About The Shenandoah Valley Music Makers Heritage Center

The Mountain Music Makers Trail & Heritage Center bring together 14 Counties, 12 Cities, 100+ towns/municipalities, musicians, venues, promoters, audiences, educational institutions, historical societies, museums, folklife institutes, arts organizations, national, state and local arts and humanities councils, tourists, chambers of commerce and businesses of the Shenandoah Valley to better promote the Valley’s traditional music heritages, including sacred and secular musics.

The historical musical roots of the Valley run deep and can be traced back to the early pioneers and settlers and the migration down the Great Wagon Road. The popularity of certain tunes played today can be traced back to original Valley versions. Singers Glen, Virginia, a small community 8 miles north-west of Harrisonburg is world famous as the birthplace of sacred music in the south. Joseph Funk and Sons publishing company in Singers Glen was responsible for the proliferation of scared songs the world over. Also, the mountain or lap dulcimer first came to popularity in the Shenandoah River Valley but was soon exported to the southwest regions of Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky. The Shenandoah Valley’s mountain music playing and singing styles have had tremendous influences on American music forms.

The project goals:

1. Identify historical performers and locations throughout the Valley. (i.e. Zeke Johnson, Patsy Cline, Statler Brothers, Bill Harrell, Mac Wiseman, Buddy Starcher, Eddie Adcock, Buddy Charlton, Don Reno, Dewey & Kitty Jenkins, etc.)
2. Identify and promote local live music venues of traditional music (i.e. Jams in Grottoes, Staunton, Winchester, Lexington, Port Republic, Luray, New Market, Timberville, Harrisonburg, Elkton, Shenandoah, Lexington, Roanoke…Charlottesville, Bradywine)
3. Identify and celebrate the areas “master musicians” past & present: Salt ‘n Peanuts, Emory Stroop, “Speedy” Toliver, Spike & Vallie May Stroop, Ray Houser, Lamb Brothers, “Buck” Ryan, Dan Pickett, Glen Nicely, Two-Gun Terry, Ed Michaels, Buttermilk Snyder, etc…
4. Identify and promote the wealth of musicians and bands playing traditional music.
5. Create and promote a comprehensive web presence.
6. Create and distribute a “Shenandoah Valley Music Maker’s Trail” map and other printed support materials (flyers, brochures, booklets).
7. Identify and promote folk, old-time and bluegrass festivals in the region.
8. Set up partners across the area for cross promotion and Experiential EduVentures for visitors.
9. Develop “Vacation packages” for visitors and travel agencies and bus tours.
10. Create a number of MMM Heritage Centers to serve a showcase for the region’s music makers, venues and audiences.
11. Develop on-going private and public fund raising.
12. Produce The Shenandoah Valley Jamboree, a musical variety show/program that showcases local mountain music makers and their music with guest appearances of out-of-area musicians traveling through the Valley.

Shenandoah Valley Music Makers Heritage Center
Since returning to the area in the summer of 2007, we have been asked if we knew what to do with so&sos “stuff”. This stuff includes old instruments, a zillion pictures of local musicians playing all the way back to the mid-1800s, show costumes, rare family recordings that are in need of restoration, old radio show tapes, and thousands of hours of field recording of some of the Valley’s best music makers. There are numerous world renowned musical instrument makers in the Valley. Given the lack of knowledge by the general public of the Shenandoah Valleys contribution to America’s musical expressions a “MMM Center” and an educational outreach component, will serve as a way to inform and celebrate our unique musical heritage. The “Center” would not need to take up a lot of space to meet its goals of providing a place to view some physical artifacts (the material culture) of the Valley’s mountain music history, provide a contact point for visitors. The center would partner with the tour agents and bus companies to become part of the Valley loop tour stops. The MMM gift shop would offer a variety of books, recordings, CD, DVD, topical art, photographs, crafts, sculptures, posters, trinkets, etc. to provide additional revenues for the Center.

What is the Shenandoah Valley Mountain Music Makers Association? (SVM 3 A)

This organization was formed out of the love and respect for the Shenandoah Valley’s rich musical traditions. Our music creates a natural bond that encourages individual musical expression, builds authentic community, and fosters relationships that go far beyond the boundaries of the Shenandoah Valley. Traditionally passed down from generation to generation, Mountain music and its practitioners need to be understood and celebrated within the context of American life today.

SVM 3 A is a Virginia based non-profit 501(c)(3) public trust corporation chartered in 2009 with a mission to: preserve, promote and maintain the integrity and roots of this great acoustic music tradition and its various configurations including: bluegrass, old-time string band, American fiddle/banjo traditions, Appalachian folk songs, shape-note and gospel, and acoustic old-time country. SVM 3 A shall promote and celebrate this truly American performing art and maintain the integrity of the music makers, instrument makers and those who seek them out. To this end, SVM 3 A shall serve as a clearing house for musicians, instrument makers, promoters, venues, vendors, and fans throughout the Shenandoah Valley. We are a viable resource for others in their efforts to help grow and preserve the traditional music makers’ communities. Our efforts will also seek to serve the best interest of traditional music makers nationally and world wide.

The SVM 3 A will also partner with existing arts organizations, businesses, schools, colleges, universities and museums to ensure the maintenance and archival of historically significant artifacts and identify individuals who helped shaped the Valley’s music past, present, and future and celebrate their contributions.

For the purpose of defining the musical scope of this ASSOCIATION the instrumentation combinations considered within the domain of MOUNTAIN MUSIC shall be: fiddle, 5-string banjo, guitar, mandolin, resonphonic guitar (Dobro), and acoustic bass fiddle, harmonica, mountain dulcimer, autoharp and other assorted instruments that fall within the bounds of traditional Appalachian music.

View Mission State or Constitution as a word document.

For more information, to provide input into the Trail or Center or to discuss some items you may own or know about that would add to our Heritage Centers collection (on-loan or gift) or to make a tax-deductable donations please email Don DePoy, Executive Director SVMMMA or call 540-209-3540.

Shenandoah Valley Mountain Music Makers Trail & Heritage Center
266 Inglewood Court
McGaheysville, Virginia 22840