Songcatchers Music Series is a summer concert series held at the outdoor amphitheater at Cradle of Forestry in the Pisgah National Forest. This series celebrates the musical traditions of the Southern Appalachians, ancient and new. The Songcatchers Music Series draws its name from the film of the same name that tells the story of Olive Dame Cambell, founder of the John C Campbell Folk School, who traveled the southern Appalachian Mountains in the early 20th century to capture the musical traditions preserved by the secluded mountain communities. This series seeks to share those traditions that still thrive within the talented regional artists that grace the cozy little stage at The Cradle of Forestry.
Carol Rifkin’s mountain music and dance are engaging, spontaneous and full of tunes or songs with themes more likely to reference hobos, moonshine, or the Great Depression than current events. She’s danced with both Doc and Merle Watson (“That’s the best dancin’ I ever heard,” said Doc), fiddler Tommy Jarrell, Taj Mahal, toured with the early Green Grass Cloggers, recorded with Dick Tarrier, Roger Howell, Arvil Freeman, David Holt, appeared in the movie “Songcatcher,” documentaries and Emmy Award winning TV shows. A longtime member of the mountain music community and host of everyone’s favorite radio program ‘This Old Porch’ on WNCW 88.7 FM, Carol continues to appear at festivals and events across the region.
