Kentucky Historical Society
“Made to be Played” at the Old State Capitol” Will Take Place Rain or Shine

Frankfort, KY (Sept. 23, 2009)— “Made to be Played” at the Old State Capitol, an event presented by the Kentucky Folklife Program, will take place rain or shine on Saturday, Sept. 26 beginning at 1 p.m. 

In case of inclement weather, daytime events will move just up the street to the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History, 100 West Broadway, Frankfort. The evening concert schedule, beginning at 7 p.m., will move the Grand Theatre, 308 St. Clair Street, Frankfort, where seating will be limited.

The event coincides with Smithsonian Museum Day, which allows visitors to enjoy free admission to both the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History and the Old State Capitol. 

“Made to be Played” at the Old State Capitol is a day of food, hands-on activities, family history and music. The event, which runs from 1 to 11 p.m., includes concerts by The Kentucky Headhunters and The Northern Kentucky Brotherhood.  The day-long festivities mark the close of the “Made to be Played” exhibition at the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History and the birthday of legendary Kentucky luthier Homer Ledford.

“Ledford was one of our most significant and most prolific instrument makers,” said Bob Gates, director of the Kentucky Folklife Program.  “We are celebrating his birthday with a tribute to instrument makers and master musicians like him.”

The following concerts will take place on the Old State Capitol stage, or in case of rain, on the stage inside the exhibition at the Center for Kentucky History:

1-1:30 p.m.: Carla Gover and Jeri Katherine Howell, multi-instrumentalists, singer songwriters and dancers

1:30-2 p.m.: Roger Cooper and Michael Garvin, fiddlers

2-2:30 p.m.: Steve Rector, guitarist

2:30-3:30 p.m.: Arthur Hatfield and Buck Creek, bluegrass music

3:30-4:30 p.m.: The Alonzo Pennington Band, blues/country/rock/funk hybrid

4:30-5:30 p.m.: No Strings Attached – A Capella Groups, including members of The Northern Kentucky Brotherhood, the Johnson Sisters and Don Rigsby and Midnight Call

5:30-7 p.m.: Jam Session with Donna and Lewis Lamb

These concerts will take place on the Old State Capitol stage. In the case of rain, they will be moved to the Grand Theatre on St. Clair Street.

7 p.m.: Presentation of the Homer Ledford Award

7-8 p.m.: Don Rigsby and Midnight Call, bluegrass

8-9 p.m.: The Northern Kentucky Brotherhood, jubilee style gospel

9 p.m.: The Kentucky Headhunters, blues/southern rock

 “Made to Be Played: Traditional Art of Kentucky Luthiers,” features the rich and fascinating history of Kentucky luthiers—people who make or repair stringed instruments. The exhibition is presented by the Kentucky Folklife program, a partnership of the Kentucky Historical Society and the Kentucky Arts Council.

The exhibition was developed through a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and is on display thanks to the generosity of the Dupree family, in memory of Clara Galtney Dupree.

All financial support for “Made to be Played at the Old State Capitol”—the day-long celebration of music and tradition—is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts. Details about the event, including information about workshops, musicians and presenters, are available at www.history.ky.gov/luthiers.

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An agency of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, the Kentucky Historical Society, established in 1836, is committed to helping people understand, cherish and share Kentucky's history. The KHS history campus includes the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History, the Old State Capitol and the Kentucky Military History Museum at the Old State Arsenal.  For more information about the Kentucky Historical Society and its programs, visit the Web site at www.history.ky.gov.