Alan Graf and his wife, Eleanor Ingram, bade farewell to the quirky charm of Floyd, Va., over two years ago. While they adored the town’s close-knit bluegrass community and mountain town spirit, they yearned to be closer to their children and grandchildren. So the couple set out for Asheville, a place that offered both fresh opportunities and the warmth of family nearby.
“It wasn’t easy leaving Floyd,” Graf reflects, “but Asheville welcomed us with open arms. This is the kind of place where people can truly be themselves. Even in the face of something as devastating as a hurricane, there’s a deep-rooted spirit of resilience and celebration here. That’s something we’ve really come to love about this place.”
Over the past two years, Graf has immersed himself in the Asheville community by using his legal expertise as a civil lawyer to make a difference. He’s offered free representation to street musicians and stepped in to assist Tropical Storm Helene victims navigate the challenges of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and unyielding landlords.
A lifelong musician, Graf also plays guitar for the band Rock While Rome Burns, blending politically charged anthems with heartfelt love songs.
But it was in the cozy mountain town of Floyd where Graf truly discovered his love for Appalachian bluegrass and old-time music.
“Being part of that tight-knit community for 10 years inspired me to create the Floyd Americana Festival, which is still going strong today,” says Graf.
Graf’s draw to the genre also inspired him to document its essence on film by producing the short documentary A Best Kept Secret: The Floyd Americana Music Scene, available on YouTube. The film offers a glimpse into the rich, friendly musical culture of the town he once called home.
For Graf, both law and music are more than passions — they’re tools for activism and ways to spark change in the world around him.
“I’m always angry on some level,” he says. “[It] traces back to my grandparents, who were killed in Auschwitz, just for being Jewish. The fact that they didn’t make it out has driven me to make the world a better place.”
Graf’s draw to activism took off during the Vietnam War when he worked alongside the Black Panthers helping organize breakfasts for migrant families in New York. He marched through the streets of Washington, D.C., with Abbie Hoffman and still found time to channel his activism into music, writing and performing political songs with various bands.
Nowadays, Graf shows no signs of slowing down. Though he’s scaled back his legal work, his days are still packed with such activities as rehearsing with his band, playing at open mics and working on a folk musical about a Jewish woman searching for meaning in her life, which he plans to release this summer.
“I believe that, despite all our hardships, we’ve got to be able to laugh and dance,” says Graf.
With that spirit in mind, Graf is inviting everyone to Asheville’s first ever Resist Dance at One World Brewing West, Saturday, April 19, 4- 7 p.m., $10 cover. The event is organized by Graf and Musicians Organizing Activist Committee; co-sponsored by Indivisible AVL.
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