See all Grant & Fellowship Recipients
Donna Ray Norton
Recipient Information
Location
Weaverville, North Carolina
Medium
Ballad Singer
Year of Award
2026
Grant or Fellowship
Emerging Traditional Artists Program
Grant Amount
$5,000
Donna Ray Norton is an eighth-generation Appalachian ballad singer from Madison County, North Carolina, whose lineage includes some of the region’s most influential tradition bearers. A nationally recognized performer and culture bearer, she shares and sustains Appalachian song through performances, recordings, and community-based teaching, ensuring the continuation of this living tradition for future generations.