Storyteller and folklorist Gary Carden is coming to the We Piddle Around Theater in Brundidge for the annual June Buggin’ Tale Tellin’ on June 9 and 10.

Carden is regarded as an Appalachian Garrison Keillor. He grew up with cows, June apple trees, comic books, the Farmers’ Federation and Saturday movies.

He told his first stories to 150 white leghorn chicken in a dark chicken house when he was six years old.

“The audience wasn’t attentive and tended to get hysterical in the dramatic parts,” Carden said laughing. “It was an auspicious beginning but here I am many years later.”

Nationally acclaimed storyteller Sheila Kay Adams has performed at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee many times and has seen and heard tellers from all over the world.

“They are some of the best storytellers to walk on stage but my favorite storyteller is still Gary Carden,” Adams said. “He doesn’t perform. He talks – with a heart full of mountain and a mouth full of real. Nothing can beat that.”

Carden is also an author and playwright. He wrote the one-woman play, “Birdell, that was so well received at the We Piddle Around Theater in the summer of 2008.

Carden will “talk” at the Ladies’ Luncheon at 11:30 a.m. on June 9 and at the Box Supper Show at 6:30 p.m. on June 10.

Tickets are $20 for each performance will include pre-show music, the lunch/box supper and the storytelling event. Group rates are available. Tickets are on sale at Rue’s Antiques in Brundidge or by calling 334-735-3125 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.

For more information, call 334-670-6302 weekdays and 735-3675 all other times.