For much of the last century, Appalachians have left the region in search of opportunity, leaving behind people and places that have great personal and cultural significance. Sociologists, historians, and other scholars have documented the effects of this outmigration and the formation of what some call an “Appalachian diaspora,” but relatively little work has been done to explore the impacts of outmigration on the musical lives of people in the Appalachian diaspora. Using examples drawn from a number of musical genres, ethnomusicologist Travis Stimeling (West Virginia University) will offer insights into the ways that Appalachian musicians have navigated life in the Appalachian diaspora.

Cost: $8 for museum members and $12 for nonmembers. Some fees apply. All registrants will receive a zoom link to the event.

About the Presenter: Travis D. Stimeling is an associate professor of musicology at West Virginia University, where he also directs the WVU Bluegrass and Old-Time Bands and coordinates minors in Appalachian Music and Appalachian Studies. He is the author or editor of several books, including Nashville Cats: Record Production in Music City (Oxford University Press, 2020) and The Opioid Epidemic and U.S. Culture: Expression, Art, and Politics in an Age of Addiction (West Virginia University Press, 2020).