Located in the heart of the Bluegrass State of Kentucky, where so much bluegrass, old time and country music history has occurred, The Kentucky Center for Traditional Musicpreserves, teaches, helps develop and celebrates our rich mountain heritage.

The center houses:

• An academic Traditional Music Program
• The Traditional Music Archives
• “Sounds of Our Heritage” outreach
• The Traditional Music Program is among the fastest growing academic traditional music programs at any school of higher education. We are fortunate that Morehead State University wants to support a dynamic environment in which students have an exceptional opportunity to study this aspect of our cultural traditions. The right time is now and the place is Morehead State University for this remarkable program.

The “Traditional Music Archives” contain a large collection of traditional music that is accessible to the public for scholarly use. These digital audio and video files include many examples of traditional Appalachian music and culture, including ballads and songs, fiddle and banjo tunes, old-time string band music, traditional and modern bluegrass music, religious preaching, and interviews with performers and church members.

“Outreach” includes performances, presentations, lecture/demonstrations and workshops by The Kentucky Center for Traditional Music faculty which includes professional entertainers who tour extensively.

“Outreach” also includes Morehead State University student bands that are sections of The Traditional Music Ensemble, Bluegrass Band, Celtic Band, Old Time String Band and Old Time Country Band classes. These groups perform under the direction of their instructors on the MSU campus and across the region for programs such as the "Sounds of Our Heritage" series which introduces students of all ages to many forms of traditional music.