John Roten, who peers say 'lives the music,' honored with Lunsford Award

MARS HILL - The man who grew so accustomed to being the one announcing award honorees at festivals is now the one on the receiving end of the award.

John Roten, who has done so much to bring attention to Appalachian music and dance, was honored at this year's Lunsford Festival, where he has served as the event emcee for many years. Roten was bestowed one of two Lunsford Awards Sept. 23 at Mars Hill University, along with former Madison High principal David Robinson.

Roten hosted the wildly popular Kiss Country Classics program, heard Sunday mornings from 8 a.m.-noon on 99.9 Kiss Country in Asheville, and was the host of Sunday morning’s WESC Country Classics in Greenville, South Carolina.

Roten, a Western North Carolina native, said the recognition feels surreal.

"I feel kind of like a ball boy that somehow is named the Most Valuable Player," Roten told The News-Record. "I never even dreamed of winning an award named in honor of the man who did so much to promote and preserve mountain music and dance, Bascom Lamar Lunsford."

Roten said being named alongside so many people that he looks up to is a great honor.

"To be included with the past winners of the Lunsford Award – from Bobby Hicks, to Roger Howell, Leonard Holifield, Nelia Hyatt, Lena Jean Ray, Sheila Kay Adams and so many more artists that are my idols, is humbling."

But to hear his peers tell it, Roten's recognition with the Lunsford Award is well deserved, and a fitting way of repaying a person who has done so much to promote mountain music and culture.

Mars Hill resident Howell coordinated the open jams with Hicks at Zuma Coffee and is a distinguished fiddle, banjo and guitar player.

Howell said he's known Roten for "many, many years" as the two have crossed paths at festivals where Roten was emceeing and Howell was playing, including the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival, a festival founded by Lunsford which will celebrate its 97th year Aug. 1-3, 2024.

"He should be recognized, because he loves the music," Howell said. "At a lot of festivals, you just get somebody up there to talk and emcee, and they don't care one way or another. It's just sort of a talking head, and you can get them a dime a dozen.

"But somebody that lives the music and knows it and appreciates the roots and stuff, now they're hard to come by. John will go out of his way to talk about, if he knows the group coming up, he'll say little stories about them and connect them to the old groups and the old jam sessions we used to have. He doesn't have to do that, but he does anyway. He's a valuable guy in our music here."

If anyone is qualified to make distinctions between those who truly appreciate mountain music and those who don't, it's Howell.

In 2017, Howell finished recording almost 700 tunes from memory — a “Memory Collection,” which is housed in the Ramsey Center’s Southern Appalachian Archives.

Carol Rifkin is an award-winning musician and dancer who has worked with Doc Watson and David Holt. She is a co-founder of Lake Eden Arts Festival and hosts WNCW's "This Old Porch" program on Sundays.

Rifkin called Roten a "great guy and a tremendous asset to the mountain music community."

"The Lunsford awards recognize long term commitment, a kind of lifetime achievement award, and John is so deserving," Rifkin said. "His deep voice, smiling face and strong support have meant a lot to mountain music."

Roten said to be recognized alongside so many of his heroes is a dream come true.

"I am honored beyond belief," he said. "I'm so appreciative to be a Lunsford Award recipient."

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: John Roten, who peers say 'lives the music,' receives Lunsford Award