Elizabeth LaPrelle and Family (Special Event)

Old Ballads, Young VoiceSixteen-year-old Elizabeth LaPrelle has been performing Appalachian ballads and old-time songs, and winning prizes for her singing at fiddlers' conventions, since she was eleven. Her magnificent voice, her respect for the songs, and her authentic mountain sound and style brought her to the attention of first Ginnie Hawker and then Sheila Kaye Adams. She is a regular performer at benefit concerts in her home town of Rural Retreat, Virginia. She recently sang at Virginia Folk Life Night in Charlottesville as a guest of Ginny Hawker and Tracy Schwartz.When Elizabeth performed at the 2003 FSGW Getaway, comments ranged from "She's incredible" to "I don't need the schedule. I'm just going to follow Elizabeth around in hopes of hearing her sing some more."Raised in Rural Retreat, Virginia, Elizabeth attended old time fiddlers' conventions and sang harmonies with her family, who taught her various singing styles and encouraged her to sing their own favorite American folk music .Elizabeth will be accompanied by her aunt and uncle, Jon Newlin (guitar, mandolin and fiddle) and Amy Davis (banjo, guitar, banjo-uke & vocals). Both are members of Hushpuppies old-time string band. In addition to performing, Amy works at the Southern Folklife Collection at UNC-Chapel Hill. She has done fieldwork in western & eastern Kentucky, and Harkers Island in North Carolina, recording an album with Kentucky old time fiddler Herstel Flynn.