I’m doing some research for a project and need to know some stuff about the type of music played in the Appalachian mountains traditionally–is it bluegrass, or is it something else? Does anyone know anything about this kind of music or the culture and society, or know where I could find web info or books about it?
I took an Irish Drama class a couple of years ago in college and remember reading somewhere that during and after the Potato Famine, millions of Irish emigrated to the US and many settled in the Appalachian mountains, forming the base for the culture and music that exists there now. I’d really appreciate any info or links anyone could point me to that could tell me more about any of this.
You’ll love this. Rent the video, Songcatcher. It came out in the past few months. It’s about a woman musicologist in the 1920’s who travels to the Appalachians to study the music. There’s lots of music in the movie and a lot of discussion about its origins. There’s a really great cd available, too.
Tony
My first self-motivated forays into playing instruments (I had piano lessons under duress in junior high school) were on Appalachian dulcimer and 5-string banjo. I learn a few licks of frailing and clawhammer style. Haven’t done that in a while, except I experimented with frailing the chords to a couple of reels from McCullough’s. It sounded kind of cool, but I was chicken about posting to Clips. I still finger pick a few jigs and reels on 5-string.
Remember the movie, Sounder? Taj Mahal played some amazing syncopated banjo stuff in that movie. (He has a brief appearance in Songcatcher, playing banjo.) My roommate in the Air Force had a record album of the sound track. Fabulous. I’ve never been able to find it. I still look. There was some rhythmic hand clapping along with singing in that movie that was unbelievable.
Tony
Just goes to show ya why Bluegrass and Old Timey whistling sounds so good. Not to mention, I don’t whine so much, like I do with old rock cover songs, at playing them. It’s a natural match, after all, Celtic is the granddaddy of 'em all!
Hey, thanks, everybody, for the info. That gives me something to start with, besides the books, sheet music, videos, and CD’s I’ve ordered from the library that won’t be here for a few days.
I have another question: was/is the whistle played at all in “mountain music”? What are the primary instruments used? (I’m guessing dulcimer, banjo, fiddle…)
There is a book called The Appalachian Dulcimer Book by Michael Murphy that gives a good history of the the mountain dulcimer. Included in that is some of the history of the music in the Appalachian area.
It is written in that book that the Scottish and British immagrants also influenced the music.
African Americans also contributed to the shaping of the music too.
What I love about the mountain dulcimer is the drone sound you get from the Lower string as you play a tune which gives one the ever so slight feel of the pipes.
Happy researching… it is a fun topic…I have touched on that topic before when playing my dulcimer in classrooms.
-I worked in N.E. Kentucky
in 1973 in the wedge where
Kentucky bumps up against W. Virginia and S.E. Ohio, nearly the last gasp of the Appalachians as they continue into southern Ohio.
-Some local musicians played old-time gospel tunes, some a few bluegrass licks, some both, and some radio top 40 music. I came away convinced that mountain musical/dance styles were not uniform, but widely variable. One constant seemed to be the high harmonies still evident even in bluegrass music. The people who were treasure troves of information were mostly old then, and are now gone.- The passage of an era!
In the Appalachians of SW Virginia and NW North Carolina they mostly play old time. Make Seegar has an some excellent articles on this genre at http://www.mikeseeger.pair.com/html/oldtime.html
By the way, the genre is “old time,” not “old timey.”
Hey Cees-
well you know I’ve gotta get in on this thread since you’re talking right up my alley.
I checked out the site Ron listed and it’s mostly true to my part of Appalachia(southwest VA). I do take exception to -“agriculture usless”- we have a great deal of farm land in between the mountains, particularly in the more southern counties of sw VA., along with coal underneath. My husband’s family came here and got a land grant in the early 1700s and we still farm part of it. There were few Indians here, our region was prime hunting ground though(we still find arrowheads regularly in plowed ground). Tribes from the surrounding states, even into Ohio came here to hunt.They did often kill the settlers, capture the women and children, this happened to several of my folks. Most of the early settlers were Scots/Irish, English, and a few German Hessians who stayed after the Revolution. The English were mostly younger sons of the settlers in the eastern part of VA who knew they would not inherit. The Scots/Irish ancestors of our area came here primarliy after 1745. Long before the “famine”.They came to our mountains to be Left Alone, finding freedom to do what ever they wished, without interference from goverment.This spirit is documented in a book about Dickenson County, which you might find on the net, I don’t know. I’ll post you the site if I can find it.
I don’t think the site is acurate on it’s depiction of banjo sounds here anyway- here it has always been “clawhammer” style.
Dr. Ralph Stanly_( of recent Oh Brother, Where Art Thou fame- sang “Oh Death”) is the best example of our regional sound that you could easily find.He lives about 30 mins. from me. But not that soundtrack. Get one of his regular recordings. You will hear the high harmonies there definately. The Carter Family and Mother Maybell which are mentioned are not as much the true “older, traditional” sound strictly speaking. They had evloved the sound and made one of their own, in the true folk tradition. Their original recordings were made close by in Bristol, which is the birthplace of country music.
Ron’s suggestion of the “Songcatcher” is great. Very true to what I grew up with and still hear on occasion. You’ve gotta get it.
And Brian, the style and songs you speak of is not gone, thank goodness. If you can, tune in to WMMT out of Whitesburg, KY at the right time and you will hear it. Also in late May they have a festival - Seedtime on the Cumberlands, that is practically nothing but that sound. It’s great. Apallshop is located there and it is a great source, Cees, for what I think you might need, particularlly the old sound, that has been recorded by some old masters. I happen to have some cds from there, if I could figure out how I’d send those to you through some music service.
The Smithsonian or National Geographic made a recording back in the 60s, I use to have it, called Music of the Ozarks. It was great, and quite a bit like we play here. You might check with the library on that.
Around here, there were NO whistles. I can confidently tell you that.
Of course, my post only relates to my spot on the Appalachians. And it’s a big mountain range.
I just re-read your post and have a question-
Do you mean the society now or back when? Any specific questions?
The society is pretty closed among the people who have always lived here. Not that we are not friendly, just cautious. Especially folks in the most isolated areas who do not get out much.Their attitudes are the older ways. When I had a mail route back on Sourwood Mountain, people use to warn me to “be careful on that ole mountain.” But, when I told them how I was kin to all of them then I was ok. If you are liked there is nothing they won’t do for you, and if they don’t like you , there is nothing they won’t do to you. This is true. They are law-abiding(as long as they agree with the law,), honest,educated, religous, tough and very independent.
A few came here prior to 1745,examples- Sewell Young-married in 1735 to Burke Co. NC, Arthur Buchanan, married in MD 1762, James Smith b. 1784 in Scotland-died in KY, Jamie Sutherland immigrated here in 1760. These are ones in my history that I know of for sure.
In my area most all of the families have been here since the late 1600’s thru 1700’s .
A few Irish names are here that have been here that long too- Kelly, Kennedy. A very few of them immigrated as late as the times of the famine or even early 20th century-Maguire and O’Connor come to mind.
It seems there was little if any immigration from the British Isles to here after the end of the 1700’s.
Now there are some early 20th century Polish, Hungarian, Italian that came here in the 1900 -1920’s that were recruited to work in the coal mines. But that is a completely different subject.
Interesting thread. Loved the Songcatcher. It brought back a lot of memories of the Smokey Mtns. My husband had a debit route that would take him into the hollers of TN. Everyone was “nected” to Dolly Pardon in one way or t’other. They didn’t take kindly to strangers. Will enjoy logging on to some of the websites mentioned here. thanks. GM
