A momentous occasion awaits in 2024 as Virginia commemorates the 50th anniversary of the historic Carter Family Fold, a musical performance and concert venue located in Hiltons, Virginia dedicated to the preservation and performance of old-time country and bluegrass music.
The Carter Family Fold will host weekly Saturday night concerts throughout the year featuring some of the best regional country and bluegrass artists leading up to special events throughout the year, including a special “Appalachia Rising” concert on April 27 featuring Lonesome River Band and Volume Five.
There will also be a big 50th Anniversary musical event on Aug. 3 with more details to be announced.
The Carter Family Fold is named in honor of the Original Carter Family – A.P., Sara, and Maybelle Carter – who are among the earliest recording country artists and are considered the “First Family of Country Music.”
The trio’s first recordings were made in 1927 as part of the famous “Bristol Sessions” that jump-started country music, and the Carter Family was credited for birthing the original country genre with their traditional mountain sound. A.P. Carter’s daughter, Janette Carter, founded the Carter Family Fold in 1974 to celebrate the illustrious lives of the Original Carter Family and keep the tradition of bluegrass and folk music alive.
The Carter Family Fold is now directed by Janette’s daughter, Rita Forrester.
“My mother, Janette Carter, made my grandfather, A.P., a promise in 1960 that she would see that his music lived on,” said Forrester. “He wanted people to know about his music and what he had accomplished.”
For nearly a century, the Carter Family has been honored and embraced by artists and fans across the globe. Visitors can also tour the cabin and birthplace of A.P. Carter, which has been relocated from its original site to a spot only a few steps from the Carter Family Fold building and the Carter Family Memorial Museum.
For the full Carter Family Fold schedule, visit carterfamilyfold.org.
