An Appalachian Musical Revival: Live at the Ringgold Depot

Ringgold, GA — “An Appalachian Musical Revival: Live at the Ringgold Depot” brings together 19 artists with the purpose of encouraging youth in traditional music of Appalachia.

The new fundraising CD from the Share America Foundation includes 23 recordings and over an hour of music. The cd was recorded live from the stage of the Ringgold Depot in Georgia, a 159 year-old train station that played a role in the Civil War’s Great Locomotive Chase.

“We are so excited that all of these talented performers would give their time and energies to further the organization’s purpose of encouraging young musicians who are continuing the traditional music of our region,” said Share America Chairman Joe Turner.

The project is currently on the first round Grammy^® ballot among the top 34 releases up for Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel CD of 2008. Several recordings from the project are up for other categories including Best Country Instrumental, Best Gospel Performance and Best Country Vocal Collaboration with “In the Garden” by Randall Franks and Voices Won being one of two gospel performers’ to be included in the top 40 country collaborations of the year.

Actor / entertainer Randall Franks, best known as “Officer Randy Goode” from TV’s “In the Heat of the Night,” leads the cavalcade of southern music stars who graciously gave their time and talents for the project.

“I want to thank all these wonderful performers who gave their best to create a project that anyone who loves music will enjoy,” he said. “I was blessed to have two wonderful parents who supported my musical hopes and dreams to share my songs and fiddling. It is my honor to now share their legacy of encouragement with youth from around our region. The production shares the atmosphere of an old-time radio show presented live for an audience including music brimming with the enthusiasm of the stage brought by a live audience, comedy routines, and homespun comments.” Randall Franks

Among the performers sharing their talents are Four Fold, Buddy Liles, The Marksmen Quartet, Barney Miller, The Smoky Mountain Boys, The Southern Sound Quartet, The Testimony Quartet, Voices Won, Walnut Grove Bluegrass Band, The Watkins Family, Calvary Strings, Brady Hughes, Mt. Peria Baptist Church Male Chorus, Ringgold United Methodist Church Chancel Choir and 2007 Scholarship recipients John Rice, Deborah Taylor and Garrett Arb.

The project includes familiar standards and more recent hits such as “Old Country Church,” “Must Be A Reason,” “Everywhere I Go,” “Going Home,” “When God Dips His Pen of Love in My Heart,” “You’re Never Alone, Way Down Deep in My Soul,” “Wagon Tracks,” “Jesus Loves Me,” “Have You Heard the News,” “This Is the Day the Lord Has Made,” “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” “Back Then,” “Roll Back the Stone,” “In the Garden” and instrumental performances including “Walkin’ Along the Old Church Road,” “The Glory Train,” “New Manna,” “Ten Thousand Years,” and “Uncloudy Day.”

“An Appalachian Musical Revival: Live at the Ringgold Depot” is available at Ernest Tubb Record Shops in Nashville and Pigeon Forge, Tenn. and online at the Share America Foundation website.

About the Share America Foundation

The Share America Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit 501-C3 that encourages youth to play the traditional music of Appalachia. The organization provides two Pearl and Floyd Franks Scholarships annually to graduating seniors who excel in the artistry of Appalachian musical styles. The organization hosts Sacred Sounds Fridays, a monthly concert fundraiser, at the historic Ringgold Depot in Ringgold, Ga.

For more information, www.ShareAmericaFoundation.org and MySpace.com/shareamerica.