Southwest Virginia 4-H Educational Center is excited to present a free concert performed by students from the Washington County Junior Appalachian Musician (JAM) after-school program. The students, ages 9 to 13, have been learning old-time traditional musical instruments since October. The concert will be held Tuesday, May 9 at 7:00 pm in the SWVA 4-H Center Ratliff Hall Auditorium.

JAM students have enjoyed learning fiddle, banjo, guitar, and lap dulcimer from noted local traditional artists. Tammy Martin, Washington County JAM lap dulcimer instructor, is a professional string and percussion musician as part of the Appalachian/Celtic trio, Fire in the Kitchen, and an educator in Washington County schools. Ryan Bernard, who teaches banjo at JAM, is an alumnus of the ETSU Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Country Music program. Ryan was also a part of the curatorial team that designed the newly-constructed Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol. The fiddle teacher, Barbara Walton, has taught music in Washington County schools for over thirty years and plays in several local bands. Will Robertson, who teaches guitar for Washington County JAM, has been playing guitar and working with children for over 35 years.

 Program partner is Capo's Music Store. Washington County JAM will also be performing at the Youth Music Festival hosted at Heartwood on May 13, 2017. Southwest Virginia 4-H Educational Center will start its third year of Washington County JAM in September 2017. For more information or to register a student, email programs@swva4hcenter.org or call 276.676.6180.

Junior Appalachian Musicians is an established 501(c)(3) educational non-profit organization with programs currently in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, with long-term goals of expanding to West Virginia, Kentucky and Georgia. For more information, visit www.jamkids.org.

"This father-son duo project is both technically impressive and musically tasteful, a lovely exploration of both tradition and creativity (and of a warm musical relationship)." -- CD Hotlist

Baltimore’s nationally-acclaimed father-son Old-Time roots duo Ken and Brad Kolodner celebrate the release of their third recording (The Swift House) in a concert on Thursday, January 5, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. to benefit Southwest Virginia 4-H Educational Center programming including Washington County Junior Appalachian Musicians. Joining The Kolodners to round out the trio is the incredibly versatile bassist Alex Lacquement who locks everything together with his commanding and tasteful choices (The Bumper Jacksons, The Ken & Brad Quartet, Charm City Junction).The Baltimore-based dynamic trio weaves together a captivating soundscape on hammered dulcimer, banjo and fiddles, pushing the boundaries of the Old-Time tradition into uncharted territory music.

The concert will be at SWVA 4-H Center in Ratliff Hall. Tickets are $15 for adults; ages 6-17 $10; and ages 5 and under are free. Tickets are available at the 4-H Center office or at the door. For more information, call (276) 676-6180 or email info@swva4hcenter.org. Washington County JAM students are also selling tickets to the concert. To connect with JAM and learn more about the program go to www.facebook.com/WashingtonCountyJAM. All proceeds will benefit SWVA 4-H Center, a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization.

Ken Kolodner is widely known as one the finest hammered dulcimer players in the U.S. while his son Brad is one of the best clawhammer banjo players in the U.S. Together, Ken and Brad are major pillars of the Old-Time music community. Regarded as one of the most influential hammered dulcimer players and Old-Time fiddlers in North America, Baltimore’s Ken Kolodner (a founder of the world music trio Helicon) has joined forces with his son Brad Kolodner (also Charm City Junction), a rising star in the clawhammer banjo world. Together, they infuse their own brand of driving, innovative, tasteful and unique interpretations of traditional and original fiddle tunes and songs with a “creative curiosity that lets all listeners know that a passion for traditional music yet thrives in every generation” (DPN). Concert appearances include The Kennedy Center, Strathmore Hall, The Black Rock Center for the Arts (MD), The Birchmere (VA), The Creative Alliance, The Walnut Valley Festival (KS), The Peachem Festival (VT), The Charm City Folk and Bluegrass Festival (MD), The Champlain Valley Folk Festival (VT), Old Songs (NY), The Common Ground Festival (MD), The Strand (NY), Green Valley Fine Arts (AZ), The Mountain Arts Gathering (NY), as well as many tours throughout the U.S. For more information on the trio go towww.kenandbrad.com.

“Ken is regarded as one of the most accomplished hammered dulcimer players performing today. While not easy to describe, Otter Creek is all instrumental traditional Appalachian music with hammered dulcimer, fiddle and banjo. What makes this recording special is that Ken collaborates with his son Brad who plays the banjo and banjola. It is what folk music is all about in my opinion.” – Mark Pederson, WI radio DJ

"Widely regarded as one of the most accomplished hammered dulcimer players in the US, Ken Kolodner shines more than ever on Skipping Rocks. His gentle groove is the calm water over which Brad’s percussive banjo skips."  -- The Revivalist 

Southwest Virginia 4-H Educational Center is excited to present the Washington County Junior Appalachian Musicians at the Youth Music Festival at the Heartwood on Saturday, May 14, 2016. The students, ages 9 to 13, have been learning old-time traditional musical instruments since October. The concert will be held on the Inside Stage at the Heartwood at 1 pm.

JAM students have enjoyed learning fiddle, banjo, guitar, and lap dulcimer from noted local traditional artists. Tammy Martin, Washington County JAM lap dulcimer instructor, is a professional string and percussion musician as part of the Appalachian/Celtic trio, Fire in the Kitchen, and an educator in Washington County schools. Ryan Bernard, who teaches banjo at JAM, is an alumnus of the ETSU Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Country Music program. Ryan was also a part of the curatorial team that designed the newly-constructed Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol. The fiddle teacher, Barbara Walton, has taught music in Washington County schools for over thirty years and plays in several local bands. Gill Braswell, owner of Capo's Music Store, taught guitar for JAM. Gill has performed as both an actor and a musician in regional theaters across the country, including the historic Ryman Auditorium and The Grand Ole Opry. Wil Robertson, who also teaches guitar for Washington County JAM, has been playing guitar and working with children for over 35 years.

Washington County JAM is supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. Program partners include Capo's Music Store and The Crooked Road. Southwest Virginia 4-H Educational Center will start its second year of Washington County JAM in September. For more information or to register a student, email programs@swva4hcenter.org or call 276.676.6180.

Junior Appalachian Musicians is an established 501(c)(3) educational non-profit organization with programs currently in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, with long-term goals of expanding to West Virginia, Kentucky and Georgia. For more information, visit www.jamkids.org.