Brett Ratliff, May 16, 2018

Brett Ratliff, May 16, 2018

Whitesburg (Ky.)

Appalshop, Inc.

WMMT-FM (Radio station: Whitesburg, Ky.)

Morehead State University

Folk music

Appalshop Film & Video

Community radio

Lexington Community College

Prestonsburg (Ky.)

Bluegrass music

Art and music

Appalachian Region

Appalachian Region--Social conditions

Appalachian Region--Economic conditions

Kentucky Folklife Foundation

Old-time music

Education--Higher

Goose Creek Symphony (Musical group)

Radio programs

Paintsville (Ky.)

Bluegrass musicians

Ratliff, Brett

Van Lear (Ky.)

Church music

Johnson County (Ky.)

Brett Ratliff talks about his life, beginning with his childhood in the tiny coal town of Van Lear, Kentucky. Ratliff had pride in his small community and his street, where every house had a member of his family living there. Ratliff talks about his journey with music, starting with hearing bluegrass on WMMT, the Appalshop radio station. He slowly but surely learned more and more until he created a bluegrass band. Ratliff also discusses his attempts at college, with his initial interest in doing robotics. However, he realized last minute that it was not a good fit. After a few false starts, he finally landed on production with a minor in traditional music at Morehead State University. Finally, Ratliff goes over his work with Appalshop, beginning with his first failed attempt at getting job there and then when he finally did get the job. In between those stories, Ratliff goes into detail about some of the challenges that Appalshop faced, such as politics, funding, and a widening age gap. Ratliff looks back at all of these experiences as difficult but formative and helped him get where he's working now, at the Hindman Settlement School.

video

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Jeffrey A. Keith

Brett Ratliff

2008 Recession

Great Recession

Financial crisis--21st century

Audio production

Traditional music

Traditional musicians

Kentucky community colleges

Prestonsburg Community College

Artistic influences

Appalachian stereotypes

Eastern Kentucky stereotypes

Cultural identity

Fiddles

Bluegrass instruments

Kentucky Folklife Festival

Mayo Technical College

Musical influences

Appalachian families

Church of Christ

Religious music

Childhood memories