The Appalachian region, home to a wealth of music genres like old-time and bluegrass, is still picking up the pieces after being ravaged by Hurricane Helene in September. Advocates said a local organization plans to deliver musical instruments to eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina as part of this relief effort.
The Woodsongs Helene Instrument Drive is collecting musical instruments of all varieties, from band instruments like trumpets and drums to banjos and guitars. The items will be distributed in the coming months to musicians of southern Appalachia who lost their own in the storms.
Michael Johnathon is a folksinger and organizer of the Woodsongs Helene Instrument Drive, as well as two previous drives that brought thousands of instruments to Kentuckians impacted by natural disasters. He said even as news about Hurricane Helene dies down, there are still countless people working to rebuild their lives.
“Eventually the emotional needs, the life needs, the front porch needs of that community’s going to have to be taken care of,” said Johnathon. “And that’s where Woodsongs is stepping in, and we’re going to help with that.”
Johnathon said their previous efforts included a drive for Appalachian Kentucky after floods hit the region in 2022. He added the turnout showed him how critical the cultural need is for people recovering from disaster.
“We brought about 1,000 instruments to the parking lot of Knott County Central High School in Hindman. And musicians from as far away as Pikeville, and Morehead, and Ashland, and Paintsville, and Prestonsburg, and the whole Appalachian region came. Hundreds of people lined up,” said Johnathon.
The Woodsongs Helene Instrument Drive will accept all musical instruments in good, playable condition, and the organization will take care of refurbishments. Johnathon added for someone who has lost everything, these donations hold great significance.
“Grandpa had a Martin guitar in the closet, it’s been there for 20 years, nobody’s played it, and the strings are old and rusty. Just send it to us, and we’re going to upgrade it and put new strings on it, and get it all set up. And there’s going to be somebody in that region that is going to fall to their knees to have that beautiful instrument that would otherwise be sitting in your closet.”
The drive will accept instruments until January 1, 2025, or until the organization reaches maximum capacity. People can drop off or ship instruments in playable condition to the Kentucky Theatre in Lexington. More information is available at woodsongs.com/helene.