Paul Smith plays the fiddle

Ron Dobler (banjo) and Sandy Knipp (guitar) jam

For more than three decades, players and fans of traditional music have gathered annually at the J.P. Fraley Mountain Music Gatherin’ in eastern Kentucky. Kentucky Muse visits the festival on “Mountain Music Gatherin’,” airing Tuesday, Jan. 22 at 9/8 p.m. CT on KET1 and Sunday, Jan. 27 at 10/9 p.m. CT on KET2.

Through interviews and rare archival footage and photos, viewers witness performances by master fiddlers, as well as rising young stars, and learn the story behind one of Kentucky’s most beloved musical traditions. Musicians demonstrate their own style of playing traditional songs, describe what the festival means to them and attempt to define “mountain music.”

“Mountain Music Gatherin’” also focuses on the unique familial atmosphere and intimacy of the festival as generations of musicians and fans reunite in parking-lot jam sessions and campground get-togethers to exchange musical ideas. The daughter of founders J.P. and Annadeene Fraley explains that promoting this method of passing on mountain music was part of her parents’ intent in creating the festival.

Kentucky Muse “Mountain Music Gatherin’” is a KET production, produced by Tom Thurman. Series producers are Guy Mendes and Teresa Day. Nancy Carpenter is executive producer. An accompanying Web site –– www.ket.org/muse –– will launch with the premiere of the program.