Thanks to a Folk and Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Grant from the Kentucky Arts Council, 17-year-old bluegrass guitarist and fiddler Samuel Lynn will have the opportunity to study closely with noted professional touring artist and educator Scott Napier for a 12 month period. During this time they will meet repeatedly, compose an original song together, and perform at concerts in both Paducah and Owensboro.
Sam has been learning and playing bluegrass since he was five years old. Now a senior in high school, he has been an active participant in the IBMA’s Kids on Bluegrass program this past three years.
He says he is eager to spend time with Napier, the coordinator of the Capital Bluegrass and Traditional Music Program at Owensboro Community and Technical College, just over 100 miles from when Lynn resides.
“This grant will help me move forward in my music education, especially as I get ready for college and the future. I’m excited for this chance to work closely with Scott Napier – a professional musician – learn from his experience, and hopefully do my part to preserve bluegrass music.”
Scott is that rare artist with many years on the road and in the studio, performing with Larry Sparks, Lost and Found, Dale Ann Bradley, Marty Raybon, Michael Cleveland, and currently as a member of Wildfire, as well as in the classroom. Before taking on the development and management of the Traditional Music program in Owensboro, he taught in the Traditional Music Program at Hazard Community and Technical College in Hyden. Napier also received his own informal mentorship over several years with bluegrass mandolin legend Bobby Osborne.
He reports that the distinction of being chosen for this role isn’t lost on him.
“I am honored to have been selected for the Kentucky Arts Council’s Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Grant. It is a privilege to have the opportunity to work with Sam, whose natural talent and genuine dedication make for an exceptional combination. I look forward to beginning this apprenticeship and sharing in the growth and preservation of our musical tradition.”
The purpose of the Folk and Traditional Arts Apprenticeships is to preserve and continue Kentucky’s living traditional arts by just this sort of one-to-one mentorship. They take seriously the importance of old time and bluegrass music as a part of that culture.
After all, they are the Bluegrass State.
