Flood

The DISTRIBUTION to deliver FREE instruments was completed Saturday October 29 at the KNOTT COUNTY CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL. Over 600 instruments were collected and restored from across north America. Hundreds of folks showed up and in the crush of activity everything was gone by 1:30. Some left empty handed and we wish we had more. Here as sample experience:

17 year old Bellamie and her 1934 upright bass
FRONT PAGE of the Troublesome Creek Times

PRESS RELEASE: Folksinger Michael Johnathon and volunteers from the WoodSongs internationally syndicated broadcast completed the WoodSongs Flood Relief Effort project for the flood victims across Appalachia and eastern Kentucky. Volunteers of the program gave away more than 600 new and refurbished musical instruments on Saturday, October 29 at Knott County Central High School in Hindman, Kentucky.

“I believe that love is the greatest transaction of the arts, it drives everything we do, everything we create and everything we feel,” Johnathon said. “This was a time to put our politics, opinions and divisions aside and be loving neighbors to those in real, actual need. Let’s not underestimate the comfort music and art can bring to families and neighbors in a time of great loss.”

Among the several hundred mountain musicians that came for the instrument distribution was Polly Barse Fleming and her 17 year old daughter Bellamie. After arriving early and helping to unload the 20′ box truck loaded with guitars, banjos, mandolins, fiddles, band instruments and more they waited patiently for over an hour to make their instrument request.

“Today a dream came true,” says Polly Fleming. “When WoodSongs got there Bellamie and I got out of our cars and helped unload the truck. Michael asked what type of instrument we were hoping for today. I told him the dream instrument would be an upright bass. There was only one insight.”

After waiting patiently as hundreds of instruments were handed out, their turn came.

“We stood and waited as they gave out guitars, banjos, dulcimers, fiddles, drums, banjos, etc. When they made it to Bellamie, Michael pointed to an upright base, turned toward her and jokingly said, “Girls don’t typically play upright bass!” and then told her it was hers,” Polly continued. “Bellamie began trembling and crying which also made me cry, too. I thought this was only a dream instrument, but here it is! Once home we find that it is a Wurlitzer 1934 worth nearly $5,000.”

WOODSONGS FLOOD RECAP Hundreds of folks, lots of kids, from Knott, Letcher, Pike, Perry, Breathitt and Johnson counties came to Knott County Central High Scool and we gave away nearly 500 instruments to the mountain musicians absolutely FREE. Grateful to Dustin Combs and Bobby Pollard, the KNOTT Count sheriff, KNOTT county staff, all the supportive radio stations like WSGS, WEKU, WMMT plus FOX56, WTVQ, WYMT and the Mountain Top News Network
A big shout out to Raymond McLain, Daxson Lewis Rob McNurlin. Cindy Rowe Collins Bill Hudson Bryan Klausing Sharon Ohler Madison Sutton Jeremy Fred Mills Jessica Blankenship Jason Ashcraft Highbridge Spring Water and especially Catherine Currier and CURRIERS MUSIC WORLD.
Thank you #kentuckytourism KentuckyTourism #martinguitar and VisitLEX for making WoodSongs possible. So many others to thank!
Our Enterprise 20’ box truck was a great ride on a magnificent autumn day. Thank everyone who donated instrument, we put them in grateful hands. We’re building a front porch around the world. After a Thai food dinner I am completely totally spent

WATCH one of the many TV NEWS stories: CLICK HERE

Hundred of musicians lined up the the free guitars, banjos and more
The crowd gathered an hour before we could even start

LISTEN to the PUBLIC RADIO FEATURE CLICK HERE

DOWNLOAD OUR FLYER, distribute and Share CLICK HERE

THe volunteer crew restoring and refurbishing hundreds of instruments at Currier’s Music World in Richmon. All will be distributed FREE to Mountain Musicians on October 29 at Knott County High School

IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO REPLACE A PIANO OR PA SYSTEM please send your request as an email to wfpa@woodsongs.com and we will connect you to folks who have one to donate.

Simply show up Sat Oct 29 1-5PM at the Knott County High School, it’s that easy.

Building a Front Porch around the world includes the music of Appalachia

WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT, WE WILL BE THERE

The WoodSongs community is collecedng instruments for the musicians in the flooded regions of Appalachia

The families of eastern Kentucky succumbed to torrential rains that flooded entire communities. From Whitesburg to Hindman, Hazard to Prestonsburg the hollers were covered in a tsunami of rain that put homes, businesses, creative centers and lives under water. WoodSongs, along with our friends, fellow musicians, companies like Martin Guitars, Highbridge Spring Water are collecting instruments to restore the music of one of the most artistic and creative regions in America.

SEE THE WS TORNADO PROJECT CLICK HERE

WATCH A TV STORY “THE WS FLOOD PROJECT” FROM WKYT-CBS CLICK HERE

WATCH A NATIONAL TV NEWS STORY “THE WS FLOOD PROJECT” CLICK HERE

WATCH MOUNTAIN TOP TV NEWS “THE WS FLOOD PROJECT”

WHY WE ARE DOING THIS:

We can’t build bridges, lay foundations, repair roofs and plumbing … but we CAN bring the music of the FRONT PORCH back to the people that lost their instruments in the floods. In many ways, the people in Appalachia embody the spirit of America’s Front Porch. The music and art from Appalachia is important to preserve and, when the time comes, we want to restore the instruments lost by the floods.

Donate your instruments!

CURRIERS MUSIC WORLD attn Cathy Currier 292 S 2nd St, Richmond, KY 40475 in Richmond KY will again be the PRIME COLLECTION CENTER for all music instruments donated. Here is where ALL INSTRUMENTS COLLECTED they will be polished, serviced, restored and prepared for distribution

WHAT WE NEED – BAND INSTRUMENTS OF ALL KINDS (trumpets, trombones, flutes, sax, clainets, drums and more) guitars, banjos, fiddles, mandolins, art supplies, keyboards, upright basses, electric instruments, amps, etc. PLEASE ONLY DONATE INSTRUMENTS IN GOOD, PLAYABLE CONDITION. You can mail, Drop off or ship directly to Curriers Music World 292 South 2nd St, Richmond, KY 40475

THANK YOU to all the drop-off locations that helped this project:

KENTUCKY MUSIC HALL OF FAME & Museum (Renfro Valley, KY) MOUNTAIN HEALTH ARENA Huntington WVa KENTUCKY CENTER FOR TRADITIONAL MUSIC (Morehead State University) KENTUCKY SCHOOL OF BLUEGRASS & TRADITIONAL MUSIC Hazard Community College Hazard, KY MOUNTAIN MUSIC EXCHANGE attnPikeville, KY MOUNTAIN ARTS CENTER Prestonsburg, KY LEXINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY Northside Branch 1733 Russell Cave Road, Lexington, KY

TO STATE IT CLEARLY: this project is totally volunteer driven.

WHAT WE NEED

Contributions to rent a box truck about 24′ long, funding for fuel, instrument conditioning, travel and volunteers expenses. We won’t need much but every little bit helps. Make a TAX DEDUCTIBLE contribution via PayPal to WFPA@woodsongs.com send a check to WoodSongs PO Box 200, Lexington KY 40588 …or to use your credit card CLICK on the DONATE button below

To support Gov. Beshear’s general relief fund to help the flooded communities CLICK HERE

“There is nothing more truly artistic than to love people.” Vincent Van Gogh