The collection consists of correspondence; financial, grant, and legal records; festival planning documents, program and performer information, publicity, and photographs. The records document the annual production of the Byard Ray Folk Festival between 1977 and 1987 by Betty Sue Johnson and her efforts to make the festival financially self-sufficient. The correspondence series (1977-1988) includes exchanges of letters with the manager of the Asheville Civic Center regarding dates and prices; the National Endowment for the Arts regarding grants to underwrite part of the cost of the festival; fellow festival organizers regarding planning and budget information; musicians and supporters with orders of performance; and a series of letters with the Transylvania County Arts Council regarding moving the festival to Brevard, and later ending the festival series in 1988. The financial record series (1977-1987) includes extensive information about expenses and receipts, including fees paid to performers. The records documenting the National Endowment for the Arts grants (1978-1982) include information about budgets, performers, difficulties encountered, as well as information about future plans and needs. Similar information is found in grant applications to the North Carolina Arts Council (1979-1987). The papers also include a grant application on "Factors Influencing a Family's Transmission of their Musical Heritage" (1980). The performer information series includes information about band members, instruments, previous awards, and other information apparently used to introduce performers.