Songs about the Appalachian Highlands

[chemist93]

I live within the listening area of WNCW. So I get to hear some old tunes. Bascom Lamar Lunsford came from the Asheville area. Alan Lomax chose him and several others to record for the Smithsonian/WPA. Lunsford is famous for 'Old Mountain Dew'.The barbershop I go to is the Drexel Barber Shop. They've had a jam session every Saturday since the 1950's. They play bluegrass mostly. They're included in the Smithsonian on an hour long film/video. The founder, Lawrence Anthony, once saw Europe during WWII. He was in the 3rd tank behind General George Patton, and was the company barber and entertainer.

[tripleblessed]

I live within the listening area of WNCW. So I get to hear some old tunes. Bascom Lamar Lunsford came from the Asheville area. Alan Lomax chose him and several others to record for the Smithsonian/WPA. Lunsford is famous for 'Old Mountain Dew'.The barbershop I go to is the Drexel Barber Shop. They've had a jam session every Saturday since the 1950's. They play bluegrass mostly. They're included in the Smithsonian on an hour long film/video. The founder, Lawrence Anthony, once saw Europe during WWII. He was in the 3rd tank behind General George Patton, and was the company barber and entertainer.

Lunsford does not get near the credit he earned. A big influence on MANY later folk.

The Drexel jam. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etn1w0U9wbE

[Tobus]

OK, not "songs" per se, but I absolutely love Appalachian music, most notably the fiddle repertoire that came from that area.

How has this thread gone on this long without mention of West Virginia fiddler Ernie Carpenter? His tune Elk River Blues is one of my favourites to play, and it has such a sad story behind it. He wrote it in lament for his homestead being flooded when they dammed up the Elk River. When we get this tune going at a jam, we just never seem to want to make it stop.




What about eastern Kentucky fiddler Hiram Stamper? He's been one of my biggest inspirations in fiddle music. Brushy Fork of John's Creek is the kind of tune that I'll play over and over and over on the fiddle and never get tired of it.

[tripleblessed]

Tobus, thanks for those links. I noticed a related video which turned out to be Hiram's son Art. I sent all three
to a friend I sometimes get to play with here in Atlanta. He sent back thanks, and said he spent a week with Art,
playing and celebrating Art's release of a CD of his dad's tunes. He was careful to note the correct pronunciation:
Harm.