NEA National Heritage Fellows

In-depth profiles of NEA National Heritage Fellows from 1982 to the present. Materials for 1982-2007 biographies courtesy of Documentary Arts. Use of some photographs courtesy of the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives & Collections.

Man playing a banjo.
1984

Ralph Stanley

Appalachian Banjo Player/Singer
A woman holding a clay pot.
1984

Margaret Tafoya

Santa Clara Pueblo Potter
A man playing a clarinet.
1984

Dave Tarras

Klezmer Clarinetist
Portrait of older man with short hair wearing glasses, smiling.
1984

Paul Tiulana

Eskimo Maskmaker/Dancer/Singer
1984

Cleofes Vigil

Hispanic Storyteller/Singer
1984

Emily Kau'i Zuttermeister

Hula Master
Headshot of a woman with a veil.
1983

Sister Mildred Barker

Shaker Singer
Headshot of a man.
1983

Rafael Cepeda

Bomba Musician/Dancer
A man sitting on a porch.
1983

Ray Hicks

Appalachian Storyteller
A man with a hat speaking into a microphone.
1983

Stanley Hicks

Appalachian Musician/Storytell
A man playing a guitar.
1983

John Lee Hooker

Blues Guitarist/Singer
A man working on a puppet.
1983

Mike Manteo

Sicilian Marionettist
Man playing an accordion.
1983

Narciso Martínez

Texas-Mexican Accordionist/Composer
A man shapping a clay pot.
1983

Lanier Meaders

Potter
Man playing a fiddle.
1983

Simon St. Pierre

French-American Fiddler