Annual Music in the Mountains Folk Festival

The 2025 Music In the Mountains Festival Lineup:

5pm – Welcome and Introduction

5:00pm – Sarah Songbird Burkey (http://www.barefootsongbird.com/)

5:40pm – Sam McKinney with William Ritter w/ Appearance by Billy Jackson

6:50pm – Barte Laney and Friends w/ Appearance by Billy Jackson

Since 1985, the Music in the Mountains Folk Festival has showcased local and regional traditional music. With your support in the way of donations and the purchase of limited-edition t-shirts, we can continue to honor performers and promoters like Sheila K. Adams and past honorees Don Pedi, Wayne Ledford, Rhonda Gouge, Bob Lominac, Bobby McMillon, Bruce Greene, Bob “Happy Feet” Aldridge, and Bill and Judy Carson.

Music in the Mountains Workshop

“Singing Your Truth: How to Find Your Voice” with Sarah “Songbird” Burkey

Experience her unique approach to vocal technique, which meets you wherever you are in your singing and storytelling journey. Everyone from curious beginners to seasoned artists can benefit from this incomparable vocal artist. Sarah will demonstrate first-hand how our stories can teach us how to sing.

When: Saturday, September 13th, 2025
Where: Homeplace Beer Company
Time: 2 – 3:30pm
Cost: $35 per person
Register Here: https://toeriverarts.org/artists/education-outreach/workshops/

About Sarah “Songbird” Burkey

Sarah Elizabeth Burkey grew up in rural Kentucky, raised in and influenced by Appalachian, Indigenous, and Black cultures. Her childhood instilled in her a love of the land, traditional music & dance, storytelling, and creating things by hand, all of which became the foundation of her life’s work. Though college wasn’t part of her original plan, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Campbellsville University, where she sang her first ballad in public. That moment created a connection to her heritage that would last a lifetime.

In the year 2000, she met Jean Ritchie, who became a mentor and encouraged her to embrace her Appalachian roots through song. A VHS of Sheila Kay Adams further deepened her passion, and after moving from Kentucky to Western North Carolina in 2013, she formed close bonds with Sheila Kay Adams and Bobby McMillon. For Ms. Burkey, ballads are timeless—they connect generations, foster community, and serve as a source of healing and inspiration.

Sarah Elizabeth Burkey, affectionately known as “Songbird,” is a torchbearer. Her prolific songwriting and incomparable vocals have been featured in numerous films and over 19 albums, including Door of the Moon, When the Redbuds Bloom, Don’t Die Yet, and Honeysuckle Vine. She has toured in 19 countries and earned an international reputation as an authentic voice for Roots Music.

As evidenced in her walk and talk, Ms. Burkey is deeply committed to the natural world and the continuation of traditional knowledge, which is vital to cultural and environmental preservation. BarefootSongbird.com

Get your 2025 MITM commemorative gear from our Bonfire fundraising site featuring the artwork of local artist J. Chad Fox. Choose your favorite color option in: t-shirts, tank tops, women’s fit, long sleeves, and hoodies.

Click Here to Buy