LEWISBURG, WV (WVDN) – Carnegie Hall’s Appalachian Heritage Lecture Series presents Really Tall Tales from Appalachia with Bil Lepp Thursday, May 23, at 7 p.m. Guests are invited to come early to Club Carnegie from 6 – 6:45 p.m. in the Board Room located adjacent to the Hamilton Auditorium. A cash bar and snacks will be available.
Bil Lepp is an award-winning storyteller, author, and recording artist. He’s also the host of the History Channel’s Man Vs History series, and a contributing columnist to the West Virginia Gazette-Mail. Growing up in a family where the truth was fluid, Bil Lepp became adept at spinning tales and exaggerating circumstances at an early age. A nationally renowned storyteller and five-time champion of the West Virginia Liars’ Contest, Bil’s outrageous, humorous tall-tales and witty stories have earned the appreciation of listeners of all ages and from all walks of life. Though a champion liar, his stories often contain morsels of truth which shed light on universal themes. Be it a hunting trip, a funeral, or a visit to the dentist, Bil can find the humor in any situation. Lepp explains that while his stories may not be completely true, they are always honest. “ . . . Lepp, a cross between Dr. Seuss and…film noir….” – Charleston Gazette
Bil is the author of seven books and twenty-one audio collections. His first children’s book, The King of Little Things, won the PEN Steven Kroll Award for Picture Book Writing, received a Kirkus Starred review, and favorable reviews from The Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, The School Library Journal and other publications. It also won the Zena Sutherland Award, the Parent’s Choice Gold Award, was a finalist for the Irma Black Award, and was chosen to be West Virginia’s book at the National Book Festival.
In 2011, Bil was awarded the National Storytelling Network’s Circle of Excellence Award. Lepp has been featured 19 times at the National Storytelling Festival, and performed at major storytelling festivals around the county, at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, and at corporate events and functions. Lepp has been featured on, and hosted NPR’s internationally syndicated Mountain Stage. He is also the recipient of the Vandalia Award, West Virginia’s highest folk honor.
Bil lives in South Charleston, WV with his wife and two children.
Tickets are $20 and may be purchased by calling Carnegie Hall Box Office at 304.645.7917, visiting www.carnegiehallwv.org, or stopping by at 611 Church Street, Lewisburg, West Virginia. Carnegie Hall Box Office is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Carnegie Hall WV is a member-driven nonprofit organization supported by individual contributions, grants, and fundraising efforts such as TOOT and The Carnegie Hall Gala. The Hall is located at 611 Church Street, Lewisburg, WV. For more information, please call 304.645.7917 or visit www.carnegiehallwv.org.
