A beloved McDowell County musical program will be featured on public radio station WNCW's new series about mountain traditions.
The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area (BRNHA) is partnering with WNCW radio (88.7 FM) to develop and broadcast a new radio series called "Living Traditions Moments." These two-minute vignettes, which will air on Fridays just before 8 p.m., will feature Old Fort's own music program, Old Fort Mountain Music, this Friday.
This treasured Old Fort tradition has been hosted and managed by an all-volunteer organization for more than 20 years. It is held every Friday evening in the former Rockett building on Main Street in Old Fort.
The radio series celebrates the people and places "that have preserved the traditions unique to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina," said Angie Chandler, executive director of the BRNHA.
"Not only is it our intention to share these rich stories but to preserve them before they disappear," she added.
The segments will change weekly and will cover a wide variety of subjects including crafts, music, Cherokee, agriculture and natural heritage. They will be drawn from the 25 counties and the Qualla Boundary that comprise the BRNHA.
"Living Traditions Moments" are read by Eric Seeger, editor-in-chief of WNC Magazine, a Gulfstream Communications publication based in Asheville. WNC Magazine is also partnering with BRNHA and WNCW for future events and online promotions showcasing the authentic traditions that are woven into the daily lives of area residents and which attract visitors from around the globe.
WNCW is a public radio station broadcasting from Isothermal Community College in Spindale. WNCW has an audience of nearly 100,000 weekly listeners in five Southeastern states and its programming is broadcast worldwide online at www.wncw.org.
The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area was designated by Congress and the president in 2003 in recognition of the unique character, culture, and natural beauty of western North Carolina and their significance to history of our nation.
National Heritage Areas are locally governed institutions that encourage residents, nonprofit groups, government agencies and private partners to work together in planning and implementing programs that preserve and celebrate America's defining landscapes. This nonprofit organization stewards federal funds that support the area including a grant program.
In 2009, the McDowell County Tourism Development Authority received a grant to assist with the costs associated with the creation of an oral history project. A Web site has been created at www.mcdowellhistory.com with audio and video interviews including those taped one Friday at Old Fort Mountain Music.
To view those interviews, click on "The Tradition Continues" or stop by a live performance each Friday beginning at 7 p.m. in the Rockett Building on Main Street in Old Fort.
For more information, call 668-9891.
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