Instrument Making
Sparta, NC
Photo: Pat Jarrett/Virginia Humanities
Seventeen-year-old Karlie Keepfer from Alleghany County, North Carolina, has been described as an old soul by many, so it’s no surprise she became an enthusiastic student and, later on, an instructor of traditional Appalachian music through the AJAM (Alleghany Junior Appalachian Musicians) program. Keepfer sings and plays clawhammer banjo with her band, Karlie Keepfer and Smokey Holler. One of Keepfer’s favorite pastimes is frequenting the many fiddler’s conventions of Southwest Virginia and northwestern North Carolina where she—more often than not—walks away with blue ribbons in folk song, banjo, and dance. While she enjoys the accolades, the thing she enjoys most about these gatherings is the camaraderie of fellow musicians and friends she has met along the way. In 2021-22, Karlie worked closely with her mentor and master luthier, Chris Testerman of Independence. Under his guidance and with the support of the Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Program, she built her first banjo. Upon graduating high school in 2023, Karlie plans to obtain a degree in construction engineering. She hopes to keep traditional music as an integral part of her life.