Legends of Grayson Old-Time Celebration
Celebrating Our Musical Traditions…
Dive into the history of Grayson County’s Old-Time Music traditions by listening to the legends firsthand–and maybe even join in the jam yourself. Read on to discover more about the Legends of Grayson Old-Time Celebration education initiatives, concerts, and community impacts.
The Mission
Legends of Grayson Old-Time Celebration is now in its fifth year honoring legendary old-time musicians from Grayson County, Va.
Blue Ridge Mountain music legends such as Wade Ward, Thornton Spencer, E.C. and Orna Ball, Enoch Rutherford, Jessie Lovell, Evelyn Farmer, Donna Correll and Helen White have been honored. The program has included performances and storytelling by such renowned contemporaries as Wayne Henderson, Eddie Bond, The New Ballards Branch Bogtrotters, The Whitetop Mountain Band, Mac Traynham, Brian Grim, Debbie Grim Yates, The Blue Ridge Girls, Dale Morris and dozens more.
Since 2021, Peach Bottom Partners, a local non-profit, has partnered with Grayson County Tourism to create this unique series of Legends of Grayson programs that honor local musicians whose legacies continue to inspire and influence new generations.
Central to the mission has been an ongoing series of tribute concerts performed by some of today’s finest local and regional musicians. Family and friends of the honored musicians often join in the celebration. Then, it’s paid forward with support and a forum for up-and-coming young local musicians. A truly multi-generational approach at work.
The Recognition
In 2024, Legends of Grayson established two annual awards designed to honor current musicians who are carrying on the county’s unique heritage. Each June, The Grayson County Fiddlers’ Convention presents a Legends of Grayson Heritage Award to “an old-time performer in the individual competition who best embodies the spirit and character of Grayson’s unique musical tradition.” The winner in 2024 was local banjo great Trish Fore, while Shenandoah Valley fiddler Ben Miller came away with the prize 2025.
Each August, The Legends of Grayson Fries Musical Heritage Award is presented to “a deserving individual who has excelled in preserving, promoting or performing the unique traditional music of Fries and surrounding communities in Grayson and Carroll counties.” In 2024, the award went to Dr. Mark Sanderford, who made a name for himself as a fiddler, a beloved teacher in Fries, and photographer of the local music scene. In 2025, Phyllis Gaskins, the renowned mountain dulcimer player, received the award for her contributions as a musician, instructor and good-will ambassador.
The Shows
Legends has held its entire series of annual tribute concerts in the Historic 1908 Courthouse, an architectural wonder that is listed on The National Register of Historic Places. The events are equal parts house parties, family reunions, virtuoso concerts and open jams. The noted artists involved (see list below by year) lead jams, conduct workshops, stage shows and participate in storytelling sessions. Other features include historic exhibits, rare film footage and cultural artifacts.
What’s up Next?
The “Breakin’ Up January Jam” debuted in January 2025 and returns on January 31, 2026. It’s always held on the last Saturday in January and hosted by The Organic Café at The Station in Elk Creek. This new twist on the old Breakin’ Up Christmas tradition once again features a rousing jam led by Brian Grim, formerly of The Konnarock Critters. Brian won the fiddle competition and best overall performer at Galax Fiddlers’ in 2025, so expect some hard-driving old-time music. Bring your instrument or just come for the food, fun, and dance. Starts at 7:00 p.m.
The Lineups
Legends 2022
This inaugural event paid tribute to legendary Whitetop, Va., fiddler Thornton Spencer and JAM founder Helen White. The concert and jams were led by Thornton’s wife, Emily, and children Kilby and Martha Spencer.
Performers included The Whitetop Mountain Band, The Crooked Road Ramblers, The Blue Ridge Girls, Wayne Henderson, (the reunited) Konnarock Critters with Brian Grim and Debbie Grim-Yates), Eddie Bond, Tom Barr, Lucas Pasley, Steve Kilby, Wayne Erbsen, Jared Boyd, Malcolm Smith (historical presentation on Thornton), Trish Fore, Rita Scott, Brett Morris (and the JAM kids), Jim Lloyd and Ricky Sutphin.
Legends 2023
The 2023 event celebrated clawhammer banjo pioneer Wade Ward from Independence with a special tribute to bassist and singer Donna Correll.
Performers included The New Ballards Branch Bogtrotters, Peter Parish, Chris Testerman and The Cabin Creek Boys, Wayne Henderson (“Guitar Extravaganza 2” with Presley Barker, Steve Kilby, Brandon Davis, Randy Greer and Steve Lewis), Mark Sanderford (photo presentation on his friendship with Wade Ward) Brian Grim and Debbie Grim Yates, Mac’s All-Stars (with Mac and Hanna Traynham, Shay Garriock, Kirk Sutphin and Trish Fore) Lucas Pasley and Brett Morris and the JAM Kids.
Jerry Correll, Donna’s husband, led an all-star lineup, including performers who knew and played with her in The Wolfe Brothers and other band iterations. Dr. Malcolm Smith presented a well-researched retrospective on Wade Ward, while Mark Boyles and Steve Soltis presented a photo journey of Donna’s remarkable musical story.
Legends 2024
Year three saw Legends of Grayson honor E.C. and Orna Ball, the husband-wife old-time and gospel singers from Rugby, Va. Plus, Jessie Lovell and Evelyn Farmer, two beloved old-time musical greats from Fries, Va., were honored by family and friends.
Performers honoring Jessie and Evelyn included Eddie Bond and the New Ballards Branch Bogtrotters, Stevie Barr & Friends, and Susan Gleason & Jina Gillis-Rosencrans. The Virginia Folklife Program presented archival footage from early 1990s interviews and performances by Jessie Lovell and Evelyn Farmer.
The tribute to the Balls included performances by guitar and luthier legend (and Orna’s nephew) Wayne Henderson, along with Jayne Henderson, Michael and Karen Kurtz, Garret Wyatt, Cody Bauer, Karlie Keepfer, Amanda Funk Marshall, Tom Mylet, Marianne DiNapoli-Mylet, the Sheets Family Band, and Old Crow Medicine Show banjoist and Grammy-Award winner Chance McCoy with his wife, renowned West Virginia fiddler Tessa McCoy.
A second concert was held in 2024 as part of Grayson County Tourism’s Ag & Art Adventure with a free show and post-show jam featuring The Yates Family Band (with Debbie Grim Yates, husband Tim, and daughters Sadie and Molly) and Granny Turnmire and the Horse Creek Girls (with Emily Spencer, Susan Gleason, and Debbie Bramer).
Legends 2025
In its fourth year, Legends fully incorporated its tribute concert with the Grayson County Tourism’s Ag & Art Adventure held in September, paying tribute to Gold Hill great Enoch Rutherford. The show featured The Gold Hill Gang tribute band led by Enoch’s grandson, banjoist Allen Rutherford, along with fiddler Brian Grim, guitarists David Hood and Emily Spencer, and bassist Dale Morris. Enoch’s son, Harv, joined in on a few songs, along with fiddler Eddie Bond. The Hollifield Brothers, an energetic youth band from Independence, opened the show with a flourish. A band led by luthier and guitarist extraordinaire Wayne Henderson closed. The band’s lineup included Jimmy Edmunds (fiddle), Josh Scott (bass), and Randy Greer (mandolin).
In addition, in 2024 and 2025, Legends of Grayson supported the Grayson County Agricultural Fair held in Elk Creek with a series of free performances. In 2024, Wayne Henderson & Friends performed, along with Garret Wyatt & Friends, Granny Turnmire & The Horse Creek Girls, and Matt Kirwan & Friends. In 2025, the Ag Fair bands included The Biscuit Eaters, Duck & Cody (Duck Ryan & Cody Bauer), Garret Wyatt & Friends, and Matt Kirwan and The Peach Bottom Benders.
The Cause
Proceeds are donated to such aligned organizations as Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM), The Mount Rogers School, the Historic 1908 Courthouse Foundation, Grayson County Fiddlers’ Convention, Fries Fiddlers’ Convention, and Bridle Creek United Methodist Church.
Legends is a related event of The Crooked Road, Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail, affiliated with the nearby Blue Ridge Music Center, and enjoys a media partnership with the Virginia Folklife Program. Funding through corporate sponsorships has come from Food City, Coca-Cola Consolidated, Charlotte Haines, “Two Buck” Ken Askew, Charles McNair, Ray Owens and Sally Higgins, and Arvo Advisory.
In 2025, Legends donated funds to help create Grayson County JAM in Fries. Established in 2000 by Grayson County resident and Legends of Grayson honoree Helen White, the JAM program has 60 affiliates in six states. It’s headquartered in the county seat of Independence.
Legends 2026: September 13
On September 13, 2026, Legends pays tribute to fiddler Otis Burris from the Summerfield community of Grayson County. His distinctive fiddling won many first place at Galax and other fiddlers’ conventions and was part of memorable bands like The Mountain Ramblers and The Spring Valley Boys. It promises to be an amazing show featuring many of the friends and family who carry on with his legacy.
The tribute concert takes place during the annual Grayson County Ag & Art Adventure, extending the celebration of Grayson’s unique cultural heritage to include the continuing impact of old-time music.
The Breaking Up January Jam: January 31, 2026
Join us Saturday, January 31st for the second annual jam featuring legendary fiddler and Grayson County resident, Brian Grim. Produced by Legends of Grayson, the free, community-wide Old-Time music jam starts at 7 p.m. at the Station at Elk Creek (NW corner of US 21 and Comers Rock Road) in the beautiful Elk Creek Valley. Like last year’s inaugural event, we’ll have plenty of seating, performing and dancing space along with delicious food and beverage concessions. So grab your instrument or simply bring your happy feet down to Elk Creek for a night of incredible music, dance and fellowship led by one of the greatest Appalachian Old-Time fiddlers of his generation. Hope to see you there!
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