2007 NEA National Heritage Fellowships

Subject: 2007 NEA National Heritage Fellowships
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 06 Sep 07 - 03:31 PM

Thanks to Fretless for mentioning it in the 2008 [BBC] Folk Awards thread:

The 2007 (U.S.) National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Award winners were announced this summer, and there doesn't seem to have been a Mudcat post. Their profiles are linked here: click.

"In 1982 the National Endowment for the Arts established the NEA National Heritage Awards as a way of honoring American folk artists for their contributions to our national cultural mosaic. Modelled after the Japanese "National Living Treasures" concept, the idea began with Bess Lomax Hawes, then director of the Folk Arts Program. Since its inception, over 300 artists have received the Heritage Award.

"As a group, these folk and traditional artists reflect the diverse heritage and cultural traditions that transcend their beginnings to become part of our national character. Americans all, they bring age-old customs, crafts and ways of living to the flux of American life, a pluralism that makes us strong and defines us, in the words of Walt Whitman, as "not merely a nation but a teeming nation of nations.""

Among them are these musicians:

Agustin Lira, Fresno, CA
Chicano Singer, musician, composer

Sidiki Conde, New York, NY
Guinean dancer and musician

Mary Jane Queen, Cullowhee, NC
Appalachian musician (Deceased)

Joe Thompson, Mebane, NC
African American string band musician

Eddie Kamae, Honolulu, HI
Hawaiian musician, composer, filmmaker

Elaine Hoffman Watts, Havertown, PA
Klezmer musician

Six other artists were also named.

There are full pages for each individual linked at the above page, with sound clips.


~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: 2007 NEA National Heritage Fellowships
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 06 Sep 07 - 03:32 PM

Actually, the page that links directly to the profiles is here.

Subject: RE: 2007 NEA National Heritage Fellowships
From: fretless
Date: 06 Sep 07 - 04:54 PM

Here's what the NEA is saying about ticket availability for the Heritage Fellows concert on September 20: "The Box Office at Strathmore distributed over 1,400 tickets within 10 days of the time that they posted the information on their web-site. If you have friends who are trying to get tickets, you can tell them that we have never had to turn anyone away from the concert. The Washington sydrome with free tickets is that a number of people request tickets but do not use them, so we hope to seat everyone without a ticket 15 minutes prior to the concert." that's not a guarantee, but it's pretty close.

Subject: RE: 2007 NEA National Heritage Fellowships
From: curmudgeon
Date: 06 Sep 07 - 04:55 PM

Thanks for that link, Becky. If I'm not mistaken, stone letter carver, Nicholas Benson is the son of, or most certainly related to, John "Fudd" Benson, traditional singer and fiddler, whose music I first encountered on the LP Steady As She Goes, along with Lou Killen and the Brothers Warner.

In addition to his fine musicianship, Fudd is also a master stone carver and sculptor.

Subject: RE: 2007 NEA National Heritage Fellowships
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 07 Sep 07 - 06:49 PM

That's an interesting connection, Carmudgeon.

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: 2007 NEA National Heritage Fellowships
From: GUEST,Dani
Date: 12 Sep 07 - 06:11 PM

As a huge fan of Joe Thompson's, I am so happy and excited for him! He is a humble, sweet, generous man who has inspired me (and lots of others) in many ways.

I learned of the award when I saw this letter to the editor in our little local paper:

"Joe and I would like to thank each of you for your support and encouragement of Joe, his family and their music over the years. We are very blessed and truly grateful for your love and goodwill.

We all have gifts that God has given us to share to His glory. The Lord has blessed Joe with great talent and longevity, and Joe will always strive to use it in the Lord's service. We praise Him and give Him all the glory for each note Joe is able to play or sing, and each heart beat that Joe's music excites.

We will carry your good wishes and God's praises with us when we travel to Washington, D.C. next week to accept the National Heritage Award from the National Endowment of the Arts.

Pauline McAdoo and Joseph Acquilla Thompson

Mebane"

Dani

Subject: RE: 2007 NEA National Heritage Fellowships
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 12 Sep 07 - 09:20 PM

Previous threads on the Black stringband music revival:
one and two, for which Joe Thompson is partly responsible.