Ras Alan: Bio
Ras Alan - Appalachian Reggae musician
“We’re more alike than different!”
What do country music and Ras Alan’s Appalachian reggae have in common? Both were featured on Country Music Television’s Small Town Secrets, when it showed “Guitars,” a piece about Bristol, TN/VA’s musical past and present, including roots like the Carter Family’s original country music, and branches like Ras Alan’s own genre, Appalachian reggae. Ras Alan provided audiences with musical and historical insights on the CMT show, and was featured on CMT’s website performing “Appalachian Man” beside the railroad tracks in Bristol. Ras Alan sang original lyrics about Southern Appalachian mountain living while playing an acoustic resonator guitar and thumping on dB, a wooden drink box that plays bass beneath Ras Alan’s boot. Ras Alan’s CMT performance and interview took place during Bristol TN/VA’s, Rhythm and Roots Reunion, where Ras Alan & The Lions performed a lively electric set. Ras Alan also appeared in Blue Ridge Country Magazine, photographed on the Pickin’ Porch at the Birthplace of Country Music Alliance for a Bristol radio show. The "Appalachian Reggae" originator was one of six artists from North Carolina featured on the long-running PBS series "Carolina Calling", with regional musical icon Arthur Smith.
Ras Alan was a featured performer at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival for the “Year of Appalachia” celebrations, recording 10 shows on the National Mall in Washington DC. Some of this groundbreaking music is included on the new FOLKLIFE CD release (Red Pepper Records). Ras Alan performed in the “Smithsonian to the Mountains” tour and was greatly honored to appear at the Carter Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, where A.P. and Sara Carter’s daughter and son, Janette and Joe Carter, kept Southern Appalachian music traditions alive.
Ras Alan’s three existing albums are housed in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian Archives and in East Tennessee State University’s Archives of Appalachia. These albums are “Letter from Appalachia” (2002 Red Pepper), “Stone Inna Hurricane” (1997 Red Pepper), and “Native” (1993 Red Pepper). "FOLKLIFE" and “Letter from Appalachia” were considered for Grammy® Awards in both the Reggae and Contemporary Folk categories. Ras Alan appears on numerous regional and international CD compilations.
Ras Alan and his touring and recording band, The Lions, participated in a Johnson City, TN benefit for Habitat for Humanity in support of its work to rebuild homes and businesses with victims of Hurricane Katrina and Ras Alan celebrated a Chinese New Year performance just outside Negril, Jamaica, where he shared the stage with Peter Rowan’s Skydancer Trio, and local stars The Overtakers.
Ras Alan has picked and performed with music greats from many genres. He picked with Doc Watson and played African melodies with Malian master musician, Ali Farke Toure. He jammed with Yonder Mountain String Band; traded mandolin duet licks with Jethro Burns; and drummed with Nigerian Babetunde Olatunji. Ras Alan, a member and performer for Reggae Ambassadors Worldwide, shared the stage with Burning Spear and The Wailers.
Ras Alan performs at numerous family-friendly festivals throughout the US and Jamaica, and continues to be heard on radio and internet stations worldwide. Ras Alan’s blend of traditional mountain music, original lyrics, and reggae beat is a unique combination. His songs are fun, emotional, and socially responsible. Influenced by bluegrass, old time, Southern gospel, jazz, African drumming, and a respectful portion of Rastafari spirituality, Ras Alan’s music is full of life, and the reggae rhythm is extremely danceable. Establishing the term “Reggabilly” in 1991, Ras Alan’s songs are true stories inspired locally and applicable worldwide, rooted in Southern Appalachian tradition and consciously moving forward.
Bob Marley biographer and Reggae Grammy® chair, Roger Steffens writes, “Reggabilly at its best!”
Ras Alan is available for performances, workshops, children’s entertainment, recordings, and interviews. Currently booking through Red Pepper Records, please contact us at:
Appalachianreggae.com
RED PEPPER RECORDS
PO Box 33 Greeneville, TN 37744 USA
MUSIC! - A little history...
Beginning with his first "touring" show as a guitarist and singer at a rural Baptist church in 1975, Ras Alan has shared stages, festivals and performances in Jamaica and the US with The Wailers, Burning Spear, Ralph Stanley, Ziggy Marley and The Melody Makers, David Grisman, Ali Farke Toure, John Prine, Black Uhuru, Dougie McClean, Toubab Krewe, Acoustic Syndicate, The Meditations, Salif Keita, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, Sam Bush, Babetunde Olatunji, Laura Love, Austin Lounge Lizards, Awareness Art Ensemble, Peter Rowan, the North Mississippi All Stars, Reeltime Travelers, Mali Ensemble Instrumental, Snake Oil Medicine Show, Lucky Dube, Larry and Jenny Keel, Junior Brown, Sista Carol, Carl Densen's Tiny Universe, Leftover Salmon, Jean Ritchie and Hazel Dickens, AVAS, Derek Trucks, the Itals, Gretchen Wilson, Southern Culture on the Skids, Old Crow Medicine Show, Yonder Mountain String Band and many, many others.
Ras Alan's ONE HEARTBEAT Program for Children
Ras Alan, a native of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Southern Appalachia, will present his One Heartbeat – Appalachia to Zimbabwe, a musical, creative, fun, and educational program for children in grades pre-k through 5. Red Pepper recording artist, Ras Alan, will present his One Heartbeat Program for Children as single or multi-day workshops, school assemblies, or as an artist-in-residence program. One Heartbeat provides arts enrichment, cultural diversity, character education, and social studies for young students, including at-risk youth and children with disabilities. Ras Alan has presented One Heartbeat – Appalachia to Zimbabwe in elementary schools, pre-schools, libraries, after-school programs, family friendly music festivals, events, and celebrations throughout the US and Jamaica.
The purpose of Ras Alan’s Program for Children is to promote and increase self-esteem through artistic, creative self-expression. One Heartbeat is musical, educational, and experiential. The youth will have hands-on exposure to a variety of percussion instruments from around the world, including Thailand, Mali, Jamaica, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Southern Appalachia. The music and social studies lessons will start far away, then the program will bring it home to the Appalachians as Ras Alan provides an acoustic performance accompanied by dB, the famous wooden drink box that plays bass under Ras Alan’s thumping boot. His blend of traditional mountain music, original lyrics, and reggae rhythm is a unique combination.
Ras Alan will explain his Appalachian Reggae ties to the Smithsonian Institution, the Birthplace of Country Music Alliance, and the Archives of Appalachia at East Tennessee State University. Ras Alan’s positive message will encourage the children to experience the importance and validity of their own place in the world. They will also experience diversity while expressing themselves with percussion instruments from far away lands.
The ultimate goal of Ras Alan’s One Heartbeat – Appalachia to Zimbabwe Program for Children is for the youth to learn that each individual is valuable and important, and that we’re more alike than different!
The following quotes are from educators who have participated in Ras Alan’s One Heartbeat Program for Children. “You have been incredible at our school. AR Lewis is so fortunate to have had you here. Thanks again.” Kathy Brazinski, Principal, AR Lewis Elementary School, Pickens, South Carolina, May 22, 2006. “The children really loved it, especially playing the instruments!” Lindsey Dayton, Assistant Teacher, Asbury Child Enrichment Center, Greeneville, Tennessee, June 28, 2006.
One Heartbeat Workshop Program
Workshops are 45 minutes each and include hands-on student participation, with a maximum of 25 students in a group. A total of 4 workshops will be provided each day, scheduled with 15-minute breaks in between. For example, workshops could be scheduled for 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, & 1:00. Each group will be accompanied by adults provided by the schools for supervision.
One Heartbeat Artist in Residence Program
4 days
3 days of workshops as described above and also including an introduction to music technology with recording equipment and laptop provided by Ras Alan. On Day 4 of the program, a presentation will be given by the students, either live or recorded, for their peers. All groups will be accompanied by adults provided by the school for supervision.
One Heartbeat School Assembly Program
A 60-minute program can be presented in the school auditorium, gym, or other common area, and will include limited hands-on opportunities for a small number of students chosen from the audience.
Ras Alan’s Musical Highlights
Ras Alan was a featured performer at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, for “The Year of Appalachia” in 2003, recording 10 shows on the National Mall in Washington, DC. Select songs are included on his new CD, Folklife. Ras Alan performed in the 2004 “Smithsonian to the Mountains” tour and was greatly honored to appear at the Carter Fold in Hiltons, Virginia.
Ras Alan’s three existing albums are housed in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian Archives and in East Tennessee State University’s Archives of Appalachia. These albums are Letter from Appalachia (2002), Stone Inna Hurricane (1997), and Native (1993). Letter was considered for Grammy® Awards in both the reggae and contemporary folk categories.
Ras Alan has picked and performed with music greats from many genres. He picked with Doc Watson and played African melodies with Malian master musician, Ali Farke Toure. He jammed with Yonder Mountain String Band; traded mandolin duet licks with Jethro Burns; and drummed with Nigerian Babetunde Olatunji. Ras Alan, a member and performer for Reggae Ambassadors Worldwide, shared the stage with Burning Spear and The Wailers.
Please go to www.appalachianreggae.com for more information on Ras Alan and the One Heartbeat – Appalachia to Zimbabwe Program for Children.
CONTACT RAS ALAN BY E-MAIL: rasalan@appalachianreggae.com