Flatwater Tales returns June 2-3

Melanie StatenAnderson

The Flatwater Tales Storytelling Festival has announced the three storytellers for the 2023 performances. This annual event will return live to the Historic Grove Theater in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, on Friday and Saturday, June 2-3, 2023.

Early bird tickets will be on sale before Christmas and can be purchased online at flatwatertales.com or at the Ferrell Shop in Oak Ridge. This is a great Christmas gift for all ages.

The two-day event will feature storytellers Lyn Ford, Bil Lepp and the Rev. Robert B. Jones, each known to audiences nationwide for their wit, wisdom and abilities to make audiences laugh, cry and reminisce.

On Saturday night, June 3, Bil Lepp will perform a special Oak Ridge-themed story, “I Guess Ol’ John Wasn’t Crazy After All: John Hendrix, the Prophet of Oak Ridge.”

“A Teller of Home-Fried Tales,” Lyn Ford is a fourth generation, nationally recognized, Affrilachian* storyteller. In addition to being a writer (published in storytelling magazines and newsletters) she is a recording artist with award-winning CDs. Her “Home-Fried Tales” are folktale adaptations, spooky tales and original stories rooted in Lyn’s family’s multicultural Affrilachian* storytelling traditions. *Afrilachian or Affrilachian: of African American heritage and history, from the region called Appalachia.

Bil Lepp, a five-time veteran of the Flatwater Tales Storytelling Festival, is star of the History Channel’s “Man vs. History.” An award-winning storyteller, author and recording artist, Bil’s humorous family-friendly tall tales and stories have earned him the appreciation of listeners of all ages from all walks of life. Though a five-time champion of the West Virginia Liar’s Contest, Lepp’s stories often contain morsels of truth which present universal themes in clever and witty ways. His 28 books and audio collections have won numerous awards.

The Rev. Robert Jones Sr. is a native of Detroit and an inspirational storyteller and musician. He celebrates history, humor and the power of American Roots music. Whether he’s telling stories about growing up in his native Detroit, sharing tales about old blues musicians or inspirational stories drawn from history or scripture, the Rev. Jones loves telling stories that reach both the mind and the heart.

He is accomplished at guitar, harmonica, mandolin, banjo and fiddle and has recorded many albums of original and traditional songs.

The Flatwater Tales Storytelling Festival is a community effort led by volunteers from all three Oak Ridge Rotary Clubs.

Melanie Staten is a public relations consultant with her husband, Vince.

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