Raymond McLain speaks of the coming weekend performance at the Carter Family Fold in Maces Springs, Virginia. At 2:10 the musical content follows with Melissa Keiser leading a Carter Family medley of three songs she arranged- No Depression In Heaven, Keep On The Sunny Side, and Can The Circle Be Unbroken.
The Mountain Music Ambassadors are an outstanding representation of student performers from The Kentucky Center for Traditional Music at Morehead State University in Morehead, Kentucky. Students performing at the ACMA Mountain Museum Pickin' Porch stage all do vocals and include Bailey Stephenson (banjo), Baylee Henderson (guitar on right), Jack Caudill (electric bass), Melissa Keiser (fiddle/bass), Elizabeth Bowman (mandolin), Savannah Braddock (guitar on left), and Sarah Kate Morgan (mountain dulcimer- a national champion mountain dulcimer player). All these individuals in the Mountain Music Ambassadors are majoring in Traditional Music at Morehead State University’s Kentucky Center for Traditional Music. The Mountain Music Ambassadors are led by sister and brother, Ruth McLain and Raymond McLain, who also are performing as well as providing escort for the group on this visit. In addition to the ACMA Mountain Music Museum Pickin' Porch they will be performing on Friday 12 April 2019 at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina and on Saturday 13 April 2019 at Carter Family Fold at Maces Springs community near Hiltons, Virginia.
Raymond McLain is the director of the Kentucky Center for Traditional Music at Morehead State University (MSU) and is a noted performer, composer and educator. His musical career began in 1969. During the first decade of the 21st century he was Director of the Bluegrass, Old time, and Country Music Studies Program at East Tennessee State University (ETSU) before returning to his home state of Kentucky at MSU.
The Appalachian Cultural Music Association (A.C.M.A) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization formed by a group of volunteers to promote, enhance and perpetuate the music of the Southern Appalachian Region. Bluegrass, old time, Celtic, classic country, gospel and Americana music was born in or has influenced the music of this region.
