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Kentucky Stars 2003

Kentucky Stars Home Page

2003 Award Winners

JAMES ARCHAMBEAULT
Awarded the Kentucky Star for Visual Arts

To James Archambeault a picture is much more than a thousand words. It is a love, a talent, and a gift. For more than 25 years Archambeault has been working as an independent photographer specializing in nature and the landscape. But before the camera found a home in his hands, he worked in the Fayette County Judge’s office, owned a restaurant, sold real estate, and served as a child advocate on the Kentucky Council on Child Abuse.

After graduating from Dusquesne University in Pittsburgh with a B.A. in Communications, Archambeault spent nearly four years as a volunteer with the Peace Corps in the Philippines and Hawaii. Upon his return to the continental United States he worked in the United Press International office in Louisville and later became the bureau chief for the Lexington office.

All those who have seen his breathtaking photographs are thankful that James Archambeault finally found his true calling. His first sale of a print took place in 1977 at a Berea art show. From there his career took off, and his works have graced the pages of national publications including Architectural Diges, National Geographic, Time-Life Books and Smithsonian Guide to Natural America. Each year Archambeault photographs and produces two wall calendars of Kentucky and Pawleys Island, the historic barrier island off the coast of South Carolina. He has also photographed four books and collaborated with Dr. Thomas Clark on three books. His series of note cards and limited edition posters feature beautiful scenes of Kentucky, horses, and coastal landscapes. His prints have been exhibited in numerous premier art shows across the country.

James Archambeault truly views the world through a camera lens and captures the beauty of all that is around him. It is a pleasure to name him a KY Star for his work in photography.

WENDELL BERRY
Awarded the Kentucky Star for Literature

“It is possible, as I have learned again and again, to be in one’s place, in such company, wild or domestic, and with such pleasure, that one cannot think of another place that one would prefer to be-or of another place at all.” Kentuckians and the literary world are grateful that Wendell Berry cannot think of another place he would prefer to be.

Born August 5th, 1934, in Henry County Kentucky, Berry still lives and works the family farm. It was at the farm that Wendell Berry and his wife Tanya raised their two children. As a lover of the land, he strives to maintain the farm that his family has occupied since the 1800’s, and to preserve the natural environment in which he lives. He graduated in 1956 from the University of Kentucky with a B.A. in English and in 1957 he received his M.A. in English.

A prolific writer, Berry has authored thirty-two books of essays, poetry and novels. He has taught at numerous universities including New York University, University of Kentucky, Georgetown College, and Stanford University under a creative writing fellowship. The Guggenheim and Rockefeller Foundations have recognized his achievements with fellowships. He has received awards from the Lannan Foundation, National Institute and Academy of Arts and Letters in 1971, and Friends of American Writers in 1975. The University of Kentucky Libraries Award for intellectual excellence in 1993, and most recently, the T.S Eliot Award have been bestowed on Wendell Berry.

Berry is a poet, essayist, novelist, farmer, teacher and scholar whose work guides many of our efforts towards sustainable and healthy communities. His life is a pursuit of what he calls “an ethic and way of life based upon devotion to a place and devotion to a land.”

It is for this devotion to life, land, and above all literature that we proudly name Wendell Berry a Kentucky Star in literature.

DR. THOMAS D. CLARK
Awarded the Kentucky Star for Literature

No one knows the history of Kentucky better than Dr. Thomas D. Clark. Born in Mississippi in 1903, Clark ventured to our state to pursue graduate studies at the University of Kentucky. It was during this first encounter that Dr. Clark became fascinated with the history of Kentucky and concerned with the lack of historic document preservation. He left the bluegrass state to complete his doctoral degree at Duke University but shortly returned in 1931.

Upon being hired as a professor at the University of Kentucky, Dr. Clark proceeded to teach courses and take on the endeavor of creating the university library’s Special Collections. After learning that important historical documents were being destroyed to make room for desks Dr. Clark succeeded in appealing to the Governor and saving the documents. These documents were then transferred to the university library. It is for this act that Dr. Clark is credited with beginning the state’s first archival system, a highly important task.

The University of Kentucky named Dr. Clark chairman of the history department in 1942. During his chairmanship he established the University of Kentucky Press. Dr. Clark continues to give back to his community through the establishment of the Thomas D. Clark Foundation, which provide financial support for the University of Kentucky Press.  Known for his humorous anecdotes and lecturing style, Dr. Clark was a highly sought after speaker. He traveled extensively to speak in the United States and abroad, speaking at such colleges as Harvard, Duke, Stanford, and overseas in Greece, India, and Yugoslavia.

Dr. Clark published his first book in 1933 and in 1937 he authored A History of Kentucky, the first book written about Kentucky history, culminating with over 30 books chronicling Kentucky’s history. He contributed his talents as editor of the Journal of Southern History, Travels in the Old South, and Travels in the New South.

He has been awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Merit Award from the Association of State and Local History, and the title of Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus at Indiana University in 1973. He received the Mississippi Historical Society’s B.L.C. Wailes Award and holds numerous honorary degrees. Dr. Clark was integral in the formation and development of the Kentucky History Center and the Department for Libraries and Archives in 1982.

In 1991 the Kentucky General Assembly named Dr. Clark as Kentucky’s Historian Laureate for life. He is the only person in Kentucky’s history to receive this honor. Clark still resides in Lexington with his wife and continues to share his great knowledge with others.

Dr. Clark once said, “And to Kentuckians of the past…Your roots are firmly planted and will be nourished in hospitable soil at the Kentucky State Archives.”

We thank Dr. Thomas D. Clark for his commitment to insuring the preservation of our state history and for creating means by which it can be shared with others. A treasure to us all, Dr. Clark is presented with a Kentucky Star in literature.

J.D. CROWE
Awarded the Kentucky Star for Music

James Dee Crowe, born in Lexington August 27, 1937, was introduced to Bluegrass music early in life. His father loved the artists Flatt and Scruggs and would often take young Crowe to their concerts and radio shows. It didn’t take long before J.D. Crowe made the transition from being in the audience to performing onstage.

His training began at the age of 13, and two years later Jimmy Martin, well known for his exacting standards playing the banjo, offered him a job. During the five-year apprenticeship Crowe was a vocalist and banjo player in Martins’ group, Sunny Mountain Boys. It was during this time that Crowe first gained national attention.

In 1961 J.D. formed the Kentucky Mountain Boys to play a steady engagement at the Holiday Inn in Lexington. 10 years later the trend setting group adopted the name J.D. Crowe and The New South. Through the band J.D. brought to public attention such young talents as Ricky Skaggs and Keith Whitley.

This legend and dean of the straight Scruggs-style school has been honored numerous times for his accomplishments and mastery of the five-string banjo. In 1983 J.D. Crowe was awarded a Grammy from the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences for the country instrumental song “Fireball”.

The International Bluegrass Hall of Fame recognized his group, the Bluegrass Album Band, as Instrumental Group of the Year in 1991, and six year later the group was awarded Instrumental Album of the Year. In 1994 Crowe was given the title of Banjo Player of the Year. Most recently the groundbreaking and influential banjo player was inducted into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor.

J.D. Crowe has influenced musicians from Kentucky to Japan with his musical style, banjo playing, lyrics and heartfelt songs. For his numerous contributions to music, J.D. Crowe is named a Kentucky Star.

BARBARA KINGSOLVER
Awarded the Kentucky Star for Literature

Barbara Kingsolver, a 2000 National Humanities Medal winner, is the author of the novel The Bean Trees, which tells the story of a young woman who leaves rural Kentucky and finds herself living in urban Tucson. Embraced by millions of readers throughout the world, the novel has never gone out of print and was reissued in 1998 in a special 10th anniversary hardcover edition. Her book High Tide in Tucson reached the best-selling list and in1998 her novel The Poisonwood Bible was recognized with the National Book Prize of South Africa. It was also a finalist for the Pulitzer and PEN/ Faulkner awards and was a selection on Oprah’s Book Club.

Ms. Kingsolver was born in 1955 to parents who were Kentucky natives. Born in Maryland, while her father was serving as a Navy doctor, the family returned to Carlisle, KY before her second birthday. A story-teller at heart, she used to beg her mother to let her tell the bedtime story. Growing up she wrote stories and essays and started keeping a journal at the age of eight.

Upon graduation from Nicholas County High School she traveled to Indiana to study at Depauw University. While majoring in biology, she took a creative writing course, and by the time she graduated in 1977 Ms. Kingsolver had already lived and worked in Europe. She then went on to receive her Masters of Science degree in biology and ecology from the University of Arizona. The position of science writer for the University of Arizona led Ms. Kingsolver to write for newspapers and journals. During this time she received the Arizona Press Club Award for Outstanding Feature Writing.

It was during the preparation for the birth of her child that Ms. Kingsolver found herself dedicated to the creation of her first book. Insomnia led her to stay up nights composing The Bean Trees, which would go on to make the New York Times notable books list and earn an award from the American Library Association.

In 2002 the National Geographic Society published Last Stand: America’s Virgin Lands, which was a collaboration between Kingsolver and award-winning photographer Annie Griffiths Belt.

Her travels allowed her to experience cultures unlike her own. These experiences allow Ms. Kingsolver to write firsthand about different psychic and geographical territories. When not writing and publishing award-winning novels she spends time with her family in Tucson and in southern Appalachia. Her talents are never ending, and her works will undoubtedly be everlasting. It is a pleasure to present Barbara Kingsolver with a Kentucky Star Award for literature.

BILL MONROE
Awarded the Kentucky Star for Music

It is not surprising that the Father of Bluegrass hails from the Bluegrass state. Born in 1911 on a farm just outside of Rosine, Kentucky, Bill Monroe was the youngest of six brothers. Growing up in a musical home Monroe became enchanted with music at an early age. But, it was his Uncle Pendleton that would teach him to play the guitar, mandolin, and fiddle.

Before long Monroe had joined with two of his brothers to play on radio broadcasts. The Monroe brothers made the charts with such songs as “ Kentucky Waltz” and “Blue Grass Ramble”. They also had a talent for dancing, and the group became dancers with the National Barn Dance. The trio became a duo when the demands of traveling became too much for Birch Monroe. The new duo recorded their first Bluebird recording with RCA in 1936. The team possessed a star quality unlike any other musical group on the Southeastern musical map. Their varied repertoire, onstage personalities, and impressive techniques made them a highly sought after act. The brothers launched a radio show in 1934 that soon had a steady following throughout the Midwest and the South. 

In 1938 the brothers parted ways to pursue their own musical paths. Bill Monroe’s path led him to found the original band, The Blue Grass Boys. The band soon found a steady gig at the legendary Grand Ole Opry playing such hit songs as “ Blue Moon of Kentucky”, the official state bluegrass song, “Uncle Pen”, and “I’ll Meet You in Church Sunday Morning.” They were so well liked that they were told by emcee George Hay, “If you ever leave the Opry, it’ll be because you fired yourself.” Bill Monroe remained a permanent fixture at the Opry for over fifty-one years.

In 1970 the Country Music Hall of Fame inducted Bill Monroe, and soon after he  was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Association International Hall of Fame. The Bluegrass Hall of Honor has also recognized him for his achievements, as did the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Bill was also awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and the National Medal of the Arts.

Not only did Bill Monroe stand out with his amazing gift for music and entertaining others, but also for his dedication to helping other artists realize their dreams and for bringing arts to the people. In 1967 Bill created the Bean Blossom Festival where he encouraged audience members to partake in “jam” sessions.

A man who drew on his heritage and background to create a new genre of music, Bill Monroe will forever be remembered for his contribution to music. He died in 1996, but the legend still lives on through all those whose lives he touched. Artists such as Ricky Skaggs and Flatt and Scruggs continue to keep his memory alive though the dedication of songs and albums. It is with great pleasure that we recognize Bill Monroe as a 2003 Kentucky Star for music.

BILL NAVE
Awarded the Kentucky Star for Theatre

Kentucky native Bill Nave is synonymous with theatre. Born in 1924, Bill was class president of the first graduating class from Lafayette High School. His involvement with theatre began after his junior year at Lafayette when he appeared on the Old Guignol stage, at the University of Kentucky, in Lysistrata.

After graduating from high school, Mr. Nave briefly worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Washington and attended UK. In 1943 he enlisted in the U.S. Navy.  By the end of the war, he was in command of his vessel. Upon returning from the Pacific, Mr. Nave moved to New York City to study voice privately at Carnegie Hall. After a year of auditioning Bill decided to return to his home in Kentucky. It was then that he re-enrolled at UK and began studies in Economics. His passion for the stage led him back to the Guignol to perform in seventeen productions for the theatre department. He wowed audiences with his powerful voice and moving scenes as an actor. At UK he had roles in such shows as Twelfth Night, King Lear, Othello, Cyrano, and The Most Happy Fella.

His talents were not limited to the stage. Mr. Nave also achieved success in the business world. He ran the Nave Insurance Agency in Versailles, served as Commissioner of Personnel for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and owned the popular Lexington restaurant Le Cafe Chantant from 1978 to 1983.

Mr. Nave loved the stage, and the stage loved him. He later took on roles in shows at dinner theatres, the Opera House, Lexington Musical Theatre, Jenny Wiley State Park, Woodford County Theatrical, and Diners Playhouse. In addition to performing, Bill loved to direct and watch his visions come to life. Under the direction of Mr. Nave popular shows such as Hello Dolly, Kiss Me Kate, and Cat on A Hot Tin Roof were brought to audiences throughout Kentucky.

Those who knew him personally have called Mr. Nave a teacher, encourager, believer in talent, director, confidence builder, guiding light, and an artist in the true sense of the word. In his later years he starred in “Bill Nave in Concert”: a Retrospective in Song, which served as a fundraiser for the now refurbished Guignol Theatre. Even though Mr. Nave is no longer with us, those who witnessed his performances will forever hear his melodic voice filling the air. It is for his dedication to entertaining Central Kentuckians and promoting the arts that we recognize Bill Nave, a man who had “ a song for everything and everyone,” as a 2003 Kentucky Star recipient in music theatre.

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