Joy Clark. Photo courtesy of Traditional Voices Group
By Lauren Stepp
Heartbreaking. That’s how eighth-generation ballad singer Donna Ray Norton describes Hurricane Helene, a storm that forever changed the landscape she calls home.
“I’m from Western North Carolina and know it like the back of my hand,” says Norton, who grew up in the Madison County community of Sodom Laurel and now lives in Weaverville. “But today, when I drive through a place I once knew, it looks unfamiliar. It’s hard to describe.”
Like so many in the area, Norton’s livelihood also took a hit. In the wake of Helene, she lost her job. Several of the singer’s concerts were also canceled, including her much anticipated performance at RiddleFest in downtown Burnsville.
First hosted in 2008, RiddleFest is a tribute to Lesley Riddle (1905-1979), a Black musician whose groundbreaking guitar playing helped shape the sound of early country music. Born in the Silvers Gap community of Yancey County, Riddle was a key influence on the legendary Carter Family. His distinctive guitar style, which became known as the “Carter scratch,” is still widely used in bluegrass, folk and country music today.
“Originally scheduled for October 19—less than one month after the storm—RiddleFest 2024 had to be postponed,” says Ellen Denker, president of the Traditional Voices Group, a historical association that organizes the annual event.
“To the casual visitor, the town of Burnsville appears to have survived in relatively good condition,” says Denker. “But several villages along the Cane River were washed away. In Yancey County, over 1,400 structures were destroyed, and more than 2,300 structures had major damage.”
Despite these ongoing challenges, RiddleFest will return this month with the theme “Songs of Life and Love: A Concert of Resilience.”
New Orleans-based singer-songwriter Joy Clark will headline the event, performing soulful songs that embody the healing power of music.
“I’m from Southeast Louisiana, and my community has faced relentless natural disasters and setbacks,” says Clark. “Through it all, I’ve seen incredible resilience and strength. And sometimes, resilience lies not just in pushing forward, but in recognizing the power found in pausing, regrouping and returning with greater resolve.”
Norton will open the evening with a set of Appalachian ballads, many of which go back generations.
“I’ll be sharing one of the oldest oral non-indigenous traditions in the United States,” says Norton. “These songs survived the Flood of 1916, and now they’re surviving Hurricane Helene.”
While she’s keeping the exact songs under wraps, Norton promises they’ll capture the enduring spirit of the mountain people.
“My mom always told me to sing whatever is on my heart, so that’s what I’m planning on doing at RiddleFest,” says Norton. “It feels good to share my voice in a way that brings people comfort.”
RiddleFest is set for Saturday, March 15, at 7 p.m. in the Burnsville Town Center (6 South Main Street, Burnsville). Tickets for the concert are $20.
Advance tickets are available at Eventbrite.com and the Burnsville Town Center (828.682.7209). Tickets may also be purchased at the door. Learn more at TraditionalVoicesGroup.com on the group’s Facebook page or at Burnsville Town Center.
