LONG JOURNEY HOME
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                        
CONTACT: Cristy Dunn                                                                                                                    
PHONE: 423-957-6346                                                                                                                     EMAIL:cdunnoriginals@hotmail.com                                                                                                    

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LONG JOURNEY HOME 2021
"I'll Fly Away," A Virtual Celebration 
Plans were in place for a bigger than ever Long Journey Home festival this Labor Day weekend, but based on guidance from the Tennessee Department of Health, we have made the difficult decision to move to a virtual format. Given the numbers of people currently infected with the highly contagious delta variant in our region, our healthcare system at full capacity, and low vaccination rates, an in-person festival would put our musicians, volunteers and patrons at an unacceptable level of risk. This is simply not consistent with the values of Long Journey Home.

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In a typical year, you can hear clawhammer banjo played on the front porch of the Clarence "Tom" Ashley homeplace, Buskin' on Main Street with an outdoor film, a new mural is unveiled, and the hills come alive with the sounds of Old Time and Bluegrass music. This year is again anything but typical, but we know what to do when life gives you lemons… you make some good old fashioned lemonade, of course, and share it with your friends. And that is just what we plan to do.

Similar to last year, we will bring the festival to you in the safety and comfort of your home. You will find links to all the virtual events at www.longjourneyhome.net. as well as the Long Journey Home Facebook page. And this year, we will offer a Watch Party kit that can be purchased at Johnson County Center for the Arts with instructions for watching the virtual events, a ‘Lassy Cookie, a magnet, the lyrics to I’ll Fly Away for singing along, coloring pages, and a copy of The Liner Notes.

Among other things, this year’s virtual Long Journey Home schedule will include:
  • A virtual unveiling of the new interactive mural, I’ll Fly Away with music from the Long Journey Home House Band
  • Lassy Makin’ the Old Time Way, a short film highlighting the tradition of making molasses with a mule drawn press
  • Val Lyle and Ralph Nielsen will share the sculpture in progress of Fiddlin’ Fred Price with music from the Piney Woods Boys
  • Kenny Price and Jerry Moses will give a performance in Clarence "Tom" Ashley's unique clawhammer banjo style 
  • The Tennessee Sunrise Quilt Guild virtual show
  • A one-time YouTube showing of A Short Life of Trouble: The Legend of G.B. Grayson. Produced by Kelley St. Germain and Appalachian Memory Keepers.
The virtual events kick off on Saturday, September 4th with the unveiling of a new mural on Main Street. I’ll Fly Away is dedicated to those who have been lost to the pandemic. The JAM Band as well as the Long Journey Home House Band wilshare the stage for the mural unveiling. This new mural installation is the eighth in a series that honors the rich musical heritage of Johnson County and the latest addition to the Musical Heritage Mural Mile.

The next stop on your virtual tour is at Johnson County Center for the Arts, where the Piney Woods Boys and others will perform the music of Fred Price and Clint Howard. Val Lyle will share her progress on the Fiddlin' Fred Price sculpture in progress that will be unveiled in 2022.

Next, you’ll be treated to a trip back in time as you experience Clarence “Tom” Ashley’s signature clawhammer banjo style played by Kenny Price, who learned from Tom himself accompanied by Jerry Moses. The Tennessee Sunrise Quilt Guild’s show will take place virtually as well. The festival concludes with a showing of Short Life of Trouble, the Legend of G.B. Grayson. The film has new content, more music, and an interview with our good friend, John McCutcheon.
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The Musical Heritage Mural Mile and Long Journey Home were made possible in part though funding from Johnson County Community Foundation and Tennessee Arts Commission as well as the generosity of community members.
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“It’s about as real as it gets. If you were wondering whether authentic Appalachia still exists, look no further.”
 
For more information, please contact
Cristy Dunn at 423-957-6346 or Evelyn Cook at 423-727-8700
cdunnoriginals@hotmail.com or visit www.longjourneyhome.net.
 

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Fred Price, Clarence "Tom" Ashley, and Clint Howard in the 1960s
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Kenny Price performs clawhammer banjo on the front porch of the Clarence "Tom" Ashley Homeplace as part of the Musical Heritage Tour. Kenny learned directly from Clarence Ashley and was featured on The Ballad of Finley Preston, alongside Fred Price and Clint and Clarence Howard.
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  • Home
  • The Mural Mile
  • The Music
    • The Historic 1925 Fiddler's Convention
    • Clarence "Tom" Ashley
    • Blind Banman Grayson
    • Clint Howard
    • Fred Price
  • Johnson County Center for the Arts
  • PRESS
  • Contact
  • Blog