Preserving ‘The Fabric Of Our Lives’: NC Music Office Aims To Foster Homegrown Artists & Events

North Carolina takes its music seriously. So much in fact that the Tar Heel State created the North Carolina Music Office to advocate for musicians at the state and federal level, provide grants for local arts organizations, support music education and use legislation to bolster development of the homegrown music industry. 

The NC Music Office, created by former Gov. Roy Cooper, launched in 2024 and is one of only four statewide music offices in the country. It’s part of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, which manages the cultural, historical and natural assets of the state. 

“Music is a very important part of not only our state’s history and culture, but the fabric of our lives and the quality of life in North Carolina,” said Catherine Swain, the director of marketing for the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and head of the NC Music Office. 

North Carolina had the first state-supported symphony in the country and was also home to the first arts council, which launched in 1967 as awareness of the importance of the arts was becoming a national movement. Since then, the arts have become valued as one of the state’s most durable and productive assets. 

In less than a year, the Music Office has worked with PBS-NC to launch a NC music show, called “Shaped by Sound” and the office has helped musicians impacted by Hurricane Helene in late September including Western North Carolina ballad collective Nest of Singing Birds, whose small town of Marshall was nearly destroyed by flooding. 

With the start of the state’s busy festival season, the office has stepped up to sponsor three of the most prominent and promising early spring festivals, all of which are spearheaded or inspired by a prominent North Carolina musician.

“All of these artists, all of these festivals in particular, are what I would call signature North Carolina artist festivals,” explained Swain. “We’ve had long partnerships with these artists and one of the things we tried to do with these festivals was provide an educational component.”

J. Cole’s Dreamville launched in 2019 in Raleigh and this year included Lil Wayne, 21 Savage and Erykah Badu. The Music Office sponsored the All Access event at CAM Contemporary Art Museum – Raleigh’s downtown Dreamville activation – which was open to the public and offered a free day of discussions with creatives, music producers and industry leaders. In addition, the group is working on a Dreamville Day proclamation and a J. Cole mural in Fayetteville, where Cole grew up. The address of his former Fayetteville home, 2014 Forest Hills Drive, inspired the title of his 2014 album. 

The legendary Watson family’s MerleFest in Wilkesboro featured The Avett Brothers, Bonnie Raitt and The War and Treaty on April 24-27. Named in honor of bluegrass legend Doc Watson’s son, Eddy Merle Watson, the festival has been a roots staple since 1988 and a major fundraiser for Wilkes Community College.  The Music Office sponsored the Creekside Stage, which promotes NC artists and storytellers. The office also staffs a booth to promote NC music events and programs and works to amplify MerleFest in Schools.

The newest addition to the state’s festival calendar is Rhiannon Giddens’ Biscuits and Banjos, which launched April 25-27 in Durham and featured a reunion of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Taj Mahal, Christian McBride and Rissi Palmer. 

The sold-out celebration of Black music, art and culture offered a one-of-a-kind bespoke festival experience. It was created to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Black Banjo Gathering, the event that launched Giddens’ career and the formation of her band, the Carolina Chocolate Drops. The three-day event included more than 20 musicians performing at multiple venues as well as lectures, readings and free banjo lessons. As part of their activations, the Music Office had traveling exhibits about the Green Book and the NC African American Music Trail.

On April 26, the Carolina Chocolate Drops played their first show together in a decade and Giddens introduced her new band, The Old-Time Revue, at Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC). An emotional and barefoot Giddens stood at the mic with a row of acoustic instruments behind her.

“If I start, I’ll dissolve in a puddle of tears,” she said. “And we have a lot of show to go.”

Somber and triumphant, joyous and rebellious, Giddens was fearless as a performer and generous as a musical collaborator. She sang gospel a cappella with her sister Lalenja, roared through a Creole medley with bandmate Dirk Powell on accordion, and then welcomed Congolese guitarist Niwel Tsumbu for a powerful demonstration of cross-cultural storytelling. 

“Connections,” offered Giddens. “That’s what this festival is all about, connections.”

At intermission, Idia Enogieru, 29, was waiting in the lobby with her family. 

“Personally, the ability to explore a genre that I don’t get to see widely shared and do that with other Black people who are of various backgrounds is very special,” said Enogieru, whose parents are from Nigeria. “It’s inspiring. It’s a reminder that we can transform any experience.”

Biscuits and Banjos will return in 2027.  

“Rhiannon made her vision very clear and that our agency was a perfect partner to help her add value and connection to that place, Durham, and the broader North Carolina music narrative,” said Swain. “We’re excited to see how it all comes together.”