The Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail is investing in multiple new initiatives to positively impact the communities of The Crooked Road region.
The entertainment and tourism industries have been tremendously impacted by reductions in travel and large gatherings. New initiatives will enable the organization to be effective in assisting the artists and businesses of the Crooked Road region.
In March, The Crooked Road hired Carrie Beck as the organization’s new Executive Director. Beck, a graduate of Virginia Tech, comes to the organization with over 20 years of experience in marketing, sales and development in both the profit and non-profit sectors.
She has served as the Interim Executive Director since September 2019 and also assisted with The Crooked Road’s Mountains of Music Homecoming events in the past. Beck has lived in the Southwest Virginia region for over 20 years and understands the value that entertainment, outdoor recreation and the cultural artisans and musicians bring to the quality of life for the region.
“Coming to The Crooked Road is an incredible opportunity. Through my involvement with Mountains of Music Homecoming, I became invested in the heritage music. I believe in this organization and most importantly in the impact of heritage music, venues and musicians to this region. I look forward to working closely with all Crooked Road constituencies, from the potential tourist to regional artists. Great things are on the horizon with The Crooked Road,” said Beck.
Her leadership has been critical in navigating recent uncharted waters. The Crooked Road received Payroll Protection Program funding to retain office staff necessary to continue a scaled-down operational model.
Grants have helped ensure the stability of the organization during the pandemic. Grant funding enabled The Crooked Road to develop a strategic plan to strengthen all aspects of the organization. This plan will position The Crooked Road to effectively market the music and venues of the region to produce economic impact for the communities of the region through spending by visitors.
The Crooked Road is supported by recent grants and funding from the Virginia Department of Community Development, Virginia Commission for the Arts, Virginia Tourism Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts for general operating, marketing and programming.
The Wayne C. Henderson Scholarship Fund has also granted The Crooked Road funds to support youth music education. Present and past support has also come from the Virginia Tobacco Revitalization and Reinvestment Commission, Appalachian Regional Commission, Thompson Foundation and Ratcliffe Foundation.
Larry Yates, President of The Crooked Road’s Board of Directors, said, “The Crooked Road is one of the best known travel brands in Virginia. The organization continues to contribute to the economic impact of the region by assisting working musicians, supporting live concert venues and providing potential visitors with information on the area. All the strategic planning and investment in refocusing the mission and vision will ensure that TCR contributes positively to Southwest Virginia and Virginia as a whole.”
The Crooked Road is a 330 mile driving trail through the mountains of Southwest Virginia that connects nine Major Venues and over 60 Affiliated Venues and Festivals that visitors can enjoy every day of the year. Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail: The Crooked Road is also a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization founded in 2004 whose mission is to support economic development in Southwest Virginia by promoting this region’s rich heritage of traditional music.
More can be found at The Crooked Road website, www.thecrookedroad.org, by email at info@thecrookedroad.org or by calling (276) 492-2400, ext. 2409. Southwest Virginia visitation information can be found at www.myswva.org.
