Scope:
The traditional folk music of rural West Virginia is not well represented in halls of fame or by platinum record sales. West Virginia does not boast a Nashville, Bristol or Atlanta or the early commercial recording successes of these epicenters of commercial southern music. Nor has it been at the forefront of the more recent old-time music revival. The influence of West Virginia’s traditional folk music has spread more subversively. It has continued to be transmitted orally and preserved locally through legendary families like the Carpenters, the Hammons, the Georges, the Kessingers and the Wines. The music has also been recorded by a growing number of unusually dedicated and passionate folklorists and ethnomusicologists such as Alan Jabbour, Gerald (Gerry) Milnes, Ray Alden, Ken Sullivan and Carl Fleischhauer. This pathfinder is intended as a resource for those seeking to deepen their knowledge of West Virginia’s traditional folk music by becoming familiar with the music and musicians of published field recordings and the field workers who made them.
Introductory Text:
Milnes, Gerald. “Introduction.” Play of a Fiddle: Traditional Music, Dance, and Folklore in West Virginia. Lexington, Ky: University Press of Kentucky, 1999: 1-4. Print. ASU APP COLL STACK ML3551 .M55 1999
Library of Congress Subject Headings:
Highly Relevant:
- Ballads, English -- West Virginia
- Country Music -- West Virginia
- Fiddle tunes -- West Virginia
- Fiddle tunes -- West Virginia -- Braxton County
- Fiddle tunes -- West Virginia -- Pocahontas County
- Fiddle tunes -- West Virginia -- Randolph County
- Field recordings -- West Virginia
- Folk music -- West Virginia
- Folk music -- West Virginia -- Braxton County
- Folk music -- West Virginia -- Helvetia
- Folk music -- West Virginia -- History and criticism
- Folk music -- West Virginia -- Pocahontas County
- Folk music -- West Virginia -- Randolph County
- Folk songs -- West Virginia
Also Relevant:
- African Americans -- West Virginia -- Music
- Banjo music -- Appalachian Region, Southern
- Bluegrass Music
- Coal miners -- West Virginia -- Songs and music
- Fiddle tunes -- United States
- Folk dance music -- United States
- Folk music -- Appalachian Region, Southern
- Folk music -- United States
- Folk songs, English -- Appalachian Region, Southern
- Folk songs, English -- West Virginia
- Gospel music
- West Virginia
Clipping Files Subject Headings – W. L. Eury Appalachian Collection:
- Fairs and Festivals
- Folk Music
- Music-Appalachia
- Music-Banjo
- Music-Fiddle
- Music-General Musicians
- West Virginia
Library of Congress Call Numbers:
- M1629
- ML1
- ML156
- ML418
- ML3545
- ML3551
- MT262
Guides, Encyclopedias, and Dictionaries:
Abramson, Rudy and Jean Haskell, eds. “West Virginia Public Folklore” and “Augusta Heritage Center.” Encyclopedia of Appalachia. Knoxville, Tennessee: University of Tennessee Press, 2006: 906-909 and 1473. ASU APP COLL STACK F106.E53 2006
Comstock, Jim, ed. “Folklore.” West Virginia Heritage Encyclopedia Supplemental Series vol 10-11. Richwood, WVA: Comstock, 1974: 136-143. ASU APP COLL STACK ML102.C7 C28 1995
Malone, Bill C., ed. “Protest Music.” The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture, vol. 12: Music. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2006: 101. ASU APP COLL STACK F209.N47 2006
Bibliographies:
Cuthbert, John A. West Virginia Folk Music: A Descriptive Guide to Field Recordings in the West Virginia and Regional History Collection. Morgantown: West Virginia University Press, 1982. Print. ASU APP COLL STACK ML156.4.F5 W47 1982
Meade, Guthrie T., Dick Spottswood, and Douglas S. Meade. Country Music Sources: A Biblio-Discography of commercially Recorded Traditional Music. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2002. ASU APP COLL STACK ML156.4 .F5 M43
Milnes, Gerald. “Discography.” Play of a Fiddle: Traditional Music, Dance, and Folklore in West Virginia. Lexington, Ky: University Press of Kentucky, 1999: 194-195. Print. ASU APP COLL STACK ML3551 .M55 1999
Milnes, Gerald. “Field Recordings by Author, Augusta Collection.” Play of a Fiddle: Traditional Music, Dance, and Folklore in West Virginia. Lexington, Ky: University Press of Kentucky, 1999: 191-193. Print. ASU APP COLL STACK ML3551 .M55 1999
Milnes, Gerald. “Bibliography.” Play of a Fiddle: Traditional Music, Dance, and Folklore in West Virginia. Lexington, Ky: University Press of Kentucky, 1999: 183-191. Print. ASU APP COLL STACK ML3551 .M55 1999
Abstracts and Indices:
Music Index. EBSCO Host, online.
This index covers all styles and genres of music, and cites book reviews, obituaries, new periodicals, and news and articles about music, musicians, and the music industry.
Pertinent Subject Heading: Field Recordings--West Virginia
RILM Abstracts of Musical Literature. EBSCO Host,online:http://newsfirstsearch.oclc.org/
This abstract database covers music and various other fields as they relate to music, including: anthropology, dance, ethnomusicology, historical musicology, instruments and voice, librarianship, literature, dramatic arts and visual arts, music therapy, philosophy and physics, and sociology.
Pertinent Subject Heading: Country Music--West Virginia;
International Index to Music Periodicals (IIMP), online: http://music.chadwyck.com/
This is a comprehensive music index that includes abstracts, and that covers everything from scholarly studies to the latest genres.
Pertinent Subject Heading: Field Recordings--West Virginia
America: History and Life. EBSCO Host, online.
Provides citations and abstracts on United States and Canadian history and culture, including Popular Culture, American Studies, Literature/Folklore, Genealogy, Women’s Studies/Gender Studies, Multicultural Studies, Interdisciplinary Studies, Anthropology, Sociology, History of Science, Economics, Business, Education, Music, Art, and Law.
Pertinent Subject Heading: West Virginia
Biography and Genealogy Master Index, online: http://galenet.galegroup.com/
This is a comprehensive index to more than 12 million biographical sketches, covering both contemporary and historical figures throughout the world.
Journals:
Old-Time Herald. ASU APP COLL STACK ML1. O35
Folk Music Journal. Online: JSTOR
Goldenseal. ASU APP COLL STACK F241. G64
Old Time Music. ASU APP COLL STACK ML1. O53
JEMF Quarterly. ASU APP COLL STACK ML1. J55
Bluegrass Unlimited. ASU APP COLL STACK ML1. B68
“Reviews: ’Banjo Legacy’.” Old-Time Herald 1991: 41-42. ASU APP COLL STACK ML1. O35
Websites:
American Song Database
amso.alexanderstreet.com
Augusta Heritage Center
www.augustaheritage.com
Database of Recorded American Music (DRAM)
www.dramonline.org
Fiddle Tunes of the Old Frontier: The Henry Reed Collection http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/reed/
folkstreams.net
www.folkstreams.net
Internet Archive
www.archive.org/details/78rpm
Music Online
http://muco.alexanderstreet.com (through ASU catalogue)
Oxford Music Online
www.oxfordmusiconline.com (through ASU catalogue)
Roots of American Fiddle Music
www.1001tunes.com
The Field Recorder’s Collective
http://www.fieldrecorder.com
The Old Time Music Webpage
www.oldtimemusic.com
Audio and Video Sources:
Carpenter, Ernie, Michael Kline, and Gerald Milnes. Old-time Fiddle Tunes from the Elk River Country. Elkins, WV: Augusta Heritage Records, 2001. Sound recording. ASU APP COLL STACK CDisc #880
Diller, Dwight. Fabulous Festival Favorites: Field Recordings. Hillsboro, WV: Yew Pine Mountain Music, 2002. Sound recording. ASU APP COLL STACK CDisc #883
Douglas, Wilson, and Gruder Morris. Hot from the Kitchen: A Collection of 1973 Field Recordings. Spencer, WV: Roane Records, 1990. Sound recording. ASU APP COLL STACK CDisc #117
Fleischhauer, Carl, Alan Jabbour, and Family Hammons. The Hammons Family: A Study of a West Virginia Family’s Traditions. Washington: Library of Congress, Recording Laboratory, 1973. Sound recording. ASU APP COLL STACK ML3545 .A317 Rec. #99
Fleischhauer, Carl, Alan Jabbour, Maggie H. Parker, Burl Hammons, Sherman Hammons, Lee Hammons, and Mose Coffman. Shaking Down the Acorns: Traditional Music and Stories from Pocahontas and Greenbrier Counties, West Virginia. Somerville, MA: Rounder Records, 1973. Sound recording. ASU APP COLL STACK ML3545 .A317 Rec. #138
Hammons, Burl, and Dwight Diller. The Fiddling of Burl Hammons. Diller collection, 1. Elkins, WV: Augusta Heritage Center, 1995. Sound recording. ASU APP COLL STACK Tape #678
Jabbour, Alan, Carl Fleischhauer, Dwight Diller, Burl Hammons, Sherman Hammons, Maggie H. Parker, Lee Hammons, and Mose Coffman. The Hammons Family. Cambridge, Mass: Rounder Records, 1998. Sound recording. ASU APP COLL STACK CDisc #1069
Milnes, Gerald, and Robert Campbell. Fiddles, Snakes, and Dog Days. Elkins, W.V: Augusta Heritage Center of Davis & Elkins College, 1997. Videocassette. ASU APP COLL STACK VC #191
Vo Mine Bärge. Elkins, W.Va: Augusta Heritage Recordings, 1998. Sound recording. ASU APP COLL STACK Tape #974
Wine, Melvin. Cold Frosty Morning: Traditional Fiddle Tunes from Braxton County, West Virginia,1976. Sound recording. ASU APP COLL STACK ML3545 .A317 Rec. #532
Work & Pray: Historic Negro Spirituals and Work Songs from West Virginia. WVU Press sound archive, 4. Morgantown, WV: West Virginia University Press, 2003. Sound recording. ASU APP COLL STACK CDisc #910
Other Sources:
Barnett, Armin
Barton, Elmer
Bentle, Greg
Betler, Bruce
Bing Brothers
Bird, Elmer
Blake, Basil
Bonner, Patrick
Brusoe, Leizime
Burky, Fred
Burky, Norman
Burky, Vernon
Campbell, Mark
Carpenter, Ernie
Case, Clyde
Chappell, Wavie
Christian, John
Cohen, John
Coffman, Mose
Cooper, Wilmoth
Costa, Jim
Cottrell, Jenes
Cruise, Michael
Currence, Shorty
Davenport, Clyde
Davis, Joe
Diller, Dwight
Eppler, Ray
George, W. Franklin
Groce, Larry
Gum, Dona
Hammond, Lorraine Lee
Hammonds, Currence
Hammons, Burl
Hamons, Edden
Hammons, Sherman
Hammons, Lee
Hamrick, Murrell
Hatcher, John
Hedrick, Jack
Hoover, Peter
Humphreys, Mike
Huphreys, Pete
Hundley, Holley
Jabbour, Alan
Johnson, Arthur D
Kline, Michael
Johnson, Arthur D.
Johnson, Cletus
Johnson, John
Jordan, Lon
King, Tom
Knicely, Jim
Kramer, Denice Burky
Koontz, Buddy
Lloyd, Jim
Loudermilk, Charlie
Loving, John
Loving, Marvine
MacInroy, Joe
Martin, Marcus
Martin, Reed
May, William
McKinney, Bonnie
McNeill, Douglas
Milnes, Gerry
Mullennex, Ron
Mullins, Ira
Nicholas, Grace
O’Brien, Sylvia
Parker, Maggie Hammons
Parsons, Pheoba
Payne, Mark
Perry, Wayne
Phillips, Alice Burky
Phillips, Boyd
Rector, John
Reed, Henry
Samples, Mack
Sampson, Harvey
Sampson, Homer
Shafer, Lefty
Shafer, Robert
Simmons, Woody
Smith, Delano
Smith, Glen
Spencer, Kilby
Staggs, Sloan
Stepp, W.H.
Stover, Hazel
Strong, Luther
Taylor, Charles
Triplett, Jimmy
Triplett, Lee
Tucker, Stephen B.
Weeks, L.O.
White, Everett
White, Frank “Doc”
Wilkinson, Myrtle B.
Douglas, Wilson
Wine, Melvin
Winter, Charlie
Wright, Oscar
Compiled by:
Compiler: Jesse Buckwalter, 3 November 2010
Subject: