ChickenFest will include more onsite parking. As in previous years, parking will also be available at Benton Hall, the former Key City building and along the street. All visitors are urged not to block residential driveways. Handicap access will be on the Fourth Street side of the park.
ChickenFest is an alcohol-free family event. All food will feature chicken and will be sold by church groups. For more info, call The Record at 336-667-0134 or click to www.therecordofwilkes.com.