The Stidham Old Time Music Association is a nonprofit based in Tomahawk, Kentucky, built through the community around James E. Webb Musical Repair and Sales. We preserve and grow old time and Appalachian music through education, performance, instrument access, and cultural stewardship.
Our work is centered around the shop in Martin County, with a service area across northeastern Kentucky. We partner with Martin County High School for the Pick-and-Bow program and work with local families, schools, and working musicians throughout the region.
Today, this work is anchored by three connected programs: the Stidham Old Time Music Gathering, the Pick-and-Bow youth instruction program, and Webb Music Shop's ongoing repair, sales, and educational workshops. Together, these programs support music as a living practice across generations.
Our annual old time gathering in Tomahawk brings musicians, families, and visitors together for performances, workshops, and jam sessions. The gathering emphasizes accessibility, local participation, and preservation through live practice.
Pick-and-Bow provides free after-school traditional music lessons for Martin County youth ages 9-18, including instruction and instrument access. The program has been developed in collaboration with partners such as Appalshop, South Arts, and Hindman Settlement School. Special thanks to South Arts for helping fund this work for local students.
Webb Music Shop is a core program site supported by the nonprofit, where instrument repair, sales, workshops, and community jams take place. The shop continues to serve as an anchor for local music education and old time cultural continuity. Visit jameswebbmusic.com for current shop and repair information.
The Stidham Old Time Music Association is governed by a working board that uses a democratic, community-accountable approach to decision-making. Program priorities, partnerships, and events are shaped by local needs and by the board's shared commitment to long-term cultural stewardship in Eastern Kentucky.
Our leadership model is intentionally place-based: we center Tomahawk and the surrounding region, value relationships with schools and families, and support practical work that keeps Appalachian music active in everyday life, not only on stages.
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Recent regional coverage documents measurable impact across the Stidham Old Time Music Association's core programs: free youth instruction through Pick-and-Bow, continued public jams and workshops at Webb Music Shop, and the annual Stidham Old Time Music Gathering that brings performers, families, and tradition-bearers together in Tomahawk.
Through board leadership, partner support, and local volunteers, the Stidham Old Time Music Association sustains a living musical ecosystem where tradition is taught, practiced, repaired, and performed in real time by the next generation.
Donations directly support no-cost student instrument access, instruction, workshops, and community events across Martin County and Eastern Kentucky.
Recent coverage highlights Stidham Old Time Music Association programs, community events, and milestones from The Mountain Citizen.