2021 Performers

Donald Davis

Considered the dean of American storytellers, Donald Davis was born in a Southern Appalachian mountain world rich in stories. While he heard many traditional stories about Jack and other heroic characters, he was most attracted to the stories of his own family and places of origin.  Davis began retelling the stories he heard and then adding his own new stories to them until he was repeatedly asked to "tell it again, on purpose." During his twenty-five year career as a United Methodist Minister, Davis began to use stories more and more.  He was also asked to begin performing at festivals and in other settings until he retired from the church to tell stories full time. Donald shares his stories at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough every year. The author of eighteen books and 40+ original recordings, Davis is the recipient of multiple awards. Donald is a regular at our Sounds of the Mountains Festival, and we will NOT take false credit for introducing him to Trish. I repeat, we will NOT take credit.  WATCH DONALD'S STORIES.

Dolores Hydock

Dolores Hydock talks with her hands. And her elbows. And her shoulders. When she speaks, she is literally irrepressible." That's how one reviewer described Dolores' vivacious style that fills the stage with wit, energy, and a swirl of characters that populate her stories of family fireworks, food fads, true love, turnip greens, and other peculiarities of everyday life. Her award-winning personal stories, oral histories, medieval adventures, and traditional tales are, as one reviewer said, "...smart but not cynical, heartwarming yet never corny, traditional without being mundane...a neat feat!" Dolores has been a featured teller at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough and many other festivals, has served as Teller-in-Residence at the International Storytelling Center, and has won Resource Awards from Storytelling World Magazine for her twelve CDs of original stories. It's a long story, but BECAUSE OF CAMP BETHEL, Dolores became close personal friends with Dr. Ruth. Yes, THAT Dr. Ruth. It's a long story.  WATCH DOLORES' STORIES.

Bil Lepp

Bil Lepp's humorous, family friendly tall-tales and stories have earned the appreciation of listeners of all ages and from all walks of life. Though a five time champion of the West Virginia Liars’ Contest, Lepp’s stories often contain morsels of truth which present universal themes in clever and witty ways. Audiences all across the country, from grade schools to corporate execs to the Comedy Central’s Hudson stage, have been delighted by Bil’s mirthful tales and delightful insights into everyday life. Bil’s books and audio collections have won awards including the PEN Steven Kroll Award for Children’s Book Writing, Parents’ Choice Gold awards, and awards from the National Parenting Publications Assoc., and the Public Library Assoc. Bil is a regular at our Sounds of the Mountains Festival, and he did NOT, we repeat "DID NOT" get lost in the forest while hiking here with his young family. WATCH BIL'S STORIES.

Kevin Kling

Kevin Kling is a well-known playwright and storyteller. He lives in Minneapolis. Kevin is best known for his popular commentaries on National Public Radio’s All Things Considered, and his storytelling stage shows like Tales from the Charred Underbelly of the Yule Log, delivers hilarious, often tender stories.  Kling’s autobiographical tales are as enchanting as they are true to life: hopping freight trains, getting hit by lightning, performing his banned play in Czechoslovakia, growing up in Minnesota, and eating things before knowing what they are. Kevin Kling describes his zodiac sign as “Minnesota with Iowa rising", and his storytelling started when a friend from the now defunct Brass Tacks Theatre asked him to perform his stories. Since then, he has been awarded numerous awards, arts grants and fellowships. In 2014 Mayor RT Rybak named Kevin “Minneapolis Story Laureate”. Thankfully, Kevin will NOT, we repeat "WILL NOT" play his auto-tuned tuba at the Sounds of the Mountings festival. WATCH KEVIN'S STORIES.

Barbara McBride-Smith

Barbara McBride-Smith wears many hats – simultaneously! For more than 40 years, she has worked as a teacher, a school library media specialist, a theological seminary instructor, a writer, and a traveling storyteller. In each of these professions, she has employed storytelling as an integral educational tool and a compelling art form. From the varied places she has lived – from Texas to Massachusetts to New Jersey to Oklahoma and now Tennessee – she has absorbed wit, wisdom, and wonder. She weaves it all into stories and brings them to the stage with humor and poignancy. She credits her skill as a storyteller to her parents, who were natural-born down-home wordsmiths, and to her two deaf sisters, who “communicated with their entire beings.” Barbara is a recipient of both the John Henry Faulk Award for outstanding contributions to storytelling and the Circle of Excellence Award for stage performance. She has headlined 14 times at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, TN, and, more importantly, has recently taken up "stream-of-consciousness quilting." WATCH BARBARA'S STORIES.

Donna Washington

Donna Washington was born an army brat in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She traveled all over the world with her parents. Her father would sit at the dinner table and spin wild, first-person yarns of Arthurian Legend and Greek Mythology. She thought he had actually been with Merlin and Oedipus. It was at Northwestern University that storytelling reemerged as a central part of her performance life. She has published three books.  A Pride of African Tales received rave reviews from the American Library Association (ALA) Booklist and the School Library Journal and was nominated for the Pennsylvania 2005-2006 Young Reader's Choice Award , The Story of Kwanzaa, is a wonderful primer for kids about the African-American celebration of Kwanzaa.  A Big Spooky House is a wonderful book to read aloud at Halloween. Her next book, Li'l Rabbit's Kwanzaa, will be published by HarperCollins Children's Books. Donna is a multiple award winning recording artist. She received a 2002 Parent's Choice Award for her first independent recording "Live and Learn: The Exploding Frog and Other Stories". The October 2004 edition of the ALA Booklist gave Donna's second CD, "A Little Shiver", a recommended review. It also won the 2004 Parents' Choice Silver Honor Award and 2005 Storytelling World Honors. Her third CD "Fun, Foolery, and Folktales" also won the 2004 Parents' Choice Silver Honor Award and a 2006 Storytelling World Honors. Her fourth CD "The Sword and The Rose" has won an iParenting Media 2005 Excellent Product Award, a 2005 Parents' Choice Silver Honor Award and a 2006 Storytelling World Award. All of her CDs have won 2005 Children's Music Web Awards. Donna's fifth CD "Angels' Laughter" was released in 2006. ​WATCH DONNA'S STORIES

Buck Cannon & the Atta Boys

​Two duo acts, David Austin & Keith Wood and Curt Baker & Greg Honeycutt merged to form Buck Cannon & the Atta Boys. David (center with brown suit & bolo) and Keith have performed their “brother duet” style with tight vocal harmonies for over 40 years. Curt and Greg’s popular CD Straight From the Porch received radio play on Back to the Blue Ridge. Long-time friend and former Luv Buzzard, Ted McAllister, lends his lead guitar to the Atta Boys. David Austin is from Buchanan, VA (pronounced “Buck Cannon”). Get it? Good job! “Atta Boy!” Buck Cannon & the Atta Boys perform regularly at The Roanoke Fiddle and Banjo Club and other area venues, and they are “truly delighted to be a part of the 2021 Sounds of the Mountains Storytelling Festival!” Their music is the background soundtrack in all our festival videos!