ACMA Home Page

Media Advisory

August 30, 2010

The Appalachian Cultural Music Association invites you to attend a press conference on Thursday, September 2, 2010 at 2:00 pm at the Mountain Music Museum on the upper level of the Bristol Mall, located just off exit 1 of I-81 in Bristol, VA. The East Tennessee State University Bluegrass Band will provide music for this occasion and will perform starting at 1:45 pm. The public is also invited to attend.

The Appalachian Cultural Music Association along with representatives from East Tennessee State University’s Bluegrass and Old Time Music Program will announce that the new “Appalachian Cultural Music Association’s Leon Kiser Scholarship” is now fully endowed and ready to award the first scholarship to a deserving student.

Also the ETSU student recipient of this new ACMA scholarship will be present to accept the award.

“The ACMA announced the new ‘Appalachian Cultural Music Association’s Leon Kiser Scholarship’ back in February of this year and donated $ 1,000.00 seed money at that time”, states Tim White, co-founder and current president of the non-profit organization. “We promised that this scholarship would be fully endowed by the end of this year and I am pleased to say we achieved our goal months in advance!”

Representatives from East Tennessee State University, the Appalachian Cultural Music Association and the Kiser Family will be available to answer any questions you have concerning this announcement.

We hope you will attend our press conference. There will be a short announcement and ceremony.

Announcing...

The Primitive Quartet and the Lewis Tradition will perform at the 3rd Annual Janette Carter Memorial Gospel Concert at the Carter Family Fold on Sunday, October 24, 2010. Showtime is at 3:00pm

www.carterfamilyfold.org for details

The Lewis Tradition is made up of members of the former Lewis Family band who are legendary in the bluegrass gospel music field.

* Important Announcement *

ACMA Establishes the Leon Kiser Scholarship At East Tennessee State University

Bristol, VA- The Appalachian Cultural Music Association (ACMA) announced at a press conference on February 18, 2010 their newly established “Leon Kiser Scholarship” at East Tennessee State University. The announcement was made at the ACMA’s Mountain Music Museum located at the Bristol Mall in Bristol, Virginia to an enthusiastic audience which included members of the late Leon Kiser’s family. The East Tennessee State University Bluegrass Band provided music for the event under direction of interim director, Daniel Boner. The new scholarship will benefit worthy students at ETSU who are enrolled in the school’s Bluegrass, Old Time and Country Music Program which now boasts a new four year degree in this curriculum.

“We are very pleased to announce this new scholarship in the name of the late Leon Kiser”, stated Tim White, president of the ACMA which is a non-profit organization. “Leon worked very hard for decades promoting bluegrass music. The Leon Kiser Memorial-Tribute Committee recently met with the folks at ETSU’s Bluegrass, Old Time and Country Music Program and explored starting a new scholarship and naming this scholarship after a gentleman who did so much during his lifetime to perform, share and spread the gospel of bluegrass music to others. He always was a friend to musicians…young and old, he believed in the music he played and the many songs that he wrote about life here in East Tennessee and Southwestern Virginia. He always had a smile on his face…. he really did! And I think he would be smiling today if he could be here. The ACMA and ETSU announces today the new “Appalachian Cultural Music Association’s Leon Kiser Scholarship” stated White.

The ACMA presented a check in the amount of $ 1,000.00 as “seed money” for the scholarship to Mr. Jim Hunter, chairman of the Bluegrass, Old Time and Country Music Program’s advisory board at ETSU. “We are very appreciative to the ACMA and their continued support of our music program at ETSU” said Hunter. “This scholarship is very important and will help our students tremendously.”

Jan Kiser, the widow of the late Leon Kiser spoke emotionally about her husband and how proud he would be of this scholarship established in his name. “He would be very proud today”, said Mrs. Kiser.

The ACMA promises that the scholarship will be endowed to the required $ 10,000.00 level by the end of this year and the first ACMA Leon Kiser Scholarship will be awarded in 2011. “Our board of directors and membership has set this as our goal, and we will fulfill this objective in 2010.” stated White.

The Appalachian Cultural Music Association is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. The mission statement of the ACMA reads:

“The ACMA is a non-profit organization preserving and promoting bluegrass, old time, gospel, classic country, and Appalachian style music and provide education through jam sessions, instructional workshops, concerts, community festivals and provide a musical alternative to traditional school bands. To support the Pickin’ Porch, Song of the Mountains, Mountain Music Museum, the Carter Fold and other venues of like ideas.”

For information on ETSU’s Bluegrass, Old Time and Country Music Program or to make a contribution to the newly established Leon Kiser scholarship please contact Karen LeBlanc Sullivan, director, University Advancement, East Tennessee State University

P.O. Box 70721, Johnson City, TN 37614 or call 423.439.6969. www.bluegrass@etsu.edu