Image and Presentation

Ten or twelve years ago all my storytelling promotional materials said, "Stephen Hollen, Appalachian Storyteller".  That is who I was and (I thought) what I did.  I was and still am proud to be an Appalachian.  I am a mountain boy through and through.

I thought it odd that no one ever contacted me to tell other types of stories.  I had a great program of Cinderella stories from around the world.  I even dressed in an evening coat with vest and cravat to tell the stories.  Audiences loved the program.  I seldom did that program.  The same was true for my Celtic and patriotic programs.

Then I had a revelation!  I was promoting myself as an Appalachian Storyteller.  As venues looked for a program they would pass over me because they weren't looking for an Appalachian program that day.  When I changed my marketing materials to "Stephen Hollen, Storyteller" I started getting more contacts for other types of programs.  I still told my Appalachian stories, Jack Tales and my Cousin Peanut stories.

What had changed was what others saw when they were looking at my materials.  I was no longer perceived as only telling one sort of stories.  Don't think that I stopped marketing and let the gigs roll in with that simple change.  It still took work to get gigs.

Occasionally I was and still am asked to tell mountain stories and appear in "hillbilly" clothes... ragged shirt or long john shirt, worn out overalls and work boots.  I always decline.  There are several reasons I decline:

• I will not foster the image of a "Lil Abner" or "Jethro Bodine".  I am educated, successful and Appalachian.
• I do not wear that type of get up in real life, so why would I wear it as a storyteller?
• That image is a stereotype that does implies Appalachians are dirty, lazy and ignorant.
• That image insults a heritage I am proud of.

All that being said, the question for you is this:
Do you box yourself into a certain type of stories with the image you promote either unintentionally or on purpose?

I used to laugh when Chuck Larkin and I would talk about his title, "The Bluegrass Storyteller"  I had lived in the "Bluegrass" area of Kentucky and knew Chuck didn't.  He told me he just liked the sound of it.  I think there were other reasons I just don't remember.  The point is, it sounded good, homey and fit Chuck without boxing him into a specific "perception" of what he did.