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Tradition, Race, and Gender in the Celebration of Traditional Music

Appalachian Sound Archives Fellow Deborah Thompson focused on the ways race and gender are represented in Appalachian music, particularly in the context of such events as Berea's Celebration of Traditional Music.

Audio Highlight

Uncle Homer Walker - Summers County, WV
"Rocking Chair Blues," 10-28-1978.
Celebration of Traditional Music, (AC-OR-005-112)
 

Tradition, Race, & Gender in the Celebration of Traditional Music

Inter-related issues that continue to be relevant to the Berea College Celebration of Traditional Music (CTM) include questions of what counts as “traditional” music, the definition of the region whose traditions the festival is representing, and how to adequately represent the diversity of traditions found in the region. Race issues are addressed in these questions, but gender in the CTM is one that gets little overt attention.