Rita Forrester

Biography

Rita Forrester is the granddaughter of A.P. and Sara Carter and serves as Executive Director of the Carter Family Fold and Carter Family Music Center in Hiltons, Virginia—an acoustic-only heritage venue founded by her mother, Janette Carter, in 1974. Since taking over leadership in 2004, she has preserved and promoted traditional Appalachian and early country music through weekly shows, museum oversight, and the annual Carter Family Festival that draws tens of thousands of visitors annually. Under her guidance, the Fold has featured iconic performers like Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, and Marty Stuart—while honoring strict acoustic and family-based values in keeping with her grandfather’s legacy. In recognition of her contributions, Forrester received the Outstanding Virginian Award in 2022 for her tireless cultural leadership in preserving one of Virginia’s most cherished musical traditions.