McCracken County High School senior Sam Lynn has received the Kentucky Arts Council’s 2026–2027 Folk and Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Grant to study bluegrass music with accomplished musician and educator Scott Napier.
The grant supports the continuation of Kentucky’s living traditional arts by pairing an experienced mentor artist with a developing artist. Bluegrass music originated in Kentucky and remains closely connected to the state’s cultural heritage.
Lynn, a 17-year-old musician from Paducah, has studied bluegrass music since he was 5 years old. He began taking private fiddle and guitar lessons at Time on the String Studio and Allen Music Shop in Paducah.
He has since shared the stage with nationally recognized artists and groups, including The SteelDrivers, Trey Hensley and Rob Ickes, Wayne Henderson, The Wheelhouse Rousters, S.G. Goodman and The Travelin’ McCourys.
Lynn is also an active participant in the International Bluegrass Music Association’s audition-based Kids on Bluegrass program. Through the program, he has performed at the annual World of Bluegrass Conference and Festival in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Chattanooga, Tennessee.
“This grant will help me move forward in my music education, especially as I get ready for college and the future,” Lynn said. “I’m excited for this chance to work closely with Scott Napier, a professional musician, learn from his experience and hopefully do my part to preserve bluegrass music.”
Napier, a Hazard native, serves as coordinator of the Capital Bluegrass and Traditional Music Program at Owensboro Community and Technical College. He began a nine-year professional apprenticeship with Kentucky bluegrass legend Larry Sparks when he was 17 and has since built a career as a professional musician and music educator.
Napier performs at festivals and recording sessions and leads educational programs across the country, including programs at the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Owensboro.
“I am honored to have been selected for the Kentucky Arts Council’s Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Grant,” Napier said. “It is a privilege to have the opportunity to work with Sam, whose natural talent and genuine dedication make for an exceptional combination. I look forward to beginning this apprenticeship and sharing in the growth and preservation of our musical tradition.”
During the yearlong apprenticeship, Lynn will compose an original song and join Napier for several public performances in Paducah and Owensboro. The performances will be free and open to the public.
After graduating from MCHS, Lynn plans to attend East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee, where he will study Bluegrass, Old-Time and Roots Music through the university’s Department of Appalachian Studies.
The apprenticeship will allow Lynn to further his music education and prepare for his future while helping preserve and advance bluegrass music—a Kentucky-born art form—for future generations.