Brasstown – Local resident Carl Dreher, a beloved figure at John C. Campbell Folk School, is the subject of a newly-released mini-documentary by local filmmaker Harrison Keely.
Dreher – a magician, musician and emcee – has lived a life as colorful as his performances. From breaking a land-speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats to performing at the world-famous Magic Castle in Los Angeles, he has spent decades blending engineering, music, magic and dance into a life of joy and community. Whether on stage with his trombone, in front of a crowd with a deck of cards or behind the microphone calling a dance, Dreher’s mission has always been the same – to welcome people in, make them laugh, and show them they belong.
“I’ve always been very, very anxious to welcome beginners,” Dreher said in the film. “It doesn’t matter – come and have fun, because you’re welcome here. How can you not love that?”
Dreher has made lasting contributions to the folk school. For nearly three decades he has coordinated and led the annual Brasstown Follies – a talent show during the school’s Winter Dance Week. Dreher also served on the folk school’s board, helped lead rapper sword teams and played music for Morris dance teams.
The new 30-minute documentary traces Dreher’s journey from his childhood fascination with magic to his career as an engineer, founding HOPRA (H.O. Professional Racing Association), meeting his wife, Charlotte Bristow, and serving on the board of the Country Dance & Song Society.
As the longtime host of the Brasstown Follies, Dreher has infused the show with homemade stage props, comic routines and signature magic tricks. He said he sees performance as a way to inspire others: “I think part of the reason God put me on Earth was for people to look at me and say, ‘Well, if that idiot can do it, I can do it.’ ”
This short film is the latest in Keely’s ongoing series highlighting remarkable people in western North Carolina and beyond. Previous mini-documentaries have featured subjects such as auctioneer Tim Ryan, brain aneurysm survivor Makenna Cook, dance choreographer Bob Dalsemer, sheep shearer Charlotte Crittenden, theatre director Laurel Adams and educator George Ramsey.
The Carl Dreher documentary is now available to watch at Youtube.com/@HarrisonKeely for free.
Details: Contact Harrison Keely at hkeely@gmail.com or 828-361-0168.