Folk meets rap: APSU’s Fiddlin’ Peayple shares stage with Moneybagg Yo

By: Ethan Steinquest October 4, 2024

APSU’s folk music ensemble, Fiddlin’ Peayple, opens for rapper Moneybagg Yo at F&M Bank Arena on Sept. 19. From left: Channing Wright, René Villarreal, Mattie Smith, Ethan Vaughn, Olivia Zerkle, and Zach Lowery. | Contributed photo by Cody Hegler

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - What happens when you mix folk music with a rap concert? Just ask Fiddlin’ Peayple, a student-led ensemble from Austin Peay State University that won over thousands of Moneybagg Yo fans at F&M Bank Arena with a setlist of “folkified” pop hits.

The group won a slot opening for the platinum-selling rapper at the inaugural Peayple’s Concert after placing first in the Battle @ Browning, a musical competition hosted by the Division of Student Affairs.

Fiddlin’ Peayple’s lineup for the Battle @ Browning included students Kae George, Zach Lowery, Mattie Smith, Ethan Vaughn, and Olivia Zerkle, along with alumni René Villarreal and Channing Wright.

“I can’t express the awe and pride we felt when the Fiddlin’ Peayple earned that spot,” said René Villarreal, an alum who performed with the ensemble at both events. “For the Battle @ Browning we decided to play our strongest, most crowd-pleasing songs, and we ultimately came to the same conclusion for the arena show: play the music we play well and have fun doing it.”

Senior music education and performance major Olivia Zerkle performs with Fiddlin’ Peayple at F&M Bank Arena. She said being part of the ensemble has made her more comfortable with live performances, and the event was her first time singing in an arena. | Photo by Sean McCully

Fiddlin’ Peayple’s arrangements for the show brought in more rock influence while keeping their signature sound. They performed music by artists from Cage the Elephant to Dolly Parton.

“No one expected to come to a Moneybagg Yo concert and hear us play Jolene,” said senior music education and performance major Olivia Zerkle. “There were some confused people in the audience, but once we started rolling everyone got into it - and it exposed the crowd to a type of music they might not normally listen to.”

Junior music liberal studies major Ethan Vaughn performs with Fiddlin’ Peayple at F&M Bank Arena. Joining the ensemble has helped the percussionist rediscover a passion for guitar and grow more comfortable singing. | Photo by Ralph Acosta

The performance was also an adjustment for the ensemble, which was playing for its largest crowd to date while navigating an unfamiliar stage setup.

“Because it was set up for a rap show, there was a row of 18-inch subwoofers on the bottom of the stage - which isn’t recommended for folk music, especially with a kick drum,” said junior music liberal studies major Ethan Vaughn. “That was one of my favorite parts. When I started playing, I couldn’t hear my kick drum, but I could hear it bouncing off the back of the venue.”

Although some of the students were nervous about playing for an arena-sized audience, hours of rehearsals and an impromptu jam session helped them take the stage with confidence.

APSU alum Channing Wright performs with Fiddlin’ Peayple at F&M Bank Arena. Wright was one of the ensemble’s original members and coined its name. | Photo by Sean McCully

“I loved the time we spent together before the show just singing and having fun,” said Channing Wright, an alum who performed with the ensemble at F&M Bank Arena and the Battle @ Browning. “That made the five-hour drive [from East Tennessee] worth it. A close second was the feeling I got on stage when people were yelling ‘Shaggy, Shaggy’ over and over.”

Junior music education major Zach Lowery performs with Fiddlin’ Peayple at F&M Bank Arena. He also coordinated the ensemble’s entry into the Battle @ Browning, which earned them their spot opening for Moneybagg Yo. | Contributed photo

Junior music education major Zach Lowery said several audience members were cheering and singing along, which made it a more meaningful experience for him.

“As a classically trained bassist, it’s nice to play a different type of music,” he said. “I’ve also never been the kind of person to go out and stand in front of the public until this last year, so it’s nice to be more open and confident socially.”

The excitement Fiddlin’ Peayple felt was immediate, but they didn’t realize just how impactful their performance was until later.

Sophomore music education major Mattie Smith performs with Fiddlin’ Peayple at F&M Bank Arena. One of Smith’s favorite parts of being in the ensemble is improvising new music with fellow students. | Photo by Sean McCully

“Faculty I didn’t even know saw the show,” sophomore music education major Mattie Smith said. “A math teacher told me I did a great job at the concert, and one of my friends from high school was there too. I thought, ‘Dadgum, this is really spreading.’”

Dr. Emily Hanna Crane, professor of music and the director of Fiddlin’ Peayple, was impressed by the ensemble’s hard work and talent throughout the process.

“When I saw the video of their performance at the Battle @ Browning, I knew they would win, and I felt immense pride as a teacher and mentor when they performed at F&M Bank Arena,” she said. “The students are doing the work to make this possible, and it’s amazing to see.”

APSU alum René Villarreal performs with Fiddlin’ Peayple at F&M Bank Arena. Villarreal previously worked with the ensemble as a graduate teaching assistant. | Photo by Sean McCully

Energized by their recent successes, Fiddlin' Peayple is eager to build on their momentum and keep connecting with audiences.

“We’re just going to continue looking for places to play,” Smith said. “They don’t even have to be venues - we can go out to the park and set up and see who stops by. You can make music anywhere and people will listen.”

About Fiddlin’ Peayple

Fiddlin’ Peayple is a student-driven folk ensemble in APSU’s Department of Music that emerged from a chamber music group established in 2022. The following year, it adopted its current name and shifted its focus.

Students from any major are eligible to join the ensemble with permission from their instructor and can contact Crane at 931-221-6262 or cranee@apsu.edu for more information.