"CMW OLD TIMEY RADIO SHOW"

Inspires Students and Teachers about Area's Music Heritage

During the week of March 9^th, Carolina Music Ways (CMW) presented at Old Richmond, Easton, and Clemmons elementary schools the “Carolina Music Ways Old Timey Radio Show” headed by Matt Kendrick, the show’s musical director.

The 40-minute school assembly program was a huge hit with students and teachers..  Below is a sampling of teacher comments:

• “IT WAS OUTSTANDING!”

• “..the best program we’ve had at our school..”

• “I didn’t want it to end.”

•  “Excellent program. Even my students who have trouble attending were listening and participating.”

• “The kids enjoyed it and have been talking about it all day.”

• “This unique program should be extended to all students in our area.”

Easton Elementary School principal, Celena Clark, had this to say about the performance: “It was very informative and entertaining for our students. As a Title 1/Equity Plus school, our students need exposure to the arts on a regular basis.  Thank you for thinking of our students and for having such a great impact on their lives!”

Clemmons Elementary principal, Herb Baker, adds, “I think this is an excellent program that presents the history of music, but also relates this to our area.  I hope more schools can see this program.”

According to the show’s scriptwriter, Elizabeth Carlson, the reaction to the show exceeded CMW's expectations.  “Our hopes—that the show inspires students about local music history and has a meaningful impact in their lives—have been realized in this very successful debut year.”

The performance, which piloted this year and hopes to reach more students next year, opened students’ and teachers’ eyes to our area’s outstanding musical legacy by presenting a musical tribute to music greats from, or with strong ties to, this region who have influenced the world-wide music scene.  These include John Coltrane, Doc Watson, the Five Royales, Tommy Jarrell, Blind Boy Fuller, Shirley Caesar, and the Salem Band.

Performing in this tribute with Matt Kendrick were outstanding area talents Joe Robinson, Abdullah Rahman, Wiley Porter, Debbie Gitlin, Cle Thompson, Diana Tuffin, and a Moravian brass quartet under the direction of Wayne Fulp. The show’s dynamic host, Derrick Parker, was a huge hit, especially when he went into the audience and engaged students and teachers in clapping and dancing.

Also enormously popular with the audience were the sing-along songs led by Cle Thompson and Diana Tuffin: “Sail Away Ladies” and “This Little Light of Mine”. Much audience clapping and swaying accompanied the other musical numbers, which included “Tom Dooley”, the American folk classic from Wilkes County, and “Dedicated to the One I Love” by the Five Royales from Winston-Salem.

Students experienced the “Carolina Music Ways Old Timey Radio Show” thanks to support from The Winston-Salem Foundation, the Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools and the Northwest Piedmont Council of Governments.

Carolina Music Ways, a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization, is currently seeking corporate, civic, and private donations to expand this show into more schools next year.

For more information about the show and about Carolina Music Ways, visit www.carolinamusicways.org.

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Photos by Jo Daniels.

For more information on individual performers visit:

Matt Kendrick: http://mattkendrick.net/

Joe Robinson: http://www.joerobinson.net/

Wiley Porter: http://www.wileyporter.com/

Cle Thompson: http://www.clethompson.com/

Derrick Parker: http://derrickparker.com/

Area Heritage Music Greats

(l. to r.) Cle Thompson, Wiley Porter, Derrick Parker, Matt Kendrick, Diana Tuffin, Debbie Gitlin, Abdullah Rahman, Joe Robinson

Old Richmond performance

(l. to r.) Matt Kendrick, Joe Robinson, Debbie Gitlin

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