ISSUED: 12 September 2023
MEDIA CONTACT: Cecelia Mason
SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV — Note: Saturday’s Showcase Concert has been moved indoors to the Frank Arts Center Theater due to the possibility of inclement weather.
For 27 years the Appalachian Heritage Festival at Shepherd University has shared the diverse culture and history of our region through workshops and concert performances by some of Appalachia’s most outstanding cultural ambassadors. On Saturday, September 23, the Festival returns with a focus on families and the community ties that bind us.
In honor of Shepherd’s Family Day, this year’s artists represent three different generations of families from diverse musical styles and traditions: the family band Just Us Lillys featuring Festival veteran John Lilly, blues and songs of freedom from master artists Sparky and Rhonda Rucker, and Grammy Award-winning artist Chance McCoy and Tessa Dillon McCoy.
The festival will feature free workshops on Saturday afternoon in the Frank Arts Center W.H. Shipley Recital Hall and an evening showcase concert on the Butcher Center Plaza. (In the event of inclement weather, the concert will be moved inside to the Frank Arts Center Theater).
The schedule includes:
- 1 p.m.—“Introduction to Unaccompanied Singing” with Georgia Lilly, Frank Arts Center W.H. Shipley Recital Hall.
- 2:30 p.m.—“Songs of Struggle and Civil Rights” with Sparky and Rhonda Rucker, Frank Arts Center W.H. Shipley Recital Hall.
- 4 p.m.—“Songwriting: A Conversation” with John Lilly. Get a sneak peek into the songwriting process with John Lilly, Frank Arts Center W.H. Shipley Recital Hall.
- 7 p.m.—“Festival Showcase Concert: Celebrating Families” featuring Chance and Tessa McCoy, Sparky and Rhonda Rucker, and Just Us Lillys, Frank Arts Center Theater. Free and open to the public. Donations accepted. In case of inclement weather, the concert will move into the Frank Arts Center Theater.
For more information, visit the 2023 Appalachian Heritage Festival webpage.
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