The Crooked Road Drives Mountain Music into Classrooms

By Lorelei Goff

Virginia Highlands Community College recently announced the Crooked Road course, a hybrid course taught in-class and online, for K-12 teachers.

The Crooked Road, a living history of Appalachian mountain music, meanders through 333 miles of southwest Virginia. The tour, comprised of music venues, museums and wayside exhibits, was conceived as part of the state’s efforts to diversify economic development. It has thrived so well that it’s driving mountain music into K-12 classrooms.

The course will give teachers the knowledge and techniques to present the region’s rich musical heritage to students in a multimedia format. Teachers will use their training to educate their students about old-time string bands, a cappella gospel, blues, 300-year-old ballads, bluegrass and more through audio/visual resources, live demonstrations and field trips.

More information about the Crooked Road course can be found on the Virginia Highlands Community College website: vhcc.edu.