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This annual Halloween-themed Old Marshall Jail Ballad Swap marks the first opportunity to celebrate the Marshall release of Carrying the Song, a new documentary book honoring the life, music, and legacy of Sheila Kay Adams through the voices of the community that has carried the tradition alongside her.
With visitors arriving from the American Folklore Society Annual Meeting in nearby Asheville, the evening promises to be a lively celebration on the banks of the French Broad River, featuring traditional ballads, stories, books, and fellowship.
Now in its fifth year, the monthly Old Marshall Jail Ballad Swap is believed to be the only continuously held ballad swap in America, bringing together singers and tradition bearers to share the songs and stories of Southern Appalachia.