Southwest Virginia 4-H Educational Center is excited to present a free concert performed by students from the Washington County Junior Appalachian Musician (JAM) after-school program. The students, ages 9 to 13, have been learning old-time traditional musical instruments since October. The concert will be held Tuesday, May 9 at 7:00 pm in the SWVA 4-H Center Ratliff Hall Auditorium.

JAM students have enjoyed learning fiddle, banjo, guitar, and lap dulcimer from noted local traditional artists. Tammy Martin, Washington County JAM lap dulcimer instructor, is a professional string and percussion musician as part of the Appalachian/Celtic trio, Fire in the Kitchen, and an educator in Washington County schools. Ryan Bernard, who teaches banjo at JAM, is an alumnus of the ETSU Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Country Music program. Ryan was also a part of the curatorial team that designed the newly-constructed Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol. The fiddle teacher, Barbara Walton, has taught music in Washington County schools for over thirty years and plays in several local bands. Will Robertson, who teaches guitar for Washington County JAM, has been playing guitar and working with children for over 35 years.

 Program partner is Capo's Music Store. Washington County JAM will also be performing at the Youth Music Festival hosted at Heartwood on May 13, 2017. Southwest Virginia 4-H Educational Center will start its third year of Washington County JAM in September 2017. For more information or to register a student, email programs@swva4hcenter.org or call 276.676.6180.

Junior Appalachian Musicians is an established 501(c)(3) educational non-profit organization with programs currently in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, with long-term goals of expanding to West Virginia, Kentucky and Georgia. For more information, visit www.jamkids.org.