CUMBERLAND — Friends of the late Troy McKenzie and the Del McCoury family have joined together to offer scholarships for music lovers who would like to attend the upcoming DelFest Academy.
The Troy McKenzie DelFest Academy Sponsorship Foundation has been created to give five budding musicians the opportunity to attend the academy for free and receive a pass to the four-day festival. Held at the Allegany County Fairgrounds, DelFest Academy begins Sunday evening May 19 and runs through Wednesday, May 22 with the festival getting underway the following day.
“We are proud to announce the first annual open application process,” the press release said. “A sponsorship will be awarded for up to five local Allegany County singers, songwriters and musicians of any age who express interest in learning and celebrating the craft of music from world-class musicians.”
Many of the star musicians performing at DelFest come early to be instructors at the Academy.
The sponsorship fund was the idea of Darron Jones and Annie Kilcoyne, both of Cumberland, to honor the memory of Troy McKenzie who died last year following a long struggle with cancer. He was 54.
McKenzie was a music lover and DelFest supporter since the festival began in 2008. His friends knew him affectionately as Motley.
“I want people to have the opportunity to feel the love and positivity that Motley was with this sponsorship fund,” said Jones. “He was very passionate about DelFest and this is a way to honor his legacy. He never met a stranger and he was loved by so many. Motley would absolutely love the idea.”
“Troy was a big teddy bear,” said Kilcoyne. “He was a genuine, wonderful person. He was passionate about bringing people together and enjoying great music and his community and we are thrilled to honor him in this way.”
Jones and Kilcoyne developed the idea and presented it to Lisa McCoury, wife of Del McCoury’s son Rob, banjo player for the Del McCoury Band. Lisa McCory is also the director of the DelFest Academy.
“When I brought it up to Lisa she said, ‘Absolutely, we will support it,’” said Jones. “The McCourys are very much a part of our community and they want to give back.”
The sponsorships will be awarded in the form of waived DelFest Academy registration fees and a festival pass. Selection process for scholarships will be awarded 60% on the basis of financial need, and 40% on student response to the questionnaire attached to the application.
Applicants must be a resident of Allegany County, exhibit financial need, and possess a strong interest and desire to learn the craft of music and be an inspiration for others in the local community. Submissions will be reviewed by a panel of local professionals selected by the foundation board of directors. Applicants may be contacted for a follow-up interview.
Deadline for submissions is March 1 with the winners to be announced April 1.
For more information, including application links, visit Facebook under the Troy McKenzie DelFest Academy Sponsorship Fund. A Google form link is included. If you have questions, please contact organizers by email at troymckenziefund@gmail.com.
“We want this to be a program we will have year after year,” said Jones. “I would love to see someone from this county get the scholarship and become a musician and come back to play at DelFest. That would be the ultimate.
“The ability to give back to this community in Troy’s honor it’s a great way to celebrate his life and the things he loved.”