Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program

July 1, 2015

Rural Missouri: 30 Years of TAAP

Read Jim McCarty’s feature on Missouri’s Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program here!

April 22, 2015

KBIA 91.3: Missouri Blacksmiths

Thinking Out Loud brings you an intimate look into some of Missouri’s oldest folk-art traditions: from blacksmithing to jazz, traditional song, and dance.
Luke Medley works in his garage on a bass fiddle

May 1, 2014

Tribute to Luther Medley

We were very sad to learn yesterday that Luther Medley of Poplar Bluff passed away in October 2013. Photo by Rita A. Reed for Work is Art and Art is Work exhibition, 2006 Mr. Medley was an apprentice in the Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program with master luthier Bernard Allen in 1991. Mr. Medley then taught in TAAP as a master luthier in 1996 and 1997, and he was a featured artist in the traveling exhibition “Work is Art; Art is Work” in 2007-2008. Our heartfelt sympathies to his family and friends. Rest in peace. Obituary…

April 14, 2014

Tribute to Donald Graves

Don Graves, a master artist of old-time dulcimer and a dulcimer luthier from Lebanon, Missouri, died on Monday, April 14, 2014. Below is a PDF of the tribute we wrote at that time. Master Artist Don Graves…    

Jan. 10, 2014

Tribute to Raymond Thebeau

We at the Missouri Folk Arts Program are sad to learn that Raymond Thebeau of Cadet, Missouri died on January 8, 2014 at age 82.   Mr. Thebeau was widely recognized as a master square dance caller, and he served as a master artist in the Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program in 1994 and 1995. Here’s a video of Mr. Thebeau calling a dance at the Folk School – a service of 88.1 KDHX in 2012. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0-1jZA19PU&list=PL993DF1A40D4A2BCC&fbclid=IwAR0LBDhCl_qTZBZpxhllZH5tSlEnZszu-6HZmQLDAXLwPZxySPzKLjXjG0w Missouri Traditional Fiddle and Dance Network also posted a nice tribute here: http://mofiddledance.org/2014/01/ray-thebeau/  photo courtesy of funeral home…

Aug. 15, 2010

Tribute to Ahmad Alaadeen

Master jazz saxophonist Ahmad Alaadeen died on August 15, 2010, and MFAP staff attended his funeral service at Tuesday, August 17 at 10 am at Watkins Brothers Memorial Chapel in Kansas City, Mo. Jazz Times published an obituary by Dawn DeBlaze at that time. photo courtesy of Ahmad Alaadeen Enterprises About eleven months later, on what would have been his seventy-seventh birthday, Sunday, July 24, 2011, MFAP director Lisa Higgins had the opportunity to attend a tribute to Alaadeen in Grandview, Missouri. The three hour program was designed to showcase Alaadeen’s extraordinary life, excellent artistry,…

March 19, 2004

Tribute to Bob Holt

Old-time fiddler Bob Holt died in March 2004. Below is a PDF with a brief tribute and links to the obituary his family published and his NEA Heritage Fellow profile at the Masters of Traditional Arts website. That profile includes video and audio, and many will recognize also the friends Bob took along to Washington, DC in the video from the 1999 NEA Heritage Fellows Concert. Master Artist Bob Holt…

Aug. 6, 2003

Tribute to Edna Mae Davis

In 2003, we were saddened to learn of the passing of Edna Mae Davis, a master square/jig dancer and square dance caller in Missouri’s Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program in 1987, 1988, 1989, and 1990. You can read the tribute staff wrote at that time by clicking the link below. Master Artist Edna Mae Davis…