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first sang in public at the age of 4 in 1958 for my Uncle Hubert
Hayes's Mountain Youth Jamboree in Asheville, NC. Appalachian
born and bred, I've sung all my life, but only started putting
music first in 1998. A cappella balladry is the heart of my
music now, and I also play guitar, autoharp, and spoons. I want
not only to preserve traditions, but also to keep them relevant
in the 21st Century: So in concert and when recording, I sing
a blend of old and new songs, and I tell old and new stories.
Mostly, I hope to invite others to explore their own heritage,
and inspire them to embrace music and singing as their human
birthright. I've had some great experiences since 1998, including
singing at the Ulster American Folk Park in Omagh, Northern
Ireland in 2002 for the 11th annual Appalachian and Bluegrass
Festival, and representing the state of Tennessee with a solo
concert on the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center in 2000.
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1987, I discovered the profession of "Teaching Artist," a professional
artist who also works in education settings. As a TA and consultant
in education through the arts and Aesthetic Education, I have
since worked with dozens of teachers in hundreds of classroom
residencies to create rich, engaging, arts-integrated study
units addressing most Academic Standards and Arts Standards
through music and theatre. I've provided professional development
for teachers, TAs, and administrators in the North and Southeast.
My favorite gigs comprise teaching, consulting, and performance
all together. I've worked with some really neat folks, including
The Kennedy Center, the Empire State Partnerships program in
New York, and the Tennessee Performing Arts Center. |
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| I've
been a theatre artist for over 35 years - actress/singer/mover/musician.
A regional theatre artist by choice, I've always been lucky
to find work wherever I lived, performing in over 150 productions
- musicals, comedies, and drama, with a little television and
film thrown in. I'm a theatre junky - no matter what else I
am doing, I have to be in a play every so often, or I get really
grumpy. I especially like working on new plays. My favorite
roles (not in any special order) include "Kate Batts" in Spirit,
Mama Sanders" in Smoke on the Mountain, "Penny" in The Widow's
Best Friend, "Aunt Eller" in Oklahoma, "Woman 1" in Samuel Beckett's
Play, "Baloo" in an apocalyptic setting of Jungalbook, "Miss
Maudie" in To Kill a Mockingbird, and assorted roles in Ray
Stevens feature film Get Serious. |
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