Appalachian History

“The 1927 Sessions in Bristol [TN] were so successful artistically and in terms of commercial sales,” says Dr. Ted Olsen, interim director of East Tennessee State University’s Center for Appalachian Studies and Services, “that the other labels said, ‘Aha, Victor is doing something really smart’ … by going to the mountains to get the music [...]

Yes, Nashville has the Grand Ole Opry and the big name recording artists. But Bristol, the town that straddles the Tennessee/Virginia border, stakes its claim as the birthplace of country music. And lately Bristol’s been working hard at capitalizing on that fact. This weekend, for example, the town expects 40,000 country and bluegrass music fans [...]

Got in a little trouble at the county seatLord they put me in the jailhouse for loafing on the streetWhen the judge heard the verdict I was a guilty manHe said forty five dollars or thirty days in the canThat’ll be cash on the barrelhead son you can make your choice you’re twenty oneNo money [...]

The 80th annual Mountain Dance and Folk Festival got underway last night in Asheville, NC. It’s the oldest continuously running folk festival in the United States. “Even the moon came out over Beaucatcher Mountain and laughed in the spirit of the occasion,” said one of the local newspapers at the inaguaral festival in 1928. What [...]

I said T for Texas T for Tennessee Oh, yeah, I said T for Texas T for Tennessee Said, T for old Thelma The gal who made a wreck out of me Well, if you don’t want me momma You sure don’t have to start Ah, if you don’t want me momma You sure don’t [...]