The group anticipates increasing its awards next year.

FARMINGTON – The Scholarship Country Music Weekend was a success, according to Linda Latham of Jay. “The recent two day event in West Farmington raised scholarship money for our Countryfolk Music Theatre Youth Music Scholarship Award Program,” she said.

Country music performers from Franklin, Oxford and Androscoggin counties sang for youth at the Farmington Grange Hall in West Farmington. More than 200 spectators and musicians supported the Scholarship Show and Dance on Sept. 27 and 28.

Also making an appearance was country music singer and Hall of Famer, Ginger Mae Dyer, and popular “Washtub Annie” made a surprise appearance.

Latham said the Grange has asked the Countryfolk Music Theatre to do an annual show in West Farmington. “We are very pleased that it went well and are already planning next September’s Country Music Weekend to support our Youth Music Scholarship Program. It’ll be the weekend following the Franklin County Fair,” Latham said.

“We would also like to thank all the musicians and volunteers who helped put the program together as well as the donations of home baked food for refreshments,” she said.

Larry Bisbee, director of the Countryfolk Music Theatre, was the master of ceremonies for the weekend of country music shows.

Bisbee said, “Our scholarship program is very important to us. The first year we gave $100 to youth, this past summer $300, and now with the success of our recent country music show and dance weekend we will be able to give $500 in scholarships next year. “We’re very thankful for the community support to this program and the Farmington Grange for making the building available to us,” he said.

The Countryfolk Music Theatre on Route 2 in East Dixfield conducts free Country Sunday jam sessions Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend each summer. The goals of this western Maine music project are to offer venues for new and seasoned musicians and songwriters to showcase their talent and share their gift with other musicians, family and friends.

Each July there is a special Musician’s Recognition Day that recognizes all the volunteers, musicians and the awarding of the youth music scholarship awards in the memory of Maine musicians. The 2002 award was presented in memory of Jud Strunk of Farmington and Eustis and this year’s awards were presented in memory of Ralph Latham and The Pine Ridge Mountain Boys of Jay.

Bisbee said, “We are also working with Mount Blue-TV-11 in Farmington and Wilton to offer an additional venue for local talent.”

The premier show, “Musicians of Maine,” recently aired in Franklin County and is being sydicated on Communtiy Access Cable TV to more than 22,000 homes in the western Maine area. It includes the towns of West Paris, South Paris, Norway, Bethel, Rumford, Mexico, Andover, Bridgton, Harrison, Turner, Leeds, Wales, Greene, and the Skowhegan-Madison area. Any musician interested in performing should contact Larry Bisbee at 645-3705 or e-mail him at [email protected] or contact the show producer, Dick Stevens, at 645-4748 to be booked on the show.

More information about the Countryfolk Music Theatre and its Youth Music Scholarship Program can be found on the Web site at www.countryfolkmusic.com.