Monarch Artist Feature: Blakeley Burger

Kelsey Knott • Photos By Matt Johnson

In the traditional bluegrass scene, Blakeley Burger is here to evolve the music and keep it alive.

A deeply-rooted Kentuckian dating back 14 generations in her family, Burger acknowledges Kentucky as the hotbed of traditional fiddle music for centuries. She accompanies several local groups: Kelsey Waldon, who recently toured in Europe; YAPA, a Latin band; and her own feminist old-time project, Man Eater, with Grace Rogers and Nadia Ramlagan. “We play traditional regional folk songs and fiddle tunes from around Kentucky. We’re all super passionate about traditional music and find these obscure recordings and try to revive them. There was a lot less documentation of women back in the day, so it's vital to try to pull these recordings of women back into the forefront and keep music alive that might just be sitting in an archive for the next hundred years otherwise.”

In addition to Man Eater’s new record coming soon, you’ll hear Burger on tracks in genres outside of bluegrass, like Moose Loon’s singer-songwriter “Do You Feel Me?” and Waffodill’s hip-hop “Hot Days,” as well as two other tracks on that album. “I love collaborating and providing support to artists who connect to country music but are modernizing. As my mentor John Harris says, ‘In order for traditional music to survive, it has to evolve.’ That’s how I view my role in a lot of these groups.”

Beyond using The Monarch as a rehearsal space, Burger gives back to the community by offering weekly fiddle lessons to all ages. “A huge part of the Kentucky fiddle tradition is centered around passing the music on to the next generation. Mark has been generous in allowing me to use the space to teach kiddos fiddle, basic music theory, and a good introduction to music education that really everybody should have.” For Burger, her uncle taking her to fiddle lessons when she was young allowed her to carry on Kentucky’s long-standing traditional history of fiddle music. Furthermore, her experience in public school allowed her to find community in the orchestra. “It’s interesting that traditional music is not integrated into the school system even though Kentucky fiddling is so vital to our culture, and always has been, but so many kids haven’t been exposed to it. It’s rewarding to see these kids grab on to music and pursue it in the long-term. Whether or not they fully master the art form, they take away basic life skills like discipline, working through challenges, and connecting with the community through jam sessions or orchestra practice. It’s beautiful to witness.” 

While traditional music is her love, Burger hopes to inspire people to play music of any kind. “Any type of music is so vital for people’s mental health. It’s so necessary and important for connecting and bonding with people, and fostering a sense of community.”

Catch Blakeley Burger live at her YAPA and Man Eater shows in October, and learn more at the Man Eater band page.