Asheville – Hurricane Helene swept away a lot of worldly possessions. The greatest crime was it also swept away the things people could do with those material objects. Creating and contributing is what makes us human, so for many sitting in tents or shelters, jobless and without tools, the only thing they may have felt they were creating was jobs for therapists.
Enter Nicholas Edward Williams.
He’s a folk musician and musicologist with a podcast dedicated to conserving Appalachian song. Appalachian music is a melting pot rich in diverse cultures, and it’s been cooking for centuries, taking in song and dance transmitted person-to-person, mixing European melodies with Native American dance and African rhythms. Williams’ American Songcatcher documentaries trace the roots of local, traditional music back to its blues, bluegrass, jazz, country and western, gospel, and old-time roots to weave a narrative leading to today’s performers. He calls it “playing it forward.”
He’s also a storyteller and multi-instrumentalist who has toured the United States, Western Europe, and Australia and opened for big names in the Appalachian industry. His newest release, Rags, Folk & Blues, Oh My!, features turn-of-the-century songs and is slated for release in 2025.
Williams acted on an inspiration that came when he couldn’t sleep thinking about all the hurrican victims who had lost instruments. He launched ReString Appalachia to be “dedicated to getting quality instruments back in the hands of those who lost them due to Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton.” Not only did individuals lose expensive or heirloom instruments, but some artists lost warehouses and whole studios full.
Williams said people use music to understand themselves and their environment. Helene traumatized many, but it took away musicians’ coping mechanisms as well. Many lost not only a means of self-expression and connecting with their roots; they lost a source of income. Williams’ website explains, “ReString Appalachia is committed to harnessing music’s unique power to heal, uplift, and economically sustain Appalachian communities.
Currently, ReString Appalachia has the support of over 200 partners. Big-name celebrities backing the effort include Béla Fleck and Steep Canyon Rangers. The long list of corporate supporters impressively includes Collings Guitars as well as local businesses like Asheville Guitar Pedals, the Jones House, and WNCW. Other groups actively keeping the effort moving include nonprofits like the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area and the Jazz Foundation of America. Non-musicians can help, too, by making tax-deductible donations to pay for items like strings and tuners, as well as shipping, travel, and admin.
People willing to donate instruments or musical gear of any kind are invited to visit AmericanSongcatcher.com/ReStringAppalachia. Pushing the “Donate Instruments” button will lead them to a form that prompts for contact information and the number and type of instruments being offered. Other questions concern the make and model, condition, and estimated value of the instrument and whether or not a padded case is included.
Those who have lost their musical instruments would push the “Receive Instruments” button. Similar questions are asked about the instruments lost. In addition, more colorful questions are asked, such as whether they’re beginning or experienced, whether they play for business or pleasure, which musician influenced them most, and how they were directly affected by either hurricane.
Heavy-duty donors, like luthiers, and organizations that suffered large-scale losses, like schools, are asked to skip the forms and email ReStringAppalachia@gmail.com.
Williams’ goal is to hand-deliver as many musical instruments as possible by early 2025. One-on-one, in-person connection is important to Williams. He wants to be able to talk to recipients, share eye contact, and feel their emotions. This, he says, will help match them with instruments.
He admits the donor instruments won’t be the same. They won’t have the provenance or personal memories of the old instruments, but they’ll be a good match for embarking on a future of beautiful new creations. Also, he said almost all recipients want to share the moment of gratitude with the compassionate donor who sacrificed great or small to help put their life back together.
Within two weeks of launching, Williams had already received a wide variety of instruments. Five weeks later, he had received well over 300 requests, and had fulfilled 83. He now hopes ReString Appalachia will live on as a 501(c)(3) to help musicians in future disasters and support other causes like giving instruments to disadvantaged children.
The world may never know how much good comes from Williams’ decision to run with a good idea.