A mural of legendary blues musician Elizabeth Cotten is coming to the Chapel Hill-Carrboro area next week.
Located on the Carrboro-Chapel Hill line at 111 N. Merritt Mill Road, the mural is part of a statewide project, dubbed the North Carolina Musicians Mural Project, to honor famous North Carolina musicians in their hometowns. The mural will be painted by Chapel Hill artist Scott Nurkin, who is also part of the statewide project.
Elizabeth Cotten was a legendary folk-blues singer, songwriter, and guitar player. She was born in the early 1890s near Chapel Hill – in an area that would later be incorporated as Carrboro. Cotten taught herself to play music on her brother’s banjo as a child, but only began publicly performing and recording in her 60s. She is renowned for her distinctive musical style, created by playing left-handed on a right-handed guitar. Many of her songs reference her early life in North Carolina, including her most iconic song, “Freight Train.”
The North Carolina Musicians Mural Project is a statewide mural “trail” envisioned by Nurkin and inspired by paintings that once hung in a popular Chapel Hill restaurant. More than a decade ago, Nurkin created portraits of famous musicians from North Carolina for Peppers Pizza, which closed in 2013. This new project reimagines those portraits as outdoor murals.
Nurkin said he has been dreaming of this project for over a decade and can’t wait to get it off the ground.
“It’s important to me for people to know that North Carolina has not only produced a wealth of talent, but some of the greatest trailblazers in American music,” Nurkin said. “Elizabeth Cotten is absolutely a part of that group.”
According to a press release from the Town of Chapel Hill, the Elizabeth Cotten mural is made possible through a collaboration among the towns of Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and the Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership.
Susan Brown, the Executive Director of Chapel Hill Community Arts & Culture, said that all three organizations share similar interests.
“We came together to fund this project because of our shared commitment to public art and to our downtowns, and out of respect for the lasting legacy and impact of Ms. Cotten,” Brown said. “We see this as a great way for local residents to celebrate her and as a gateway for visitors to learn about our rich musical and cultural heritage.”
Nurkin will begin work on the mural beginning the week of October 12 and is expected to complete it by October 19.
To learn more about the NC Musicians Mural Project, click here.
Photo via the Town of Chapel Hill.
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees. You can support local journalism and our mission to serve the community. Contribute today – every single dollar matters.
Related Stories
‹
New Mural Honors Black Leaders From Chapel Hill and CarrboroChapel Hill and Carrboro community members are now greeted by a new mural near the towns’ overlap, which honors and recognizes Black civic leaders from the two towns. The mural, located at 111 South Merritt Mill Road along the Chapel Hill-Carrboro border, was completed by artist Kiara Sanders in late September. The piece, titled ‘African-American […]
New Chapel Hill, Carrboro Mural to Celebrate Black TrailblazersWork on a new mural celebrating Black trailblazers and the influence they’ve had on the Chapel Hill and Carrboro communities will begin this week. The mural will be painted at 111 South Merritt Mill Road, “where Chapel Hill and Carrboro meet.” The mural will be on the north side of the building, which currently houses […]
Local Government Meetings: February 9-13, 2025This week in local government: residents in Chatham County push back against Flock license-plate cameras and AI data centers.
Orange County Communities to Observe Martin Luther King Day Jan. 19. Here's How it Affects Services.The observation of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 19 will affect local government services around the Orange County community. Here’s what residents can expect this year: Town of Chapel Hill Most town offices will be closed Monday. Residential trash normally collected Monday will be collected Wednesday, Jan. 21. Curbside recycling collection will […]
NCDOT Installing Pedestrian Infrastructure at 3 N.C. Highway 54 IntersectionsThe North Carolina Department of Transportation will partner with the towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro to install pedestrian and bicyclist improvements at three intersections along North Carolina Highway 54. NCDOT will begin work Monday, Feb. 2 to install crosswalks with traffic signals at the highway’s intersections with: The Kingswood Apartments complex in Chapel Hill […]
Inclusive Employer Extraordinary Ventures to Take Over CommunityWorx's Thrift ShopExtraordinary Ventures, a nonprofit that provides jobs to adults with disabilities, will add the Carrboro thrift shop to its operations.
Top Stories of 2025: In Orange County, An Anticlimactic ElectionThe municipal election was always going to be one of the top stories of 2025 in Chapel Hill - though this year's race was unusually quiet.
Orange County Communities to Interrupt Services for December Holidays (2025)Communities around Orange County will interrupt their normal service schedules during the upcoming winter holidays. Here’s what customers can expect: Town of Chapel Hill Town of Chapel Hill government offices will be closed from Wednesday, Dec. 24 through Friday, Dec. 26. Residential trash collection will not be affected. Yard trimmings will not be collected on […]
Top Stories of 2025: Flash Flooding From Tropical Storm Chantal Damages Region, Changes LivesPerhaps no singular event influenced the Orange County community's experience in 2025 more than Tropical Storm Chantal's floods in July.
'So Much Fun': Community's First 'Cardboard War' Brings Out Creativity and WhimsyThe Carrboro Town Commons was the site of a "cardboard war" on Saturday, which was created to spur whimsy and creativity among the community.
›
