Asians Around Appalachia: From China to Appalachia

Hailing from Maryland, Cathy Fink is a two-time Grammy award winning artist and self-described "social music conductor", with works including From China to Appalachia and Bon Appétit!: Musical Food Fun. She is also a part of the long-time musical duo of "Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer", a staple in the folk and bluegrass communities. In addition to her singing prowess, Fink is a talented instrumentalist, with skills in a variety of them including the banjo and ukulele.

Chao Tian is a Beijing-born musician most known for her extreme expertise with the yang qin (Chinese hammered dulcimer). With works such as From China to Appalachia and the ensemble "Always Folk", she redefines the idea of cultural coalescence between Eastern and Western music. Tian also combines her background and passion in Unheard Sounds, a project discovering the unique ways in which immigrant artists funnel their lived experiences into music.

The Appalachian Asian Advocacy Journal is incredibly grateful to Fink and Tian for sitting down with Publisher Vic Chen for an in-depth interview into their Appalachian experience, the creation of the groundbreaking album From China to Appalachia, and how the reception for the work continues to inspire them today.