About Flatwater Tales Storytelling Festival

 Bil Lepp is an award-winning storyteller, author, and recording artist.  His humorous, family friendly tall-tales and stories have earned the appreciation of listeners of all ages and from all walks of life. 

Bil Lepp is an award-winning storyteller, author, and recording artist.

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He’s the host of the History Channel’s Man TVs History series, the occasional host of NPR’s internationally syndicated Mountain Stage, and a contributing columnist to the West Virginia Gazette-Mail.

 Bil’s 28 books and audio collections have won awards including the PEN Steven Kroll Award for Children’s Book Writing, Parents’ Choice Gold awards, and awards from the National Parenting Publications Assoc., and the Public Library Assoc. 

In 2011, Bil was awarded the National Storytelling Network’s Circle of Excellence Award. Lepp has been featured 19 times at the National Storytelling Festival, and performed at major storytelling festivals around the county, at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, and at corporate events and functions. Lepp has been featured on, and hosted NPR’s internationally syndicated Mountain Stage. 

 As a storyteller, Elizabeth Ellis doesn't mince words. Filled with hilarious and poignant honesty, her stories deliver down-home wisdom, southern style. Hers is a voice that finds the heart and the funny bone, riveting audiences of every age wherever she goes.

Elizabeth is a recipient of both the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Circle of Excellence Award from the National Storytelling Network. She is a frequent favorite at the National Storytelling Festival and the Teller-In-Residence Program of the International Storytelling Center. More than half a million children have been mesmerized by her stories during her thirty-five year career as a teller. Adults fall under her spell as well. Her keynotes filled with story have energized and inspired people from public defenders to those who work in child abuse prevention. 

 A sought-after story teacher and coach, Elizabeth offers workshops, master classes and weekend intensives for all who use the power of storytelling in their work. She is the author of From Plot to Narrative, which received Anne Izard and a Storytelling World Awards. With Loren Niemi, she is the co-author of Inviting the Wolf In: Thinking About Difficult Stories. 

 Josh Goforth must have been born musical—he was already playing piano in church at the age of four.  He has toured extensively with a variety of ensembles, including the ETSU Bluegrass band, David Holt, Laura Boosinger, and with several bluegrass bands like Appalachian Trail, the Josh Goforth Trio, the Steep Canyon Rangers, Open Road and Carolina Road. He has performed in all 50 US states, all over Europe, Asia, and Australia. In 2000, 2003, and 2005, he was named Fiddler of the Festival at Fiddler's Grove and, after winning the third title, was designated "Master Fiddler" and retired from that competition. He has performed at the Grand Ole Opry, the Lincoln Center, as well as Carnegie Hall. In 2009 he was nominated for a Grammy for his album with David Holt entitled "Cutting Loose". He currently is on faculty at the Academy for the Arts in Asheville and performs all over the world.  

 Sheila brings stories, historic individuals, new ideas, new perspectives and old knowledge to schools, libraries, professional organizations, museums and churches.  A favorite at festivals both nationally and internationally, Sheila has been recognized and honored for her artistry with fellowships and residencies at prestigious venues.  

Within History’s Alive! Sheila provides: storytelling programs, historical consultant work, storytelling and history workshops,

historical character presentations, and professional development

at schools, churches, libraries, museums, conferences, and festivals and for professional, civil, historical, and ministerial organizations nationally and internationally.  Beginning in  2003 Sheila has been distinguished and recognized as an exceptional artist with several fellowships and residencies