| The Vandalia Award, West Virginia's highest folk life honor, was presented to Mack Samples of Duck, Clay County, at
the 27th annual Vandalia Gathering. The award was given to Samples, a well-known folklorist, musician and square dance
caller, during a ceremony and concert in the West Virginia State Theater of the Cultural Center in Charleston.
The well-known Samples was formerly associated with Glenville State College, where he lost his job after "whistle-blowing"
on a former college president.
The West Virginia Division of Culture and History presents the Vandalia Award annually to a West Virginian who has made
outstanding contributions to the continuation of the state's folk heritage. The award recognizes lifetime achievement in the
performance, creation or perpetuation of West Virginia traditional arts.
The Vandalia Gathering, an annual three-day festival of traditional arts and folk heritage, is celebrated Memorial Day
weekend at the Cultural Center and State Capitol grounds in Charleston. More than 40,000 people attend the three-day
festival each year.
A native West Virginian, Samples has spent his entire life learning, collecting and sharing the traditional stories, songs, dances
and folk culture of the Mountain State. He is well known in Appalachian music and literature circles and has traveled the folk
festival circuit for a number of years as a singer, guitarist, fiddler and square dance caller.
Samples is a regular at the Vandalia Gathering, the West Virginia State Folk Festival and the Stonewall Jackson Jubilee, both
as a member of the popular Samples Brothers band and as a solo performer.
He is the author of four books set in West Virginia, including "Elk River Ghosts: Tales & Lore" (2002) and "Dust on the
Fiddle" (1997). In addition, he has written a number of newspaper columns and magazine articles on a variety of subjects
related to the traditional folk arts.
A retired West Virginia University Extension Service agent, Samples also worked as an administrator and teacher at Glenville
State College. He was president of the West Virginia State Folk Festival for nearly 20 years and has served on the West
Virginia Commission on the Arts.
Samples is the 23nd recipient of the Vandalia Award. Last year, musician Bob Kessinger of Harmony was honored.
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