Bio
Karly Dawn Milner (Higgins), from Rowan County, Kentucky, sings, writes and plays guitar, banjo, dulcimer, cello and fiddle. A mountain born singer that loves early country and old time music and teaching this music to the next generation. Having learned from many of the living masters of the genre, Karly Dawn loves to share her repertoire and entertain like no one else.
Karly Dawn and HillFolk play a lively mix of Kentucky County and Oldtime music. KD played rhythm guitar and sang with the Clack Mountain String Band for many years, and has performed with many of the traditional musicians from Kentucky and beyond. Her performances include: Merlefest, the Berea Celebration of Traditional Music, Seedtime on the Cumberland, The Carter Family Fold, and The Chicago Old Town School of Folk and Kentucky’s Red Barn Radio and a 30 minute spot on 'Kentucky Music' for PBS. Her playing and singing can be heard on PBS’s 'Appalachia Music From Home', Brett Ratliff's 'Cold Icy Mountain', on Clack Mountain String Band's 'Live', and their future record 'Morehead', and OH, KENTUCKY from KarlyDawn & The HillFolk. Karly also hosted the Americana Crossroads radio program on WMKY 90.3fm for five years as well as sit in on Saturdays for the Bluegrass shows for both Sandy Knipp and Tony Pence. Sometime and even one time HillFolk bandmembers include: Jesse Wells, Raymond McLain, Roddy Puckett, Sarah Wood, Don Rogers and Fred Sexton, Ross Whitaker and Jeremy Short.
Professional Credits include:
*Featured on KET's program 'Kentucky Music' for PBS
*Traditional Music Outreach Educator for Kentucky Folk Art Center 2010-2015.
*Radio Programmer/DJ on 'Americana Crossroads' for WMKY 90.3fm Morehead State Public Radio from 2011-2015
*Performances with KarlyDawn & Little Sarie - an East KY singing Duo
*Audio recording for PBS 'Appalachia' Documentary *Audio recording for The Chicago Old Town School of Folk on Bloodshot Records
*Featured performer at Old time, Americana and Bluegrass Festivals and theaters as well as Emcee for festivals, shows and contests.
*Faculty for the Cowan Creek Mountain Music School 2008-2022, teaching Guitar, Singing and Stringband classes.
*Conducted numerous workshops for Appalshop’s StringBand Days, JP Fraley Mountain Music Gathering and others, spanning several years
*Singing workshop instructor and festival organizer for Morehead Old Time Music Festival
*Appeared in a documentary MTV movie, "The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia" playing mountain music for The Dancin' Outlaw, Jesco White
