POSAM NEWS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The 2nd Annual Papa John Foster Memorial Music Festival will be held Saturday May 1, 2010, at Bruce Field, Pickens High School, in Pickens, SC. Festival times will be 11-6, gates open at 10. Performers TBA. For further information contact 864.878.4257 or POSAM_Info@yahoo.com.

Oct. 13, 2009

Our Garden is Growing
Pickens-While many gardeners are just lifting sweet potatoes from the fertile Pickens soil
several new crops of YAMs are just beginning. The Young Appalachian Musician after-
school program resumes this week with a few additions. “We're very pleased that we will
have three new schools joining Holly Springs Elementary and Pickens Middle School in our
after-school YAM program,” said Betty McDaniel, Executive Director of YAM. “AR Lewis,
Ambler, and Hagood Elementary join the popular program this week. In addition, Pickens
High School, in the Strings program under the direction of Don Noonan, has a new Bluegrass
Class in the curriculum. In all, around 200 students will be studying about and learning our
southern Appalachian music,” McDaniel said.
Playing traditional mountain music with string instruments, once an integral part of
Upcountry family life, began to disappear a couple generations ago. With families spread far
and wide, and the ever present internet and i-tunes, it seems life is just too busy to enjoy the
more traditional pastimes and art forms. But the children involved in the YAM program are
reconnecting with their musical roots with enthusiasm.
Offering instruction daily in an after-school program requires dedicated students, parents,
and instructors. Introductory parent meetings have been held at each member school offering
instruction in guitar, mandolin, fiddle and banjo. And YAM has recruited some of the very
best local musicians to teach these children to play by ear. Watch for features about YAM
member schools and instructors throughout the school year.
Young Appalachian Musicians are sponsored by Preserving Our Southern Appalachian
Music, Inc. (POSAM) a charitable non-profit organization and all contributions are tax
deductible. Donations may be made to: YAM Program, c/o Betty McDaniel, 792 Holly
Springs School Road, Pickens, SC 29671. For further information call 864.878.4257 or
864.878.1177 or e-mail POSAM_Info@yahoo.com.

For more information contact:
Betty McDaniel-864.878.4257
Norma Hendricks-864.878.1030
or
Mickey Corbett-864.414.7792
mcorbett@innova.net