Old Crow Medicine Show founder sings, speaks to kids in Aurora

A writer and musician known for staging his folk talents with the band Old Crow Medicine Show found a younger audience than usual when he visited an Aurora elementary school.

Ketch Secor, whose band was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 2013, sang, spoke and read at McCarty Elementary in Indian Prairie Unit District 204, where he shared his children's book, "Lorraine."

Secor was in town to speak and sign copies of "Lorraine" on Saturday at the American Writers Museum in Chicago as part of a singers and songwriters series that focuses on music, poetry and storytelling.

"Lorraine," set in Tennessee, includes themes of family and the power of music as it tells of a girl who helped sing a storm away.

With a silver acoustic guitar, Secor got kids at McCarty clapping and singing along Friday afternoon from their spots on the library floor. He read in musical tones to his young observers as he crouched for storytime with an open copy of the book.

Adults enjoyed his performance, too.

"It's really an honor to have someone here who has so much experience singing and performing music and writing. And his story for kids is great," said Rhea McVey, library media center director at McCarty.

The musician, known for founding Old Crow Medicine Show, winning the Grammy for best folk album in 2014 and writing verses to the often-covered Bob Dylan demo "Wagon Wheel," told of finding and following his passion when he was young. He encouraged students at McCarty to do the same, with a trust in their abilities.

"My favorite message from Ketch is his message that you can do anything," McVey said. "Our kids really need to hear that every day."