Lora Melton is a solo handbell performing artist and director from Galax, VA which is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Southwest Virginia.   Lora has been performing solo for 12 years and owns a 3 octave set of Malmark handbells.   She has played for many churches in Southwest Virginia as well as many community events in Southwest Virginia.   Lora has played South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Iowa and West Virginia.   

Handbell events in which she has performed are Highland Handbell Extravaganza in Abingdon, VA,  High County Handbell Festival in West Jefferson, NC, Handbell Exploration in Hershey, PA,  VA Baptist Handbell Festival at Eagle Eyrie VA, AGEHR Area III Adult Festival in Winston-Salem, NC, North Carolina Handbell East Festival, Mebane,  and UMC Holston Conference's Annual Conference, Lake Junaluska, NC.   

Lora has directed several choirs and ensembles in the Galax and Carroll County areas.  She has also been a member of various handbell choirs in Galax, Hillsville and Wytheville.   Lora is currently a member of the handbell choir at First United Methodist Church in Galax.  In addition she has written two solo ringing articles for handbell publications and has also taught solo ringing at various handbell festivals.  

Lora is married to Dickie Melton.  Dickie is a student in the Paramedic program at Virginia Highlands Community College and employed the Galax Grayson Ambulance Service.  He is also a Fireman with the Galax Volunteer Fire Department.  Lora is employed by Twin County Regional Home Health as the agency Computer Coordinator. Dickie is a member of the Galax Chapter of the Loyal Order of the Moose and Lora hold the office of Musician in the Women of the Moose, Galax Chapter.  Lora is the webmaster for the Galax Fire Department and a member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Galax Fire Department. 

In addition to Handbell Ringing, Lora enjoys swimming, web page designing, scrapbooking, flower gardening, playing piano and spending time with Sam, their German Shepherd/Collie.  Lora graduated from Emory and Henry in 1986 with a degree in Economics and Business, majoring in Accounting and Business Management and minoring in Computer Science.