Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park

Harvest Hoedown

October 1, 2022

 5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Fall at Southwest Virginia Museum 

The Harvest Hoedown is a special event offered as part of the Town of  Big Stone Gap's Mountain Heritage Music Week. This family-friendly event will feature square dancing and music. And here's the exciting news: Virginia's own Tyler Hughes is on hand to "call" this year's dance! Square dancing is fun for all ages, and no experience is needed, as Tyler will tell you what to do along the way.

Tyler (right) and Jamie Dailey of Dailey and Vincent during their performance on the Grand Ole Opry

Get to Know Tyler

Tyler began learning banjo at age 12 after attending a camp at the Mountain Music School in Big Stone Gap. There, he became a co-coordinator for the camp. Today, Mountain Music School hosts more than 150 students each summer, teaching them old-time music lessons and square dancing.

His first public performance was at Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park when he was about 13 or 14. He also performed at the Community Coffeehouse open mic. 

Tyler at the Community Coffeehouse

Tyler graduated from East Tennessee State University's Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music Studies program in 2015. After graduation, he worked briefly at Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park before touring as a musician full-time for three years. He toured, taught, and called square dances until the pandemic upended everything in 2020. It was then that he returned to work for Virginia State Parks.

Some of Tyler's other accomplishments include:

• Helping to institute the Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) program in both Wise and Scott Counties.
• Teaching for the Wise County Junior Appalachians Musicians (JAM) program for several years at the Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park, even before becoming a staff member.
• Working closely with The Crooked Road's Youth Music Education initiative to host professional development workshops about becoming a full-time musician, as well as how to call and organize community square dances. 
• He also teaches as an adjunct faculty member at Mountain Empire Community College, teaching banjo, old-time string band and dance.

"I'm most proud of the Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park's recent collaborative concert with Pro Art and the Appalachian African American Cultural Center (AAACC) to celebrate the life and music of Carl Martin, who was an early old-time and blues musician from Big Stone Gap," Tyler said. "The concert featured Sparky and Rhonda Rucker, and the park worked to curate an exhibit with the AAACC that featured records, instruments, photos and stories of the African American music community of Southwest Virginia," he added.

Tyler and Ron Carson from the AAACC holding the guitar and clarinet of Earl Gilmore, a gospel pianist and musician from Clinchco, Va.

Tyler also lends his musical experience to the annual Gathering in the Gap. As a veteran of fiddlers' conventions and performance venues, he has helped organize instrument competitions and performances from our local artists.

"We have no shortage of musical programs outside the Gathering. I love helping out with our annual Community Coffeehouse and our Lunch on the Lawn summer concert series," said Tyler.

 Dreams Do Come True

Tyler has performed at home and abroad in Europe. He said the biggest highlight is his recent performance with the Grammy-nominated duo Dailey and Vincent on the historic Grand Ole Opry on May 17, 2022. "It was a surreal and humbling experience to stand on the stage where so many of my heroes, including Mother Maybelle Carter from Southwest Virginia, had stood and performed before me," said Tyler.

"I've always loved the history and culture of Southwest Virginia. The music and culture of Southwest Virginia have taken me on so many journeys and given me the most incredible life. I want to make sure that the next generation has the same opportunity to celebrate their folk traditions and share them with the world, too," he said.

Tyler on the Grand Ole Opry Stage

This past summer Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park was fortunate to have Tyler serve as an education specialist. "Tyler is a very talented musician and has been instrumental in working with and developing music programs at the museum and throughout the region," said Park Manager Gretchen Cope. "We are very proud of him!" 

At the end of the 2022 summer, Tyler left to go on tour. He is coming back for a little while to help us with the Harvest Hoedown. Make sure you come out and say hello! 

 

Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park

See more information on the Harvest Hoedown, and for all the programs at Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park, please see our current programs and events listing.

 Learn more about Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park.