MERCER COUNTY, W.Va. (WVDN) – The West Virginia Music Hall of Fame is hosting our second annual music festival, FLY AWAY HOME FEST, in celebration of Hazel Dickens’s 101st birthday. This event is scheduled for Fri-Sun, May 29-31, at various locations in Mercer County. The main concert performances will take place all day Saturday, May 30, at the Glenwood Park Amphitheater, 4435 New Hope Road, Princeton. The full event schedule may be found at: https://flyawayhomefest.com/event-schedule.
Hazel was an American bluegrass singer born in Montcalm, West Virginia, on June 1, 1925. We are celebrating our dear sister, known for her high, lonesome singing style and for giving voice to the struggles of women and working people through her provocative songwriting. She was posthumously inducted into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in 2017. We are hosting this performance just 15 minutes away from her hometown.
We also have the distinct privilege of having renowned bands from WV and KY, such as The Local Honeys, Dale Ann Bradley, Olivia Ellen Lloyd, and many others. Officials said, “We will also be joined by Arnold ‘Buddy’ Dickens and Co, Hazel’s nephew, visiting from Maryland to share some stories of Hazel and perform some of her songs! We are thrilled to host this event and hope you will come out and support Hazel’s memory, our coal miners, and our strong mountain heritage!”
This event is made possible by a fiscal sponsor, the WV Music Hall of Fame, and will feature a silent auction of coal-mining items, music, stories, and, towards the evening, Saturday, they will raffle off an engraved rifle with lyrics from Hazel’s song “They’ll Never Keep us Down.” There will be food trucks, information booths, and a classic car cruise-in. Bring a blanket or lawn chair!
Inspired by Hazel’s song Black Lung, this event will raise funds for the Mercer and McDowell chapters of The National Black Lung Association. Officials suggest a $35 donation for Saturday, but no one will be turned away. Online donations may be made ahead of time using this secure link:
https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=WPQT9ERM28L6A
Officials stated, “On behalf of all those among our loved ones, friends, and community members affected by this disease, we hope you can join us!”
