Singin' Gatherin' scheduled for Saturday

The Daily Independent, Ashland, Ky.
·2 min read

Jun. 1—WURTLAND — Folk singer and songwriter Anne Macfie, will perform at June 11's sixth annual Singin' Gatherin' Old-Time Music Day at the McConnell House.

Presented by Greenup Arts, McConnell House and local old-time musicians Kentucky Memories, the event is meant to keep alive an event that started in 1932 with the American Folk Song Festival.

Macfie has been touring and performing around the world since the late 1960s. The Louisville resident has performed at Mountain Memories Weekend in Olive Hill, among others, and has albums available.

Keith Garvin, of Kentucky Memories, is a volunteer with Greenup Arts and also serves as a representative on the Greenup County Extension Council, which has members from all program areas of extension, said Anne Stephens, Greenup County Extension Agent for Fine Arts.

"It had been Keith's dream to bring back an old-time music day to honor his family heritage," Stephens said. The Garvin and the Litteral families are represented in the group Kentucky Memories. Keith's son, Michael, is the fiddle player, Keith plays upright bass, and their cousins, Philip Litteral and George Litteral, play guitar and banjo.

"Families playing music together is a local tradition and part of our local cultural heritage," Stephen said. "When the Fraley family (also related to the Garvins and the Litterals) started the American Folk Song Festival, it was really a family reunion with music. There were so many lines of musicians in the branches of this family that when they all gathered together, a music jam was bound to take place. This event became the Fraley Festival that still goes on today at Carter Caves State Park."

Stephens said those who attend may bring musical instruments to play and singers are invited to perform.

Kentucky Memories will open the festival at noon with some history about the American Folk Festival and a performance of "My Old Kentucky Home" in an old-time style.

Food will be available from the Dragonfly Outdoor Café and the front lawn of the McConnell House will have games, including horse shoes and ring toss.

In addition, the Greenup County Farmers Market's official grand opening will be at 8 a.m. June 11.

For more information, call Stephens at (606) 836-0201 or email anne.stephens@uky.edu.