A Brief History of the Voices of Appalachia

     The choir from Alice Lloyd College, the Voices of Appalachia, tour annually in the spring to various parts of the United States performing the hymns and ballads of the southern Appalachian highlands.  A number of noteworthy and memorable places have been included in the Choir's travels.  They have had opportunity to perform on shows, such as:  NBC's Today Show; CBS's Sunday Morning with Charles Kuralt; the "Pride of Appalachia;" also the Kelly Lang Show from Los Angeles.   The opportunities to share a rich heritage and experience the cultural diversity of the United Sates include performance locations such as:  the Ahwahne Hotel at Yosemite National Park, California; numerous performances at the National Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC; two visits to the National Cathedral in Washington, DC; and once in Gettysburg National Park.  They sing both  acapella and with accompaniment, and through their singing, manage to convey the deep feelings mountain people have about their people and region.

     The Voices of Appalachia was formed in 1962 when Abner Grender came to Caney Junior College to teach music and to organize a choir.  During the history of the Voices, there have been four conductors beginning with Abner Grender, Paul Tse, David Benson, Richard Kennedy, and the current conductor Bryan Bolton .  There have been approximately  700 to 800 choir members over the years who are still considered a part of the Voices family.

     The Voices of Appalachia is a great asset to both Alice Lloyd College and the Appalachian region; however, the first priority is the benefit derived by the individual members from participation in the choral experience.  Amazingly enough, the College does not offer any type of music major or minor; therefore, all members of the Voices of Appalachia are performing out of the love they hold for their heritage and the musical traditions that support their background.