Scott Ainslie

Considered a master of America roots music, Scott Ainslie brings a wealth of personal and musical history to the stage. With expertise in Ragtime & Delta Blues – and the banjo and fiddle traditions of the Southern Appalachians – in Ainslie’s hands the African and American roots of the music

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A musician all his life, Ainslie took up guitar at age 15 about five weeks after hearing Virginia Bluesman John Jackson play a couple of songs in the middle of one of Mike Seeger’s concerts in Alexandria, VA in 1967. A Phi Beta Kappa and honors graduate of Washington & Lee University, Ainslie also studied with elder musicians on both sides of the color line – in the Old-Time Southern Appalachian fiddle and banjo traditions, as well as with black Gospel and Blues musicians.

He transcribed the original recordings and published a book on Delta Blues legend Robert Johnson, Robert Johnson/At The Crossroads (Hal Leonard, 1992), and has an instructional DVD on Johnson’s guitar work, Robert Johnson’s Guitar Techniques (Hal Leonard, 1997). Ainslie has six solo CDs to his name and maintains an active recording, performing and teaching schedule that carries him around the country, to Canada, and to Europe. He has received numerous awards and grants for his work documenting and presenting traditional music. These include grants from the National Endowment for the Arts (a federal agency in Washington DC) and from the Folklife Section of the North Carolina Arts Council. Ainslie was presented with the annual Independent Weekly Triangle Arts Award; the National Slide Guitar Festivals’ Living Heritage Award; and the 20th Annual Sam Ragan Fine Arts Award from St. Andrew’s Presbyterian College in Laurinburg, NC.

As a traditional musician with expertise in both the Southern Appalachian fiddle and banjo tradition, and Piedmont and Delta Blues, Ainslie has specialized in performing and presenting programs on the African roots of American music and culture in community and educational settings. He joined the prestigious North Carolina Visiting Artist Program and took the first of his many Artist-in-Residence positions in a dramatically racially segregated community in eastern North Carolina in 1986.

Peppered with humor and stories, Ainslie’s teaching concerts help students and teachers learn to listen for the musical building blocks that continue to influence the music they hear all around them today – contemporary Rock, Bluegrass, Country, Gospel, Metal, R & B, and Hip-Hop. Question and answer periods are welcome at the end of each performance.

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Across the Color Line: The African South

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Program Description

In this varied program, Scott Ainslie tours the music of the American South where European and African musical traditions cross-pollinated to create the powerful musical hybrids that have long dominated American popular music. With a calabash gourd banjo, his one-string diddley bow, guitars, stories and song, Scott explores the Africanization of old-time mountain music, and African musical and

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Booking / scheduling contact

Susan Lounsbury, Loyd Artists

518-647-5916

info@loydartists.com

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Program Detail

Program type: Assembly/Performance

Artistic Discipline: Music, Storytelling

Cultural Origin: African, American, Multicultural

Subject: Music, Social Studies / History

Population Served Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8, Grade 9

Bilingual: No

Available dates:

Available year-round with routed dates at several times during the school year.

Available times:

Flexible

Max number of students: 350

Length of :Program 50 minutes

Space / technical requirements:

8′ x 8′ performance space; Access to 110v grounded outlet, 60 minutes before & after to set-up and load out. Scott will provide sound for schools.

Location(s):

In schools, libraries, theater, performing arts centers

Fees / Ticketing:

$650 for one performance / $1,200 for two in the same day when routed in the area

EDUCATION STANDARDS

NC Standard Course of Study:

SL2 = Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

SL4 = Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

R7 = Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse formats and media, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.

NC Essential Standards:

From the Social Studies 3-5 Standards:

4.C.1 = Understand the impact of various cultural groups on North Carolina.

8.C.1 = Understand how different cultures influenced North Carolina and the United States.

From the Arts Education, Music Standards:

CR.1 = Understand global, interdisciplinary, and 21st century connections with music.

Supporting Materials

Across the Color Line Study Guide

AcrossColorLine.Guide_.2-1.pdf

Threads of American Music Teacher Guide

ThreadsofAmMusic.2.pdf

Blues Roots Teacher Guide

Blues-Roots-Teachers-Guide-1.pdf

Qualifications

Conducts educational programming for 2 or more years: Yes

Performs criminal background checks on staff with youth contact: Yes

Maintains general liability insurance (Individuals and organizations listed in this Directory can provide proof of insurance upon request. ASC does not hold copies of current documentation for providers): Yes

Three letters of recommendation / references available: Yes

Provides study guides for teachers and or students: Yes

Connects to State and or Common Core Curriculum Standards: Yes

Provides tools to assess student learning (workshops and residencies): Yes

Provides scholarship and reduced fees: Yes

Conducts ongoing assessments of program quality: Yes

PHOTOS

References

Renee Van Horn, Stanly County Arts Council, Albemarle, NC; stanlycountyartscouncil1974@gmail.com; 704-982-8118

Emily Stumb, Heritage Middle School, Wake Forest, NC; estumb@centurylink.net

Bree Sargent, Acadiana Center for the Arts, Lafayette, LA; bree@AcadianaCenterfortheArts.org

Cancellation Policy

When the Artist has incurred significant travel expense to honor a contract and the contract or a portion of the contract is canceled due to weather, the artist will be paid in full and every attempt will be made to reschedule the services within the following 12 months at no additional charge to the Artist or the Presenter/School. If the Artist is at home or has not traveled to reach the venue location when the cancellation occurs, payment is not required and every attempt will be made by all parties to reschedule the work within the following 12 months. It is understood that make-up dates will be rescheduled when the artist is traveling through an area and the Artist is under no obligation to pay additional travel expenses to make-up services canceled due to weather.