The Handmade Music School presents an Acapella Gospel Singing Workshop on Saturday, October 14th, 2023 from 3:00-5:00pm upstairs at The Floyd Country Store. Cost is $25

The unaccompanied singing of Gospel songs is deeply rooted in Appalachian culture and multiculturalism. Appalachian folks sang their favorite “sacred” tunes as they worked, played, and worshiped, and they still do to this day. This workshop is led by Andy Buckman and Mac Traynham and will explore the joy and fun of both solo and harmony unaccompanied Gospel singing with an emphasis on the music traditions of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Southwest Virginia. All singers and would-be singers are welcome, and the workshop and song selection will be structured to be inclusive of all participants, no matter what their faith traditions may or may not be. Come share your voice with us as we raise a joyful noise!

About the instructors:

Mac Traynham is an accomplished fiddler and banjo player as well as a fine guitar player and singer. Influenced by well known and obscure musicians of the past, Mac has developed a hard-driving style of playing which keeps the rhythm going strongly and delights dancers! He teaches at numerous music camps and has won many ribbons from various Fiddler’s Conventions.

Andy Buckman has played clawhammer banjo and sung in church since childhood. He has performed and recorded with Mac and Jenny Traynham, the Reed Island Rounders, and the Wolfe Brothers, and has taught at numerous workshops. His music is rooted in the playing of Wade Ward, Abe Horton, and Harold Hausenfluck. Andy teaches both fretted and fretless banjo in traditional Blue Ridge clawhammer and thumb lead styles.

*please note this workshop has a minimum of 5 people and is subject to cancellation up to 24hrs in advance