Renowned folklorists/muscians/storytellers Michael & Carrie Kline visit Jefferson County August 21–22 for an outdoor concert in the country followed the next day by a workshop called Chronicling Family Stories. Both events take place at CraftWorks at Cool Spring, the craft school and center for creative learning near Charles Town.

Spurred in part by a wildly popular radio series, there is growing interest in the art of capturing and recording family and community stories in audio. Whether it’s getting all of an elderly grandparent’s childhood stories, capturing tall tales from “old timers” while there is still time, or getting community perspectives from people of all ages at a moment in time, “oral histories” have become kitchen-table pastimes that are no longer relegated to academic researchers.

Michael and Carrie Kline of Elkins, W.Va., are two of the best-known gatherers of community stories and oral histories. The Klines operate Talking Across the Lines, a folklife documentary group. Their workshop at CraftWorks, said Michael Kline, will help participants learn to document life stories and community experience through the art of deep listening and recording. “We’ll explore techniques for seeking out and recording the voices of family and locals,” said Kline. In the informal daylong session, students will develop interviewing skills and learn technical details for producing broadcast-quality field recordings.

The Klines are as well known for musical performances of Appalachian music as they are for their work as folklorists. On Friday evening, August 21, the Klines will perform a special benefit concert at CraftWorks on the lawn at the Old Stone Barn. The Klines perform an array of West Virginia songs, from the ancient ballads of the Hammons Family in the Central Highlands to songs of resistance and music from the coal mines.

It is a family-style picnic event. Concertgoers are invited to bring a picnic supper and a blanket or lawn chairs. Advance tickets required. Kids attend free; adults $10; students $5. Volunteers attend free. The grounds open at 5pm; the concert begins at 6pm.

For tickets and information on all CraftWorks classes and events, visit www.wvCraftWorks.org. Eastern Panhandle residents get a 50 % discount all classes.