Pat Ahrens has dedicated over 40 years of her life to supporting South Carolina’s rich folk heritage by promoting bluegrass, old time country and gospel music.
A multi-instrumentalist and skilled journalist, she plays music to keep it alive, and has written numerous articles giving detailed accounts of South Carolina’s traditional musicians, both past and present. As early as 1970, Ahrens wrote a piece for the John Edwards Memorial Foundation Quarterly to educate the public about the role manufacturers such as Martha White and the Crazy Water Crystals Company played in sponsoring country music programs.
In 1975, Ahrens completed a book on Union Grove entitled "Union Grove: The First Fifty Years." Author of two books on Snuffy Jenkins and Pappy Sherrill, Ahrens is currently working on her third publication about the South Carolina music legends. She also wrote "Tut Taylor, The Flatpickin' Dobro Man" which was published in 2003. Ahrens has published articles in numerous traditonal music outlets and was instrumental in establishing the South Carolina Bluegrass and Traditional Music Association in 1991.
As an officer of the association, Ahrens continues to work to preserve, promote, and publicize South Carolina traditional country music. Ahrens received the Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Award in 1996.
