Mountain Music School:The Hidden Gem on the Crooked Road

Without a doubt, the scenery on the Crooked Road will captivate you, but what makes it special is of course, the music. You can participate in the music at any level that suits your fancy. You can be a spectator, you can dance, or you can pick.

If you want to be more than a spectator, have two left feet like I do, and want to be a picker, you will need some help.

The problem with being a picker is you need to buy an instrument and take lessons for years before you can participate. The other problem is you think you want to pick a guitar, and find out after six months that you want to play a banjo.

Now you have to find a place to sell that guitar, and you need to buy a banjo!

The answer to your dilemma is the Mountain Music School held once a year during the last week of July at the Mountain Empire Community College in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. Conveniently located on the Crooked Road.

Nowhere else in this country can you show-up empty handed, be handed the instrument you want to learn to play, and get a week of instruction on how to play it.

There's coffee and snacks to get you going in the morning, a catered lunch and a concert by local musician while your lunch digests, and special classes before finishing the afternoon sessions.

When it's over on Friday afternoon, and you get a taste of performing what you've learned during the week on the main stage with your classmates before you give the instrument back.

It's a busy week of living the dream. You cam learn guitar, banjo, autoharp, fiddle or learn to play in a group with a string band.

Most of the teachers at the Mountain Music School are versed in all of the different instruments of the style, and will teach you about the roots of the music and the culture to go along with you instrument instruction.

Already know the basics of your instruments and want some intermediate or advanced training? The Mountain Music School offers that as well, just specify your experience level on the application.

The Mountain Music School takes all comers from 10 years old and up. The level of commitment to making your week an experience you will remember for a lifetime is unparallelled, and if you are anything like me, you will do it all over again next year.

So if you want to graduate from being a spectator to a picker, visit www.mountainmusicschool.org and fill out an application. It's an adventure you will remember for a lifetime and you will have a piece of the Crooked Road in your heart forever.