The Walker Family Band

Peace, Joy, Music

For over two decades The Walker Family Band has delighted audiences throughout the Southeast with a distinctive take on traditional styles, performing Irish dance music and American Old Time music with a forward reaching attitude. We especially enjoy sharing original tunes, which grow naturally from these basic roots and from our thorough training and experience in classical music and jazz. On stage The Walker Family Band creates a confluence of sound with an end game plan, a fresh connection with each audience.

Based in Asheville, North Carolina, The WFB plays festivals, weddings, private parties, and other events. We are all teachers as well as performers. We are deeply invested in offering and supporting educational opportunities that promote and sustain traditional intergenerational music-making and dance locally and at workshops throughout the Southeastern US.

Summer Fiddle Camp

After twenty-one years of planning and directing the incredible WFB Summer Fiddle Camp, where music, dance, performance, art, relaxation and reflection brought families together from across the United States, the Walker Family feels this is a perfect ‘coming of age’ moment to focus their collective experience as educators and mentors toward the future.

The Walkers and their team of fantastic faculty and staff have, for over two decades, shared Music, Peace, and Joy with hundreds of students, families, and teachers from across the country. Their dedication to and love of traditional music, and the preservation of the multi-generational culture in which it still migrates through our lives today has been the cornerstone of the Walker Family’s success in presenting an annual whole family camp that supports and nurtures our musical inheritance. ‘The Walker Way’ is one of acceptance that each of us share the common bond of love, unique talents, diversity of experience and expression, and the joy of spiritual connection through our music and our collaborative interaction.

THANK YOU to EVERYONE who has joined hearts and hands over many years to make The WFB Summer Music Camp a place of love, acceptance, and joy throughout its twenty-one year successful run!

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And Now…The Walker Family and the Blowing Rock Conference Center have a BIG Announcement…

(drum roll, please)

There’s a New Camp on the Rock!

The Walker Family Band partnered with the Blowing Rock Conference Center to create their unique whole family camp experience within the serene setting of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. What better place to feel the inspiration and influences of traditional family music mentoring!

With support from the Walker Family and other educators, the Blowing Rock Conference Center will continue their tradition as host facility in support of the preservation of traditional folk music and community gathering by hosting a brand-new music and dance camp beginning the first week of July, 2024!

Tanawha Family Music Camp, Inc

Tanawha Family Music Camp is a newly formed non-profit organization inspired by the Walker Family camp model of multigenerational learning and the ‘whole family’ camp experience. Tanawha Family Music Camp is humbled and grateful to have the kind support of the Walker Family and The Blowing Rock Conference Center as they pursue their new endeavor.

MAKE A DONATION TO BLOWING ROCK CONFERENCE CENTER IN SUPPORT OF THEIR MISSION AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING

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It All Began When...

The Walker Family Band had its beginnings in 2002, when Scott, his daughter Jennie, his brother Landon and close friend and musical associate, Scott Manring began playing and recording together when they found chances – which did not come very often. The Scotts were in Greensboro North Carolina, Jennie in Austin, Texas, and Landon in Jacksonville, Florida. Our one and only album, “Travelin”, named after a song of Jennie’s, was only produced at the cost of many road miles between us.

The band members have experienced many changes since those beginning days, and not all due to age! Jennie is now in Asheville, teaching, performing, and with her husband, raising her two beautiful children. In 2016, Landon married Linda Minke, from Jacksonville, Florida, and now we have a delightful and talented new family member in our band! For more history, go here.

The WFB’s instrument combinations and variety of styles creates a wide range of sonorities and musical feelings! Depending on the style or mood of the music, Scott (w) and Linda can add more fiddle and/or cello behind Jennie as she leads with her infectious smile and faultless fiddle. Landon’s bass anchors the sound. Scott (m) shares his genius on many types o’guitars. He and Scott (w) both play guitar in a low DADGAD tuning. If the band needs the evocative sound of an accordion, Landon can provide. When tunes ache for the banjo, Scott (m) is on call. Linda adds a variety of percussive sounds and has the ability to impart emotions of romance to tragedy as she delicately plays her Celtic harp.

Each band member brings a unique perspective and experience to the group, creating a musical blend that is as fresh and fun for the musicians as it is for their audience!

The Walker Family Band members obviously love to play together, especially when they perform each other’s music…and they play together as much as they can! The band performs in various configurations of its original self, and at various venues and situations all over the southeast.

The WFB band members are all teachers, combining their love of building community through the sharing and learning of music. Collaborative work with like-minded teachers and generous support personnel enabled The Walker Family Band to host educational events, camps, and workshops for over two decades. Even more gratifying is the love and support that students and families have given back! The Walker Family Band looks forward to many more years of collaborative sharing. Music, Peace and Joy.

Read How We Got Here