Young students at Floyd County, Virginia’s Handmade Music School are compiling a songbook of tunes that have become standards in their community. One of those songs came from influential Virginia bluegrass band The Lost & Found. This summer, Handmade Music School student Rylah Grim spoke with the band’s longtime banjo player Gene Parker, about a song he helped write, called “Brown Hill.”
Listen: A West Virginia Superintendent Sings to Announce Closings, Delays
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Winter weather has shut down government offices, shopping malls and, of course, public schools. School was in session for President’s Day in some schools systems in order to make up for snow days.
There’s no doubt that children look forward to the automated calls from school administrators canceling or delaying school days. But some working parents dread those calls since another snow day means another day to find child care or even miss work.
Fayette County Superintendent Keith Butcher is hoping to ease the tension by adding a melody to the message.
"This is the phone call kids love to hear, So gather around let me be clear. Ice and snow has come our way, And so I announce this two-hour delay. Please don't cry and please don't complain, You'll get a chance to wake up your brain. Two more hours of sleep and then it's back to the school again."
On Friday of last week, Butcher announced schools in Fayette County would be closed. Central office staff didn’t have to report to work but, custodians, maintenance, and transportation staff were called into work. At least he broke the news to everyone with an adaptation of “Let It Snow.”
0214FayetteCoClosing.mp3
Fayette County Superintendent of Schools Keith Butcher announces a Code B Closing on Friday, February 14 through an automated voice message.
"Oh, the snow outside is still falling. That's the reason that I'm calling. Since traveling is not cool, There's no school, there's no school, there's no school."
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Young students at Floyd County, Virginia’s Handmade Music School are compiling a songbook of tunes that have become standards in their community. One of those songs came from influential Virginia bluegrass band The Lost & Found. This summer, Handmade Music School student Rylah Grim spoke with the band’s longtime banjo player Gene Parker, about a song he helped write, called “Brown Hill.”
On this West Virginia Week, former governor and longtime U.S. senator Jay Rockefeller has died, West Virginia voted in the general election, and a new anthology explores science fiction and fantasy in Appalachia.
This week, a new generation is learning the story behind "Brown Hill," a song by influential bluegrass band The Lost and Found. Also, data centers are changing the landscape, and one project is planning to plow over an extremely rare stand of seed-producing American chestnut trees. And, small food producers embrace digital technology for the humble farm stand.