Featured Performers

Wayne Henderson
Wayne's top-notch finger-picking is a source of great pleasure and pride to his friends, family, and neighbors in Grayson County, Virginia; his guitar playing has also been enjoyed at Carnegie Hall, in three national tours of "Masters of the Steel-String Guitar", and in seven nations in Asia. In addition to his reputation as a guitarist, Henderson is a luthier of great renown. He is a recipient of a 1995 National Heritage Award presented by the National Endowment for the Arts. He produces about 20 instruments a year, mostly guitars; he is almost as well-known for the mandolins he has made. Doc Watson, a good friend who sometimes stops at Wayne's shop in Rugby, VA, to pick a few tunes, owns a Henderson mandolin. He said, "That Henderson mandolin is as good as any I've had my hands on. And that's saying a lot, because I've picked up some good ones."

Some of Henderson's instruments are intricately decorated but are most respected for their volume, tone, and resonance. Blues guitarist John Cephas said that Wayne Henderson "is probably the most masterful guitar maker in this whole United States." There is a waiting list for Henderson's guitars made up of the "famous (and not-so-famous)".

Above and beyond his great talents as a musician and luthier, Wayne Henderson is known as a "friend to everyone" and shares his talents and knowledge unselfishly.

The Wayne C. Henderson Music Festival and Guitar Competition was established in 1995 to express appreciation for this "living legend". A portion of the proceeds from the Festival are placed into a scholarship fund to aid local young musicians in continuing their educations.
The Wright Kids

Raised in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Franklin County, Virginia, The Wright Kids were born to play bluegrass. Four impossibly young and talented siblings, Sage (14), Baruch (11), Levi (8) and Selah (6) perform a range of lively folk, pop and bluegrass music including songs from their debut CD, Playing on the Job. Their performances feature tight three part harmonies and ringing instrumentation on guitar, banjo, bass, mandolin and fiddle. Winners at numerous festivals and competitions, The Wright Kids took the country by storm during season three of NBC's "America's Got Talent," making it to the top 10 finalists. The group has since recorded music for ESPN's "The Bassmasters" and opened for Lee Greenwood, returning home in time to finish homework and watch Scooby Doo reruns.

Bobby Norfolk
Bobby's innate ability to read and connect with audiences of all ages makes him one of America’s premier storytellers. Using dynamic movement and vocal effects, Bobby creates vibrant characters who come to life through imaginative, creative story, living history programs that highlight the African-American experience, and toe-tapping musical shows that feature song and live musicians. His stories promote character education traits (such as respect and responsibility), cultural diversity, and literacy.

In television, Bobby won three Emmy awards as the host of the CBS TV show “Gator Tales” and also hosted the Emmy nominated series “Children’s Theater at Bobby’s House.”

In October 2009, Bobby Norfolk was given the national Circle of Excellence Oracle Award, an honor presented by the National Storytelling Network, which recognizes the very best storytellers in the country. This prestigious award is given to artists for exceptional commitment and exemplary contributions to the art of storytelling, who set the standard of excellence to their craft.
Michael Reno Harrell
Michael's natural knack for storytelling, in print, song and spoken word has earned him praise from not only the music community but from the literary and storytelling worlds as well, having had the honor of being a Featured Teller at the National Storytelling Festival and to be Teller In Residence at the International Storytelling Center, as well as performing at major music events like MerleFest and the Walnut Valley Festival.

One could compare Michael's performances to his granddaddy's pocket knife: well warn and familiar feeling, but razor sharp and with a point. His brand of entertainment appeals to a very diverse audience. Michael's recordings top the Americana Music Association charts year after year. His original songs and stories have been described as “Appalachian grit and wit” but, as his writing shows, Michael’s awareness is much broader than the bounds of his boyhood home or even the Southern Experience. Having toured throughout the British Isles and much of Europe, as well as most of the US, the songs he writes and the stories he creates reflect an insight into people’s experiences that catch the ear like an old friend's voice.

Bil Lepp
Bil Lepp is a nationally renowned storyteller whose outrageous tall-tales and witty stories have earned the appreciation of listeners of all ages. A five-time champion of the West Virginia Liars’ Contest, Lepp’s tales often contain morsels of truth which shed light on subjects as diverse as politics, religion, death, relationships, and human nature.

An award-winning author and recording artist, he has been featured at venues across the nation, including the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, where he was deemed “…a side-splittingly funny man.” Lepp’s recordings have received the Parents’ Choice Approved and NAPPA Honors awards.

“When [he] wraps up his story in one more burst of implausibility, the audience leaps to its feet, cheering.” –The Dallas Morning News