Jon Lohman, Virginia State Folklorist from 2001 to 2020.
Published September 24, 2020
After nearly two incredible decades, I have chosen to move on from my position of Director of the Virginia Folklife Program. It has been an amazing journey, and I simply don’t have the words to express my deepest gratitude to all of the incredible people I have gotten to know, love, and work with along the way – the brilliant artists, tradition bearers, cultural advocates, colleagues and community partners. As I write this post, I am filled with a seemingly endless flood of memories as varied and diverse as the Commonwealth itself, and I have been so deeply blessed to have had experiences and connect with incredible folks, both living and passed on, whom I could have never imagined encountering in this life. I have sat at the edge of my seat mesmerized in the home of Bob Cage, master tobacco auctioneer, only to find myself being unexpectedly called upon to run an auction of homemade cakes at a weekly community old time jam in Fries. I’ve often lost myself in the brilliant parades of revelers in spectacular handmade Caribbean Carnival suits or literally hundreds of Bolivian dance groups in the streets of Arlington. I have been moved to tears by the gentle Sephardic ballads of Flory Jagoda and lifted to my feet by the soul shaking gospel of Chesapeake’s own Paschall Brothers or the indomitable Ingramettes. I have time and time again marveled at hands that craft extraordinary creations out of ordinary things, forever enriching and imbuing not just their own lives but those of their own communities, and ultimately all of us.
The turning of this chapter is by no means a goodbye. I plan to continue and expand upon this work by establishing the Center for Cultural Vibrancy, an organization committed to supporting and energizing the living cultural traditions that bind together communities, and to increase opportunities for meaningful cultural exchange both locally and abroad. I look forward to partnering with the many organizations and individuals who share in this mission across the nation, including my beloved Virginia Folklife Program, in the years ahead. Even in our nation’s most troubled times, I remain convinced by the enduring power of the traditional arts and the myriad expressions of folklife to allow us all to better understand, empathize, appreciate, celebrate and connect deeply with one another.
Jon Lohman with son Grayson documents an attempt at the Guinness World Record for largest mandolin ensemble at the Galax Fiddlers’ Convention.
From right to left: Jon Lohman, Mama-Girl, Julia Garcia, Grayson Chesser, Matthew Regan, Lea Ouk, and Sochietah Ung at the Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Showcase.
Jon Lohman with master snake cane carver Norman Amos in Callans, VA.
Trio Sephardi, with special guest Flory Jagoda, a National Heritage Fellow, performed at Congregation Beth Israel in Charlottesville on Sunday, January 8, 2017. Photo by Pat Jarrett/VFH Staff
Jon Lohman joined a delegation to visit the Dalai Lama led by Ganna Natsag (far left, back row) in Dharamshala, India.
Sherman Holmes of the Holmes Brothers worked with Virginia State Folklorist Jon Lohman and a cadre of musicians, including Rob Ickes, Sammy Shelor, Jared Pool, Jacob Eller, Brandon Davis and Dave Van Deventer, the Legendary Ingramettes and their band at Montrose Recording Studio in Richmond on 9/26/16. Photo by Pat Jarrett/VIrginia Folklife Program
Jon Lohman with longtime friend, music lover, and Galax resident Mary Guynn. (Photo by Pat Jarrett.)
Tidewater a cappella gospel quartet the Paschall Brothers (with Jon Lohman) performed at the Kennedy Center
Martha Spencer and Jon Lohman at the premiere of the film Fiddlin’ at the Rex Theater in Galax, VA.
Cheryl Maroney-Yancey, Jon Lohman, Almeta Ingram-Miller, and Valerie Stewart together at the Richmond Folk Festival. (Photo by Pat Jarrett.)
In 2017, the Virginia Folklife Program participated in a musical cultural exchange in Cabo Verde, Africa. Thw trip included visits to numerous schools in the country. (Photo by Pat Jarrett.)
From left Jared Pool, Almeta Ingram-Miller, Sherman Holmes, Cora Harvey Armstrong and Jon Lohman. Sherman Holmes was live at In Your Ear Studios in Richmond recording with The Legendary Ingramettes, Cora Harvey Armstrong, Jared Pool and Virginia State Folklorist Jon Lohman on 6/21/17. Holmes was recording for WXPN’s World Cafe. Photo by Pat Jarrett/The Virginia Folklife Program
Barb Gillespie makes bread with Grayson Lohman and his father Jon Lohman at the Richmond Folk Festival on 10/9/16. Photo by Pat Jarrett/The Virginia Folklife Program
Luz Maria Lopez, seen here with Jon Lohman, prepared a number of traditional Mexican dishes at the Richmond Folk Festival on 10/8/16. Photo by Pat Jarrett/The Virginia Folklife Program
Virginia state Folklorist Jon Lohman sits with David Grisman during a workshop at the 13th annual Watermelon Park Fest on 9/24/16. Photo by Pat Jarrett/The Virginia Folklife Program
Eddie Bond, center, and Virginia Folklorist Jon Lohman, right, and Steve Fisher, left, during the remembrance program for Joe Wilson. Jerry Douglas, Alison Krauss, The Whites, Ricky Skaggs, Elizabeth LaPrelle, Rev. Frank Newsome, Linda and David Lay, Phil Wiggins and others put on A Show for Joe at the Blue Ridge Music Center on Friday, 9/2/16. The concert was dedicated to the late folklorist Joe Wilson. Photo by Pat Jarrett/The Virginia Folklife Program
Jon Lohman talks with John D. Clary of the Proclamation Stew Crew. More than 1,000 came to the Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Showcase at James Monroe’s Highland on Sunday, May 15, 2016. Pat Jarrett/Virginia Folklife Program
Jon Lohman and Willard Gayheart at the Galax Fiddlers’ Convention. Photo by Pat Jarrett.
Jon Lohman (left) with Zerui Dupina in Mindelo, Cabo Verde. Photo by Pat Jarrett.
Instrument contest emcee Harold Mitchell (left) and Jon Lohman. Photo by Pat Jarrett.
Jon Lohman introduces the Folklife Apprenticeship Program Gallery exhibition at the Floyd Country Store in Floyd, VA. Photo by Pat Jarrett.
Jon Lohman introduces National Heritage Fellow Wayne Henderson at C’Ville Coffee in Charlottesville. Photo by Pat Jarrett.
Jon Lohman addresses the crowd gathered to view the Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Gallery at the Chestnut Creek School of the Arts on Wednesday, 8/6/14. Pat Jarrett/The Virginia Folklife Program
From left to right: Jessica Stewart, Vanessa Adkins, and Jon Lohman at the Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Showcase. Photo by Pat Jarrett.
Jon Lohman looks at the work of master Mongolian mask maker Ganna Natsag (Photo by Pat Jarrett).
Blues master Nat Reese and Jon Lohman at the Richmond Folk Festival. Photo by Peter Hedlund.
Jon Lohman emcees the Workshop Porch in the pouring rain at FloydFest. Photo by Peter Hedlund.
Jon Lohman put together this workshop of hot pickers on the Porch at Floydfest (from left to right): Eli Wildman, Aila Wildman, Eric Robertson, Duncan Wickle, Brandon Davis, Scott Fore, Danny Knicely,, Aaron Williams, with Aimee Curl on bass. (Photo by Peter Hedlund.)
Jon Lohman with Ganna, Zana, and Maral Natsag. Photo by Peter Hedlund.
Jon Lohman (right) emcees a workshop with luminaries (from left to right) Joe Wilson, Ralph Stanley, and Frank Newsome at the Richmond Folk Festival. (Photo by Pat Jarrett.)
Jon Lohman conducts field work on oyster aquaculture near Reedville, VA. Photo by Pat Jarrett.
Jon Lohman poses in front of a Caribbean Carnival costume built by master artist Earl Blake and worn by his wife Dorothy. Photo by Peter Hedlund.
Jon Lohman (center) with the guitar competition contestants at the 2011 Richmond Folk Festival. Photo by Peter Hedlund.
Jon Lohman with the incomparable oyster shucking sisters Clementine Macon Boyd (left) and Deborah Pratt (right) at the Richmond Folk Festival. Photo by Pat Jarrett.
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This announcement also brings the exciting news of Pat Jarrett’s new role as Interim Director of the Virginia Folklife Program. For nearly a decade, Pat has transformed the impact and reach of the Virginia Folklife Program through his excellent work as our Digital Media Specialist, making him uniquely suited to deftly guide the program through the uncharted waters and profound challenges of the global pandemic. Along with the support of his remarkable colleagues at Virginia Humanities, the Virginia Folklife Program is in very good keeping in Pat’s hands, and will no doubt continue to expand and deepen its impact on the people of the Commonwealth.
I will forever be deeply grateful to Virginia Humanities for affording me the opportunity to engage in work that so closely aligns with my own passions and sense of purpose. My work has led me down many a highway and crooked road alike, from the mountains of Appalachia to the shores of the Chesapeake, allowing me to experience and deeply engage with the incredibly rich and diverse cultures teeming from both rural and urban centers along the way. I have always asserted that Virginia is a folklorist’s dream, and it has been an honor to serve as your State Folklorist for all these years.
May you all stay well and safe, and I’m looking forward to continuing our journey together.
From left, Michael Doucet, David Doucet, Mitch Reed, Kirk Sutphin, Chester McMillian, Scott Fore and Jon Lohman. Michael and David Doucet and Mitch Reed visited guitar player Chester McMillian at his Mount Airy home on 6/16/16. Photo by Pat Jarrett/The Virginia Folklife Program
Jon Lohman on harmonica joins Eddie Bond on fiddle and a cadre of other musicians. The weekly jam session was filled at the Fries Community Center Theater in Fries, Virginia on Thursday, 6/16/16. Pat Jarrett/The Virginia Folklife Program
Oyster-shucking sisters Clementine Macon and Deborah Pratt faced off in head-to-head competition. Pratt won on the final oyster. More than 1,000 came to the Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Showcase at James Monroe’s Highland on Sunday, May 15, 2016. Pat Jarrett/Virginia Folklife Program
Virginia state folklorist Jon Lohman greets the audience at the Embassy of Cabo Verde in Washington, D.C. as part of a cultural exchange on 10/26/17. Pat Jarrett/The Virginia Folklife Program
Jon Lohman with master of bluegrass fiddle Buddy Pendleton. Photo by Pat Jarrett.
Jens Kruger adjusts Jon Lohman’s hat. Thousands visited Felt’s Park for HoustonFest, a celebration of the memory of musician Houston Caldwell, in Galax on 5/3/14. Pat Jarrett/Virginia Folklife Program
From left Roger Sprung, Folklorist Jon Lohman and “Tomato” Fred Swedberg eat at the Roadkill Cafe. Photos from the 78th Galax Old Fiddlers Convention taken at Felt’s Park in Galax on Wednesday, August 7, 2013. Galax is the oldest and largest fiddlers convention in the United States.
Photo by Pat Jarrett/The Virginia Folklife Program
The Institute for Public History offers meaningful, hands-on, and paid internships for students and recent graduates of the University of Virginia. The Virginia Folklife Program is lucky to host three students this summer: Anderson Moss, Kaity Wasinger, and Kate Wietor.
The Greater Bristol Folk Arts & Culture Team is thrilled to announce the recipients of its grant and fellowship program to support folk arts and culture in the region.
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