PRESS RELEASE: THE APPALACHIANS

On August 17, Jason Ringenberg was interviewed on his farm in Nashville by
Mari-Lynn Evans, Executive Producer of a PBS film documentary, The Appalachians, and CEO of Evening Star Productions. Jason, Paul Burch, and Fats Kaplin played several acoustic songs with special arrangements for the film, including The Price of Progress, Country Roads, Wayfarin' Stranger, John Henry, and Blue Ridge Mountain Boy. Jason was also interviewed for the film, which will include some footage of Jason and the Scorchers.

Several experts interviewed for the film, including Dr. Charles Wolfe (University of Tennessee and award-winning author), Bob Santelli (Deputy Director of EMP, former Director of Education for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and editor of many books, including Bruce Springsteen's Songs), and John Rumble (Curator of the Country Music Hall of Fame), spoke extensively on Jason's important contribution to traditional music.

The Appalachians is a special television event, book, boxed CD set, and educational guide that will present a comprehensive historical and cultural overview of this distinctive region. This television special will document the unique legacy, character, arts, and culture of the central and southern Appalachian people. The film will be released April 2002.

The documentary is being done on High Definition film. The Advisory Committee
includes Appalachian State University, University of Cincinnati, West Virginia University, University of Kentucky, Berea College, University of North Carolina, and many others. It is being filmed in the States and in Great Britain. Bob Santelli (Rock Hall and EMP) is the Music Coordinator and Editor. The film is directed by Emmy award winner Tom Robertson (Disney, TNN, A&E, History), and Mari-Lynn Evans is the Executive Producer (PBS, FOX, AHN).

Evening Star Productions is based out of Akron, Ohio and Brentwood, Tennessee. Mari-Lynn Currence Evans (Executive Producer and CEO) and Tom Robertson (Director and Scriptwriter) have produced and directed feature films, commercials, and national broadcast and cable programs for A&E, FOX, the Health Network, The History Channel, Disney, PBS, TNN, ABC, and CBS. They have been the recipients of The George Foster Peabody Award, several National Emmys, American Film Festival Awards, New York International Film and TV Festival Awards, Houston International Film Festival Gold Awards for Feature Films Made for TV, National Achievement in Children's Programming Awards, American Women in Radio and TV National Program Excellence Awards, Chicago Film Festival Awards, Freedom Foundation Awards, the Tibbett's Award, the Mature Media Award, Atlanta Film Festival Gold Medals, The N.P.P.A Best Documentary Award, and many others.