JAM25 Years of JAM: The History of the Junior Appalachian Musicians
The Junior Appalachian Musicians program, more commonly known as JAM, is an after-school program for primarily grades 4-8, with some students carrying on afterward as mentors. The program began in Sparta, NC, with the Alleghany JAM in 2005 to bring music into the school systems and continue to educate students in traditional Appalachian music and instruments. Supported by the NC Arts Council and others, the program is now a successful non-profit program across seven states with 65 affiliates and 205 teachers: West Virginia, Virginia, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky.
Music featured in this episode includes:
- Steve Kilby, “Forked Deer”
- Appalachian Heartstrings, “Lonesome John”
- Strictly Strings, “Cindy”
- The Burnett Sisters Band, “Cumberland Gap”
- Cary Fridley and Travis Stuart, “A Rovin’ on a Winter’s Night”
- Carley Arrowood, “Dear Juliana”
To learn more about JAM, visit JAMKids.org and BlueRidgeMusicNC.com.
The Podcast
The “Down the Road on the Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina” podcast highlights bluegrass and old-time music stories, performers, and traditions across the mountain and foothills counties of Western North Carolina. Hosted and scripted by Laura Boosinger and produced by Jaclyn Anthony and Joe Kendrick of WNCW-FM, the podcast is a joint effort of the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, the North Carolina Arts Council, and WNCW-FM.
More episodes
