It is with sadness we mark the passing of George Pearis Reynolds of Knoxville, Tennessee, March 14, 2024.  George maintains a special place in the hearts of all those who came in contact with him as the former Director of the Foxfire Music program and as a music teacher in Rabun County’s and Knoxville’s public schools.

Through his years of music and folklore instruction at Foxfire and the publication of Foxfire’s books, George was instrumental in introducing thousands of students world-wide to the instruments and melodies of his beloved Appalachia.

A native of West Virginia, George was descended from families that traced their roots to the original Anglo-Scots settlers of the region.  In his obituary published in the Knoxville News Sentinel it was noted that George was devoted to his students and through his instruction helped them gain an appreciation of their culture and heritage.  He considered his life-long work of sharing his knowledge and love of music and Appalachian folklore one of the greatest accomplishments.

George was gifted with an extraordinary voice, which he used to share the music from the mountains he loved.  With several of his students, he formed “The Foxfire Boys” bluegrass band in the early 1980s which continues to perform today throughout the Southeast.  Under his management The Foxfire Boys had their premier radio performance on The Grand Ole Opry on Radio WSM Nashville, Tennessee and also had the honor of representing America’s Appalachian region in cultural performances at the Olympic Games in Norway and in Atlanta, GA. in the 1990s.

George is survived by Mary Thom Adams, Frank Pierce Reynolds and Karen Edwards.  They said, “We believe that singing for George is the most special way to honor him and to celebrate his life.  Please sing in your yard, by a stream, in your living room, by yourself or with others you know who knew and cared for him.  Tell tales – tall and otherwise – laugh and cry.  There will be people singing for him all over the mountains of his beloved Appalachia.”

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The supplemental music instruction is offered by the Southern Highland Music Foundation, a 501 C3 non-profit organization based in Clayton, Georgia and directed by its CEO, Tom Nixon.

“High Performance ’24” is a successful combination of traditional music teaching methods augmented by Peer-to-Peer student interaction where sharing knowledge with others and peer encouragement are emphasized much like the successful Foxfire program that was initiated here in Rabun County more than 50 years ago.”

Nixon, an alumnus of the Foxfire program, has been teaching music for more than two decades in his role as director of the Blue Ridge Music Academy in Clayton.

He said, “It’s very rare to have a music performance instruction program offered in the public schools. Back in 2019 our SHMF Board of Directors voted to initiate this Peer-to-Peer program to help students explore their interests in a wide variety of music styles and genres while learning the basics of music theory and instrument techniques. In addition to learning more about the music they love, they also learn the basics of working in a professional music studio and how to organize music concerts and performances including stage setup, sound systems and lighting.”

“High Performance ’24” will culminate at the end of the school year with production of a CD recorded at Blue Ridge Music’s professional recording studios. The CD will be comprised of Rabun County student arrangements and performances.

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The grant will be used to provide in-class supplemental music instruction at the Rabun County (GA) High School and Middle School.

Included in the program will be hands-on training on string and keyboard instruments, vocal instruction, music theory, harmony and performance techniques.

Tom Nixon, CEO of Southern Highland Music Foundation, said, “This is the third grant we have received from the Georgia Council of the Arts in the past five years. Thanks to GCA we have initiated a very successful peer-to-peer learning program for Middle School and High School students that supplements the school’s basic music education program. A unique feature of our support is the opportunity for students to create, record and produce their own collaborative CD at the end of the year that features their own vocal and instrumental performances.”

Southern Highland Music Foundation (SHMF) is a 501 (C) 3 nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and reinforcing the positive effects of music in our communities. Since its founding in 2013, our main focus has been providing assistance and enrichment to public school music programs.

In addition to providing classroom teacher support, SHMF donates new musical instruments, provides repair services and coordinates recording studio services to help students prepare for professional-level performance experiences.

Our support to public schools is funded through individual donations and from grants from the Georgia Council for the Arts. Donations to SHMF are also used to create scholarship opportunities for students who might not have the opportunity to take part in lessons due to financial constraints.

But our music outreach is not just limited to public school students. SHMF’s goal is to provide musical enrichment for students of all ages.

Our approach to education builds on your musical interest and encourages peer-to-peer sharing of knowledge which reinforces the learning process. This model of hands-on learning was the corner stone of the renowned Foxfire organization. Foxfire’s music program ended many years ago, but SHMF continues its musical legacy.

This is your invitation to join us in our mission to provide music instruction for people of all ages: those who want to learn about music and its historic and regional roots.

Future blogs will focus on music learning opportunities, choosing instruments, the ‘practice of practice’ as well as interviews with SHMF leaders on such practical matters as instrument maintenance, tuning and expanding your musical skills.

Please donate what you can to support SHMF and be sure to contact us to for more information or to volunteer.

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Good liner notes are like good footnotes to history, giving us insight and essential data to the recording process and setting down for all time ‘who did what’ to make that recording special.

We intend these ‘Liner Notes’ on our SHMF site to provide background information and historical insight to the Southern Appalachian music we study, practice and love.

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