The Center for Cultural Vibrancy partnered with the North Carolina Folk Festival in Greensboro to produce a full day gospel celebration for the ages. On Sunday, September 12, 2021, we featured Jalessa Cade, beloved United House of Prayer Shout Band Mangum & Company, a workshop focusing on the prominent role of women in gospel music, Virginia’s powerhouse Cora Harvey Armstrong and Family, local favorites the Gospel Stars of Greensboro, and The Legendary Ingramettes in a celebration of some of North Carolina and Virginia’s finest gospel performers.
Formerly the National Folk Festival, the North Carolina Folk Festival draws more than 100,000 people to the streets of Greensboro for three days of music, community and culture. While the festival has long showcased some of the most virtuosic artists from North Carolina, the U.S., and abroad, this was the first time that they dedicated an entire day and stage to one musical genre. The result was a grand afternoon of music, praise, and fellowship engendered by this truly American music. Bringing these incredible artists together also led to some unique and exciting collaborations, such as this jubilant encounter between Magnum and Family and the Ingramettes:
