| Personal: |
Date of birth: October 15, 1946
Place of birth: Gatesville, Texas
Lives in the mountains of Western North Carolina near
Asheville, with his wife, Ginny. |
| Education: |
University of California at Santa Barbara, Bachelor of
Science and Arts degrees, magna cum laude - Biology and
Art. Advanced degree in Education. |
| Work: |
Performs
full-time throughout the world since 1981.
Founded and directed the
Appalachian Music Program at Warren Wilson College in
Swannanoa, NC 1975 - 1981.
Tours for US State Department as musical ambassador
- Nepal/India/Thailand (1971); South America (1980-1985);
Africa (1986); Venezuela (1997)
|
| Instruments: |
Banjo, Slide Guitar, Guitar, Ukulele, Spoons, Bones, Jaw
Harp, Harmonica, Paper Bag |
| Awards: |
Winner
of two GRAMMY AWARDS (artist and producer) for LEGACY
with Doc Watson - Best Folk Recording 2003.
Winner of two GRAMMY AWARDS
winner (artist and producer) for Stellaluna - Best Children's
Spoken Word Recording 1997, two-time GRAMMY nomine (1995
& 1992)
Named "The Best of the New Generation" by
Esquire Magazine in its first annual Register of Men
and Women Who Are Changing America (1984)
Inducted into the National Storytelling Association's
"hall of fame" - Circle of Excellence
Three-time winner of the FRETS magazine readers' poll
for "best old-time banjoist"
University of North Carolina "Razor Walker Award"
(1993) "Presented to individuals in the service
of youth who have demonstrated vision, tenacity, sacrifice
and courage. Those who walk the razors edge."
|
| Television: |
Host of PBS's:
- Folkways series (1980 - Present)
- Great Scenic Railway Journeys- 2004
- For North Carolina PBS:
- The Blue Ridge Parkway-2000
- The Outer Banks-2002
- NC Mountain Treasures-2005
Host of TNN's:
- Fire on the Mountain ('84-87)
- Celebration Express ('88-89)
- American Music Shop (89-91)
Guest appearances on Hee Haw (1985-1994)
Regular Guest appearances on TNN's:
- Prime Time Country
- Nashville Now
|
| Radio: |
Host of Public Radio's Riverwalk: Classic Jazz
from the Landing (1989-present)
Guest appearances on Grande Ole Opry (1982-present)
|
Music
Recordings:
Highwindy
Audio |
Live
And Kickin' at the National Storytelling Festival- music
and stories.
Legacy-with Doc Watson
- 3 CD set- Grammy Award Winner
I Got A Bullfrog: Folksongs
For The Fun Of It (1994) American Library Association's
"Notable Recordings"
Grandfather's Greatest Hits (1992) GRAMMY nominee for
Best
Traditional Folk Recording: PARENTS Magazine's First
"PARENTS PRIZE - Best in Children's Entertainment"
Reel & Rock (1985) INDIE Award Winner
It Just Suits Me (1981) (June Appal Records)
Instructional Videos - Folk Rhythms, Old-time Banjo
- Levels I, II, III (Homespun Tapes)
|
Story
Recordings:
Highwindy
Audio |
Spiders
In the Hairdo- with Bill Mooney- Grammy Noninee (2001)
Stellaluna (1997) bat
stories and amazing bat facts; GRAMMY AWARD winner,
American Booksellers Assoc. "Pick of the List",
A.L.A. Notable Recording
Why The Dog Chases The Cat: Great Animal Stories (1995);
GRAMMY nominee, A.L.A. Notable Recording, NAIRD Award
winner
Mostly Ghostly Stories (1995) ghost stories; INDIE
Award winner
Tailybone (1985) scary stories; A.L.A. Notable Recording,
INDIE Award winner
Hairyman (1981) southern folk tales; A.L.A. Notable
Recording
The Hogaphone and Other Stories (1991) video of southern
folk tales
|
| Books: |
The Exploding
Toilet: Modern Urban Legends
with Bill Mooney (August House Publishers)
Spiders In the Hairdo: Modern Urban Legends
with Bill Mooney (August House Publishers)
More Ready-To-Tell Tales-Stories from around the world,
(August House Publishers)
Ready-To-Tell Tales (1994)
Collection of sure-fire stories (August House Publishers)
The Storytellers Guide (1997) Complete "how-to"
for storytellers (August House Publishers)
|
