Nest of Singing Birds
Nest of Singing Birds (Madison County Ballad Singers)
Saturday, October 25, 5-7 p.m.
Tickets: $20
Indoor Theater
English Folklorist Cecil Sharp traveled to the Laurel Community of Madison County in 1916, he gave it the moniker A Nest of Singing Birds based on the number of talented singers and old ballads he encountered there. Over 100 years later, Madison County is still known for its ballad-singing traditions, and a group of singers from the area have adopted this name.
Nest of Singing Birds centers around Sheila Kay Adams, the matriarch of the traditional ballad community in Western North Carolina. Adams learned from her aunt Dellie Chandler Norton and Dellie’s sister Berzillia Norton, who were from the Sodom Laurel community. She also learned lyrics from other area singers including Dillard Chandler and Doug Wallin and family.
The group is led by 8th generation ballad singer Donna Ray Norton, second cousin to Adams. Also joining them is William Ritter, who learned from singer and storyteller Bobby McMillon.
The Nest of Singing Birds will share the ballad traditions of Madison County, swapping stories and songs.
This concert coincides with the 1st Anniversary of Hurricane Helene and is presented in part as a reminder of all the work that is still being done in Western Carolina to recover and rebuild from the Hurricane, specifically the recovery efforts in Madison County (renovation of the Arts Council Building) and in the town of Marshall.We urge folks to continue to support these recovery efforts through a donation to the Madison County Arts Council and/or purchasing the downloadable version of the Resonance Sessions, a powerful collection of live recordings featuring 35 regional musicians, captured in the weathered shell of the Old Marshall Jail following the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Net proceeds from the Resonance Sessions will go to The Madison County Arts Council to assist in rebuilding the county’s musical community, and to the nonprofit Rare Bird Cultural Arts for a grant program to offer direct assistance to affected musicians.
This concert is part of the Backstories series, telling stories about the music and musicians who played it, and the culture and region the music comes from. The series is supported by a Central Appalachian Living Traditions grant from Mid Atlantic Arts.
ADDITIONAL CONCERT DETAILS
• Seating is limited. Advance tickets recommended.
• Ticket purchases are nonrefundable.
• Season passes not accepted for concerts in the indoor theater.
• Assistive listening devices are available for use during concerts. If you would like to borrow a free device, email info@blueridgemusiccenter.org in advance of your visit.
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