The Fiddle and the Plow Become an Affiliated Venue of The Crooked Road

The Fiddle and the Plow in Woodlawn, Virginia will be presented with a banner acknowledging this venue’s recent inclusion as a Crooked Road Affiliated Venue. As an Affiliated Venue, The Fiddle and the Plow will be represented in Crooked Road publicity and promotional materials. The Crooked Road will present the banner to representatives of the Fiddle and the Plow on Friday, September 7, at 7:00 p.m.

The Fiddle & the Plow is hosted by Willard Gayheart and Scott Freeman, both accomplished and very talented musicians in their own right. In one of the most intimate settings along The Crooked Road, visitors to The Fiddle and the Plow gather every Friday evening in the showroom of Willard’s Front Porch Gallery & Frame Shop to hear some of the best traditional old time and bluegrass music anywhere. “I think the talents of Willard and Scott as host musicians helps attract other great music to the shop. Willard and Scott both write and play great music, and other musicians are drawn to that,” says Jack Hinshelwood, Executive Director of The Crooked Road. “And you couldn’t find more gracious hosts than Willard and Scott.”

Willard Gayheart is also a renowned pencil artist who is acclaimed for his real life portrayals of Appalachian life and culture. His art is filled with themes drawn from his own Appalachian roots, particularly the music, family and work of people in the region. He has provided art for the annual Merlefest gathering, the Galax Old Fiddlers Convention, and his work hangs in multiple restaurants and galleries throughout the region and country. A display of Willard’s work will be set up in Heartwood for the evening.

Scott Freeman is a multi-instrumentalist, with great chops on mandolin, fiddle, guitar and other instruments as well. Scott has been a much sought after teacher of traditional music for many years and has taught at Merlefest, the Blue Ridge Music Center and for Junior Appalachian Musicians. Scott has also played and recorded with some fine bands including Skeeter and the Skidmarks, Alternate Roots, and he recently teamed up with guitarist Johnny Williams for the ensemble of Freeman and Williams.

The Crooked Road recently announced the naming of 12 new Affiliated Venues and Festivals. The Affiliates are all traditional music presenters and include annual festivals and weekly or monthly jams and concerts. A complete listing of the Affiliated Venues and Festivals and the nine Major Venues of The Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail can be found at www.thecrookedroad.org.

The Crooked Road’s mission is to support tourism and economic development in Southwest Virginia by celebrating and preserving this Appalachian region's unique musical and cultural heritage. The Trail itself covers 330 miles and connects Rocky Mount in Franklin County to Breaks Interstate Park in Dickenson County.

For additional information about The Crooked Road, call 276-492-2409 or send an email to info@thecrookedroad.org. For more information about the Fiddle and the Plow, call (276) 236-3034.