This Side of the Mountain

This Side of the Mountain James Gage Over here at the eastern edge of Central Kentucky, where the bluegrass region butts up against the stretched-out fingers of the Cumberland Plateau, spring and early summer had been deliciously wet and green, but now we find ourselves with drought conditions: tobacco runty and frying in the field, creeks and reservoirs showing their rusty bottoms, the air foul with the heavy smell of asphalt, cars creeping bumper-tobumper along interstates choked with construction, "To my sweet sunny South take me home," if you can find it. There have been major changes afoot this spring and summer here at Appalachian Heritage. As many readers know, I have been, for nearly thirty years, a professor of English and Theatre at Berea College. For the past three years, I have taught half time in order that I might edit this magazine. This fall, I will return to the classroom full time, and George Brosi will assume the editorship of Appalachian Heritage. Many ofyou know George Brosi throughhis enterpriseAppalachian Mountain Books, or through his many years teaching at Eastern Kentucky University and in UK's community college system. Ln fact, two of George's former students and several of his friends are published in this summer's issue. George Brosi brings to Appalachian Heritage a wide knowledge of the region's literature, its writers, and the people, issues and aesthetics comprising the materials ofAppalachian literature. I have many more people to thank for their support of my efforts at Appalachian Heritage than I have space. All of you fine contributors and loyal subscribers have been crucial, of course, to the life of the magazine. I wish to thank Gordon McKinney, Director of Berea College's Appalachian Center, for providing me this opportunity to put Appalachian Heritage together. I am fortunate to have had several very competent students to assist my work these three years: Erin Connor, Noah and Ali Arevalo and Jessica Blankenship. And, frankly, this magazine would never have reached your mailboxes during my term as editor without the constant support and organizational skills of Genevieve Reynolds, Office Manager at Berea College's Appalachian Center. Lastly, I wish to thank Kenneth and Elissa Plattner for their generous support over the years, especially through the annual Denny C. Plattner Awards, which recognize the works of highest distinction published in Appalachian Heritage. I had wanted to remind you all that Berea College's annual Celebration of Traditional Music is coming up the last weekend of October. My assistant Jessica Blankenship, a puore fool for old-time music and bluegrass, suggested providing a fuller list of home-grown music festivals to be held in the region throughout August and into the fall. Here, then, is our suggestion of how to spend some of these weekends coming up, propped up in a lawn chair, listening to music cool as country water. Old Time Music and Bluegrass Festivals August 15-17, 2002 20m Annual Cherokee Bluegrass Festival-Cherokee, NC Contact: Norman Adams 706864 -7203 August 15-17, 2002 Central Virginia Family Bluegrass Music Festival-Amelia, VA Contact: 804-561-3011 August 15-18, 2002 •74m Yin^0n Old-Time Bluegrass Festival and Competitions-Vinton, VA Contact: Donnie or Rhonda Wray drmusicl@aol.com August 22-24, 2002 Bluegrass in the SmokiesSevierville , TN www.bluegrassinthesmokies.com Contact: Geoffrey Fritts gfr9818028@aol.com August 23-24, 2002 Smoky Mountain Fiddlers Convention-Loudon, TN Contact: Larry Smith jlarrysmith@mindspring.com 865-671-4229 August 29-September 1, 2002 Jerusalem Ridge Bluegrass Celebration-Rosine KY Contact: Campbell Mercer fcmercer@vol.com PO BOX 429, Rosine, KY 42370 August 23-September 2, 2002 Pickin' ofthe Litter FestivalElizabeth , WV Contact: Patsy or Sam Brookover slpbrook@msn.com 800-253-4142 August 30-31, 2002 30™ Labor Day Armuchee Bluegrass Festival-Rome, GA Contact: Chuck Langley, 2168 Old Dalton Rd., Rome GA 30165 406-232-7432 August 30-September 1, 2002 JD Crowe Festival-Wilmore, KY www.jdcrowefestival.com Contact: Dean Osborne, 756 Old Dobbin Rd. Lexington, KY 40502 859-266-1991 August 30-September 1, 2002 Bass Mountain Music Park Bluegrass Festival-Snow Camp, NC www.bassmoutain.com Contact: JohnManess 336-376-3456 August 30-September...