Jim Bramlett letter of support

James Bramlett
14 Duke of Gloucester Circle
Durham, N.C. 27713

North Caroline Awards Committee
N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
4601 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-4600

Dear Committee Members:

I am very pleased to join in the nomination of David Holt for the North Carolina Award.

During my 40-year career as Producer/Director at the UNC Center for Public Television I worked with David Holt on the long-running series FOLKWAYS. David’s multiple talents as musician and presenter helped launch the series in 1982. The goal was to showcase North Carolina folk artists in a television series with a statewide audience. As Producer, I relied on David’s musical knowledge, his intense interest in people, and his presentation skills to accomplish this goal. Often he was the key to putting our interview subjects at ease while a crew of strangers invaded their space.

His folksy, down-to-earth approach was an immediate hit with audiences. FOLKWAYS became the signature series from UNC-TV that featured North Carolina folk artists. David’s own reputation as a musician and storyteller helped bring a unique style and tone to the programs. Copies of the programs are now housed in Wilson Library at UNC- Chapel Hill. The series has been distributed to public television stations in other states, thus broadening the exposure of our North Carolina artists to viewers across the United States.

Since the FOLKWAYS series has ended production, David has continued showcasing music with his current series David Holt’s State of Music. For his many years of bringing this material to television audiences, David is well deserving of the North Carolina Award. He would join one of his primary collaborators, the legendary Doc Watson, in being awarded recognition for his many years of contributing to the North Carolina cultural heritage.

James Bramlett