FERRUM, VA, September 22, 2023 – Guitar maker Wayne Henderson will perform at this year’s 50th Blue Ridge Folklife Festival on October 28.
Though he is a native of Grayson County, Virginia, and a regular at Ferrum’s folklife festival, Henderson has also played countless performances in Western North Carolina and has been a member of Western North Carolina bands. He has won many awards and influenced many musicians around the region through both his music and craft. He developed a unique style of using a thumbpick and fingerpicks, making his playing sound like flatpicking, with fast, accurate, and clean notes.
For nearly 50 years, Henderson has also been a luthier, making and repairing acoustic guitars and other stringed instruments. His custom guitars are in demand worldwide and are used by many famous musicians.
The Wayne C. Henderson School of Appalachian Arts occupies a 1908 schoolhouse in Marion, Virginia. It offers educational programs that preserve and promote Southwest Virginia’s music, art, and crafts heritage.
The 50th Blue Ridge Folklife Festival will take place on October 28 at the Blue Ridge Institute and Museum at Ferrum College, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. To purchase festival tickets and learn more about the festival, visit the event page here.
