March 10th, 2024 by WCBC Radio

The Del McCoury family and friends of the late Troy McKenzie have joined together to offer scholarships to DelFest Academy. The Troy McKenzie DelFest Academy Sponsorship Foundation has been created to give five local musicians the opportunity to attend the academy for free and passes for the four-day festival. DelFest Academy begins Sunday evening May 19th and runs through Wednesday, May 22nd with the festival getting underway the following day at the Allegany County Fairgrounds.  The sponsorship fund is the idea of Darron Jones and Annie Kilcoyne, both of Cumberland, to honor the memory of Troy McKenzie who died last year at the age of 54 following a long struggle with cancer. McKenzie was a music lover and DelFest supporter since the festival began in 2008.

Annie Kilcoyne, co-founder, said the sponsorship will be awarded to five residents in Allegany, Garrett and Mineral counties. Singers, songwriters and musicians of any age who express interest in learning and celebrating the craft of music will learn from world-class musicians. Darron Jones, co-founder and member of Del’s Army,  said that it is his hope to have a musician attend the academy and come back in a few years as a member of a band and perform at DelFest…

Applicants must be a resident of Allegany, Garrett or Mineral Counties, exhibit financial need, and possess a strong interest and desire to learn the craft of music. Submissions will be reviewed by a panel. For more information, or an application, visit Facebook under the Troy McKenzie DelFest Academy Sponsorship Fund.