Musicians that will be featured in my book project thus far:
Doc Watson : ( I got his permission to take his picture and include him in my book during a concert in 2010 at the Lincoln Theatre. ) I got to hang with him back stage and I will never forget this honor and what a precious and humble man he is. This book will be dedicated to Doc's Memory and there will be a chapter about him and the portraits I took that night.
( After meeting Larry MvPeak and him telling me he wanted to read the book before he passed , which unfortunately did not happen, I want to also dedicate this book to him )
Wayne Henderson: Wayne needs no introduction. He is truly 'Lord of Luthiers ' and an amazing picker! I asked if he would take part during a visit with him at his shop in Rugby and he said "That ail be fine " and so hoping to get back out to see him again soon and get some of his thoughts for the book and maybe some more pictures. I have taken quite a few of him at concerts , which the last one was Merlefest 2013. ( I interviewed Wayne last year on my birthday :)
Jayne Henderson: Jayne is Waynes daughter and a wonderful artist as well! She is carrying on the tradition of custom guitar building and has already created some beauties ! Her first one was for Doc, but unfortunately he passed before it was completed. There will be a pix in the book of it! Jayne also is a great cook! Last time I was at Wayne's she made the best soup and grilled cheese I have ever tasted! Thanks Jayne! (update ! I now own an EJ Henderson sunburst parlor guitar #20 and its amazing! will write a chapter about this in the book !) I will also be interviewing her Mom, Carol !
Ron Ireland: Ron moved to Wythevile from Va Beach and Fell in love with our mountains and our music ! You would think he was born here by the way he sings his songs with the emotional connection he expresses! He also teaches music, writes wonderful original music of his own and recently opened The Listening Room behind his studio on main street. A great place to 'Listen' to some amazing performers! Thank you Ron for bringing more music to our area!
Jim lloyd: Jim Lloyd is one of the most charismatic musicians you will ever meet! He is the barber in Rural Retreat Virginia and his shop is a great place to hang out , get a hair cut , a banjo, fiddle or guitar lesson , or just listen to the local gossip. There is always laughter and a feeling of community there ! Jim is also a wonderful musician who has been passing down old time music to 100's of students right there in his shop. You should go visit! (Thats his shop in the picture up top)
Leigh Beamer: I first met Leigh when she was around 2 years old and her Mom was my daughters 4th grade school teacher. She now a teen, but still a little cutey :) Leigh has that gift of music where you could put bout any instrument in her hands and she will soon be playing it! She started with guitar, banjo and then fiddle. Fiddle seems to be the instrument she loves the best and has been taking lessons from Eddie Bond for a while now. Leigh is also an excellent singer and has 2 CD's on CD Baby, Check em out!
Sam Gleaves : I first met Sam when he was eight and he was in my after school art class. Years later I went to him for a few guitar lessons before he went off the college and we laughed about how he acted up in my art class ! Ha! He is a very talented young man playing guitar, banjo, fiddle and auto harp. He has also written some beautiful songs and won first place in Folk song at the Galax fiddlers convention in 2012. Sam is graduating from Berea College this spring 2014!
Thom Moore: Thom lives in Wytheville, Va and plays banjo. However he is not your typical mountain banjo player , as his compositions are more classical in nature . His interview was very interesting !
Tom Barr: Tom, owns the Barr Fiddle Shop in Galax , Va. Tom was a fun interview , telling me some great stories about growing up in Galax and starting his music shop business there . HIs wife , Becky and son, Stevie, also play music , so its a the glue that keeps them all together ! I took a nice portrait of Stevie, his wife Tondra, his infant son, Gibson and his Dad, Tom in front of the shop. All the musicians portraits will be in the book! I want to get back and interview his Mom Becky too as ,I feel that the Mom's views are so important in the story of how our music is passed down!
Debbie Larson: Debbie lives in Wytheville and is a wonderful Bass player ! She is a sweetie and dotes on her two dogs , Holly and Dickens. She is a great friend to Larry McPeke , who has been struggling with many illnesses and Debbie has been such a pillar of strength ! Debbie plays a mean bass , but not a mean bone in her body :)
Larry McPeak: Larry was a wonderful interview ! He shared some very touching stories about his childhood and some explanation behind some of the great songs he has written.
Larry said to me , after his interview " I look forward to reading your book, I hope I will still be here "
Sadly, Larry passed this Summer 2014 . I saw him a few weeks before and he had agreed to help me with putting a song I wrote to music called "Clothesline Religion" He said it has 'potential' and was excited about working on it.
I have decided to dedicate this book to Larry. Bless him.
Tim White : Tim is the charismatic MC for the PBS show, "Song of the Mountains" recorded live at the Lincoln Theater in Marion, Va. He talked to me about how hard it was being married when he was younger and being a musician who wanted to practice banjo all the time. He said he wished he had met Penny, his 2nd wife first :) Tim plays with the VW boys, a band with a real sense of humor !
Mildred Alexander: Mildred lives in Rural Retreat, Va and has been a gospel musician all her life . She said she knew when she was 15 that she only wanted to sing praise to God in her songs and she has stayed true to that. She still has her first Gibson guitar that she bought as a teen. She is now in her 80's.
Betty Vornbrock: Betty is a wonderful fiddler coming from a musical background with a heavy influence from her artist mother who encouraged her children to make music and art every day! Betty lives with her husband Billy on a beautiful Christmas Tree Farm in Hillsville , Va.
Willard Gayheart: Willard is known as the Appalachian "Norman Rockwell' because of his beautiful pencil renditions of local musicians and every day folk. He is also a talented musician and has his own gallery in Woodlawn, Va. The Front Porch Gallery
Quinten Boyles: Q-tip is what I call him because he just deserves a cute nickname :) I met Quinten at the jams at the Matterhorn here in wytheville and he is one of those folks you immediately just feel a kinship with . I interviewed him recently July 2014 and his story is so heart felt , heart breaking and down to earth. I think you will enjoy reading his story! He has that great old time honky tonk voice and old country way of playing that just steals your heart!
Elizabeth and Sandy Laprelle: I first met Elizabeth at her Rural Retreat high school talent show when she was a senior there and I was struck by her beautiful organic raw mountain voice ! I interviewed her and her Mom together at 'The Big House' , their home in Rural Retreat. They are very natural and unpretentious folks and I really enjoyed visiting them!
Erica Joy Rising: Residing in the country side of Floyd , Va. Erica is a very talented singer/song writer and strong single Mom fighting to keep her dream alive while keeping her daughter, Josie happy and healthy. Check her out on youtube by the name Big Mamma Joy.
Erynn Marshall: Erynn is a talented fiddler from Canada , but now lives in Galax with her husband Carl. I interviewed her at the Virginia House on Reed Creek Farm in Wytheville, Va and also did her portrait in the loft of the barn. Erynn impressed me with her spunk and passion for our old time fiddlers and tunes !
Steve & Penny Kelby: Very well known old time picker and instructor of Old Time Music. He has been winning at the festivals since he was teen and was taught the roots of mountain music by his grandfather who raised him.
Eddie Bond: Interviewing Eddie November - 2014 Eddie was a great interview , he reminds me of my own folks around these parts as his dialect is exactly the same the way he pronounces his words and even the sayings and quotes from our grandparents were so similar! Talking to him really took me back to the good ol days !
Bobby Martin : Bobby is a blue grass drummer and has his own brand of Cajuns that he plays. He was the pioneer in main the Cajun popular by playing along at the jams and festivals . He is now a part of the blue grass band called 'Kripple Krunk' be sure and check them out ! ( Unfortunately Bobby passed . God bless his kind soul)
Herb Key : I met Herb many years ago at Wayne Henderson's shop. He is there every Tuesday repairing old Martin and Gibson guitars and I have never seen him without a smile on his face. Herb just has one of the sweetest dispositions I think I have ever known. Herb also is a Bee Keeper !
Ruth Shumway: 12 year old Ruth is already an award winning fiddler and just a very mature and well rounded young lady ! I really enjoyed interviewing her and visiting with her Mom, Mary at the Reed Creek Farm.
Jeanette Williams : Jeanette is a very talented bass player, and singer- song writer ! I first heard her in 2007 at the Major Graham Mansion where she performed her award winning song "Enough of you " . She plays in a self titled band with her husband Johnny, who is also a talented singer and musician and other band members .
Helen White: Helen plays guitar and fiddle . She started off playing classical and gravitated towards bluegrass and old time around the 70's. Helen was a child of the sixties and had an adventurous life always focused on the music ! She and Wayne Henderson have been played together for 20 years.
Presley Barker: Little Presley is only 11 years old and getting many awards an praise because of his masterful guitar pickling ! He recent won first place at the Galax Fiddler convention in the adult competition ! I was there and witnessed this proud moment ! That is an impressive win for sure !
Kitty Amaral : Kitty just turned 13 the day after I interviewed her . She is amazing little fiddler and violinist and has traveled aboard to bring her talent to appreciate European audiences ! She recently was featured in fiddler magazine , so Kitty is going places ! She would also make a great model ! Had such fun doing her session !
Kay Justice : Kay's first influence was folk music, such as Joan Baez, Dylan, Seeger etc. She later gravitated towards old time mountain music and studied the Carter style of singing and playing. She has sang with Hazel Dickens, Alice Gerald and Ginny Hawkins, whom she has made several CDs with . Her country voice is emotional and authentic Appalachian .
Liam Purcell: Liam is a 14 year old ,multi-talented musician out of NC. He plays most instruments , but excels at fiddle, banjo, guitar and mandolin. He has become a familiar face at all the festivals and an award winning performer. He talks lovingly about his ,little brother , Kenyon, who has Down Syndrome and loves to dance to Liam's music . HIs Mom Janet and his Dad, William are obviously loving and proud parents of both their sons.
Addie Levy: Addie is another spirited young artist who plays mandolin and is a very strong vocalist. She also does some great flat footing. She was a joy to interview and it was great to meet her Mom, Robin. She is a member of the band 'Gravel Road".
Tampa Enoch Reese: I met Tampa on instagram and just fell in love with her gentle modest spirit and her old time claw hammer banjo playing ! She is also a wife , librarian and good soul ! I wanted to be sure and include particularly black banjo players, since the true origin of this great instrument is directly linked to the their own culture and heritage !
Tray Wellington; Tray is a very talented 'African American' banjo player , who plays 3 finger style banjo and recently took a first place at the Galax Fiddlers Festival ! Tray is only 18 and a member of the Cane Mill Road Band! Honored to include him in my project!
Ginny McJunkin: Ginny is an old time Appalachian singer , song writer, and plays banjer, and guitar and she says she 'piddles with the fiddle' . She resides in Lenoir , N.C. where I did her interview and had a grand time meeting her brother Burl. We related a lot to the way we were raised in similar 'hard' mountain ways of the 50's !
Dom Flemmons: The American Songster is what he is called and Dom sure has earned that title ! I got to see him recently at the Floyd Country Store and enjoyed an amazing concert of Blues, Old time Negro, folk, and some fine original tunes!
I was honored to get some portraits of him and his Bass and fiddle player Brian Farrow! I also got to meet his manager and gal beautiful Vania. Thank you to all of you!
Dori Freeman: I first heard Dori singing on her Daddy's CD "Siamese Cousins" and just fell in love with her voice! She later came to a cabin jam I had a few Autumns ago in Ivanhoe and again , she floored me! She and her Daddy, Scott, dropped by and played together. I tried my best to meet with Dori for an interview, my her little girl had an ear infection and the day we rescheduled I had my hip dislocated ! However, Dori was kind enough to send me an email interview ! Thank you Dori!
Dale Morris: Dale has been the host -MC for many festivals, such as Galax Fiddler Convention , Merlefest, and many others ! He is also a wonderful Bluegrass musician and nice guy ! Honored to have him in my book ! Dale will be writing the preface ! Thank you Dale !
Brian Farrow: Brian is a talented bass player and fiddler. I met him at the Floyd country store when he was playing with Dom Flemons and got a few pix of him. ( His funky way of playing the bass just blew me away) He later agreed to be in the book and sent me a chapter via email. Proud to have him aboard!
Donnie Dobro: Donnie's wife contacted me about putting Donnie in the book. He is a renowned Dobro player and a well known character in Mt Airy, NC. I went to visit them and got some pix of them both and he emailed me his chapter. Deborah also sent a nice essay for the book! Thanks y'all!
( After meeting Larry MvPeak and him telling me he wanted to read the book before he passed , which unfortunately did not happen, I want to also dedicate this book to him )
Wayne Henderson: Wayne needs no introduction. He is truly 'Lord of Luthiers ' and an amazing picker! I asked if he would take part during a visit with him at his shop in Rugby and he said "That ail be fine " and so hoping to get back out to see him again soon and get some of his thoughts for the book and maybe some more pictures. I have taken quite a few of him at concerts , which the last one was Merlefest 2013. ( I interviewed Wayne last year on my birthday :)
Jayne Henderson: Jayne is Waynes daughter and a wonderful artist as well! She is carrying on the tradition of custom guitar building and has already created some beauties ! Her first one was for Doc, but unfortunately he passed before it was completed. There will be a pix in the book of it! Jayne also is a great cook! Last time I was at Wayne's she made the best soup and grilled cheese I have ever tasted! Thanks Jayne! (update ! I now own an EJ Henderson sunburst parlor guitar #20 and its amazing! will write a chapter about this in the book !) I will also be interviewing her Mom, Carol !
Ron Ireland: Ron moved to Wythevile from Va Beach and Fell in love with our mountains and our music ! You would think he was born here by the way he sings his songs with the emotional connection he expresses! He also teaches music, writes wonderful original music of his own and recently opened The Listening Room behind his studio on main street. A great place to 'Listen' to some amazing performers! Thank you Ron for bringing more music to our area!
Jim lloyd: Jim Lloyd is one of the most charismatic musicians you will ever meet! He is the barber in Rural Retreat Virginia and his shop is a great place to hang out , get a hair cut , a banjo, fiddle or guitar lesson , or just listen to the local gossip. There is always laughter and a feeling of community there ! Jim is also a wonderful musician who has been passing down old time music to 100's of students right there in his shop. You should go visit! (Thats his shop in the picture up top)
Leigh Beamer: I first met Leigh when she was around 2 years old and her Mom was my daughters 4th grade school teacher. She now a teen, but still a little cutey :) Leigh has that gift of music where you could put bout any instrument in her hands and she will soon be playing it! She started with guitar, banjo and then fiddle. Fiddle seems to be the instrument she loves the best and has been taking lessons from Eddie Bond for a while now. Leigh is also an excellent singer and has 2 CD's on CD Baby, Check em out!
Sam Gleaves : I first met Sam when he was eight and he was in my after school art class. Years later I went to him for a few guitar lessons before he went off the college and we laughed about how he acted up in my art class ! Ha! He is a very talented young man playing guitar, banjo, fiddle and auto harp. He has also written some beautiful songs and won first place in Folk song at the Galax fiddlers convention in 2012. Sam is graduating from Berea College this spring 2014!
Thom Moore: Thom lives in Wytheville, Va and plays banjo. However he is not your typical mountain banjo player , as his compositions are more classical in nature . His interview was very interesting !
Tom Barr: Tom, owns the Barr Fiddle Shop in Galax , Va. Tom was a fun interview , telling me some great stories about growing up in Galax and starting his music shop business there . HIs wife , Becky and son, Stevie, also play music , so its a the glue that keeps them all together ! I took a nice portrait of Stevie, his wife Tondra, his infant son, Gibson and his Dad, Tom in front of the shop. All the musicians portraits will be in the book! I want to get back and interview his Mom Becky too as ,I feel that the Mom's views are so important in the story of how our music is passed down!
Debbie Larson: Debbie lives in Wytheville and is a wonderful Bass player ! She is a sweetie and dotes on her two dogs , Holly and Dickens. She is a great friend to Larry McPeke , who has been struggling with many illnesses and Debbie has been such a pillar of strength ! Debbie plays a mean bass , but not a mean bone in her body :)
Larry McPeak: Larry was a wonderful interview ! He shared some very touching stories about his childhood and some explanation behind some of the great songs he has written.
Larry said to me , after his interview " I look forward to reading your book, I hope I will still be here "
Sadly, Larry passed this Summer 2014 . I saw him a few weeks before and he had agreed to help me with putting a song I wrote to music called "Clothesline Religion" He said it has 'potential' and was excited about working on it.
I have decided to dedicate this book to Larry. Bless him.
Tim White : Tim is the charismatic MC for the PBS show, "Song of the Mountains" recorded live at the Lincoln Theater in Marion, Va. He talked to me about how hard it was being married when he was younger and being a musician who wanted to practice banjo all the time. He said he wished he had met Penny, his 2nd wife first :) Tim plays with the VW boys, a band with a real sense of humor !
Mildred Alexander: Mildred lives in Rural Retreat, Va and has been a gospel musician all her life . She said she knew when she was 15 that she only wanted to sing praise to God in her songs and she has stayed true to that. She still has her first Gibson guitar that she bought as a teen. She is now in her 80's.
Betty Vornbrock: Betty is a wonderful fiddler coming from a musical background with a heavy influence from her artist mother who encouraged her children to make music and art every day! Betty lives with her husband Billy on a beautiful Christmas Tree Farm in Hillsville , Va.
Willard Gayheart: Willard is known as the Appalachian "Norman Rockwell' because of his beautiful pencil renditions of local musicians and every day folk. He is also a talented musician and has his own gallery in Woodlawn, Va. The Front Porch Gallery
Quinten Boyles: Q-tip is what I call him because he just deserves a cute nickname :) I met Quinten at the jams at the Matterhorn here in wytheville and he is one of those folks you immediately just feel a kinship with . I interviewed him recently July 2014 and his story is so heart felt , heart breaking and down to earth. I think you will enjoy reading his story! He has that great old time honky tonk voice and old country way of playing that just steals your heart!
Elizabeth and Sandy Laprelle: I first met Elizabeth at her Rural Retreat high school talent show when she was a senior there and I was struck by her beautiful organic raw mountain voice ! I interviewed her and her Mom together at 'The Big House' , their home in Rural Retreat. They are very natural and unpretentious folks and I really enjoyed visiting them!
Erica Joy Rising: Residing in the country side of Floyd , Va. Erica is a very talented singer/song writer and strong single Mom fighting to keep her dream alive while keeping her daughter, Josie happy and healthy. Check her out on youtube by the name Big Mamma Joy.
Erynn Marshall: Erynn is a talented fiddler from Canada , but now lives in Galax with her husband Carl. I interviewed her at the Virginia House on Reed Creek Farm in Wytheville, Va and also did her portrait in the loft of the barn. Erynn impressed me with her spunk and passion for our old time fiddlers and tunes !
Steve & Penny Kelby: Very well known old time picker and instructor of Old Time Music. He has been winning at the festivals since he was teen and was taught the roots of mountain music by his grandfather who raised him.
Eddie Bond: Interviewing Eddie November - 2014 Eddie was a great interview , he reminds me of my own folks around these parts as his dialect is exactly the same the way he pronounces his words and even the sayings and quotes from our grandparents were so similar! Talking to him really took me back to the good ol days !
Bobby Martin : Bobby is a blue grass drummer and has his own brand of Cajuns that he plays. He was the pioneer in main the Cajun popular by playing along at the jams and festivals . He is now a part of the blue grass band called 'Kripple Krunk' be sure and check them out ! ( Unfortunately Bobby passed . God bless his kind soul)
Herb Key : I met Herb many years ago at Wayne Henderson's shop. He is there every Tuesday repairing old Martin and Gibson guitars and I have never seen him without a smile on his face. Herb just has one of the sweetest dispositions I think I have ever known. Herb also is a Bee Keeper !
Ruth Shumway: 12 year old Ruth is already an award winning fiddler and just a very mature and well rounded young lady ! I really enjoyed interviewing her and visiting with her Mom, Mary at the Reed Creek Farm.
Jeanette Williams : Jeanette is a very talented bass player, and singer- song writer ! I first heard her in 2007 at the Major Graham Mansion where she performed her award winning song "Enough of you " . She plays in a self titled band with her husband Johnny, who is also a talented singer and musician and other band members .
Helen White: Helen plays guitar and fiddle . She started off playing classical and gravitated towards bluegrass and old time around the 70's. Helen was a child of the sixties and had an adventurous life always focused on the music ! She and Wayne Henderson have been played together for 20 years.
Presley Barker: Little Presley is only 11 years old and getting many awards an praise because of his masterful guitar pickling ! He recent won first place at the Galax Fiddler convention in the adult competition ! I was there and witnessed this proud moment ! That is an impressive win for sure !
Kitty Amaral : Kitty just turned 13 the day after I interviewed her . She is amazing little fiddler and violinist and has traveled aboard to bring her talent to appreciate European audiences ! She recently was featured in fiddler magazine , so Kitty is going places ! She would also make a great model ! Had such fun doing her session !
Kay Justice : Kay's first influence was folk music, such as Joan Baez, Dylan, Seeger etc. She later gravitated towards old time mountain music and studied the Carter style of singing and playing. She has sang with Hazel Dickens, Alice Gerald and Ginny Hawkins, whom she has made several CDs with . Her country voice is emotional and authentic Appalachian .
Liam Purcell: Liam is a 14 year old ,multi-talented musician out of NC. He plays most instruments , but excels at fiddle, banjo, guitar and mandolin. He has become a familiar face at all the festivals and an award winning performer. He talks lovingly about his ,little brother , Kenyon, who has Down Syndrome and loves to dance to Liam's music . HIs Mom Janet and his Dad, William are obviously loving and proud parents of both their sons.
Addie Levy: Addie is another spirited young artist who plays mandolin and is a very strong vocalist. She also does some great flat footing. She was a joy to interview and it was great to meet her Mom, Robin. She is a member of the band 'Gravel Road".
Tampa Enoch Reese: I met Tampa on instagram and just fell in love with her gentle modest spirit and her old time claw hammer banjo playing ! She is also a wife , librarian and good soul ! I wanted to be sure and include particularly black banjo players, since the true origin of this great instrument is directly linked to the their own culture and heritage !
Tray Wellington; Tray is a very talented 'African American' banjo player , who plays 3 finger style banjo and recently took a first place at the Galax Fiddlers Festival ! Tray is only 18 and a member of the Cane Mill Road Band! Honored to include him in my project!
Ginny McJunkin: Ginny is an old time Appalachian singer , song writer, and plays banjer, and guitar and she says she 'piddles with the fiddle' . She resides in Lenoir , N.C. where I did her interview and had a grand time meeting her brother Burl. We related a lot to the way we were raised in similar 'hard' mountain ways of the 50's !
Dom Flemmons: The American Songster is what he is called and Dom sure has earned that title ! I got to see him recently at the Floyd Country Store and enjoyed an amazing concert of Blues, Old time Negro, folk, and some fine original tunes!
I was honored to get some portraits of him and his Bass and fiddle player Brian Farrow! I also got to meet his manager and gal beautiful Vania. Thank you to all of you!
Dori Freeman: I first heard Dori singing on her Daddy's CD "Siamese Cousins" and just fell in love with her voice! She later came to a cabin jam I had a few Autumns ago in Ivanhoe and again , she floored me! She and her Daddy, Scott, dropped by and played together. I tried my best to meet with Dori for an interview, my her little girl had an ear infection and the day we rescheduled I had my hip dislocated ! However, Dori was kind enough to send me an email interview ! Thank you Dori!
Dale Morris: Dale has been the host -MC for many festivals, such as Galax Fiddler Convention , Merlefest, and many others ! He is also a wonderful Bluegrass musician and nice guy ! Honored to have him in my book ! Dale will be writing the preface ! Thank you Dale !
Brian Farrow: Brian is a talented bass player and fiddler. I met him at the Floyd country store when he was playing with Dom Flemons and got a few pix of him. ( His funky way of playing the bass just blew me away) He later agreed to be in the book and sent me a chapter via email. Proud to have him aboard!
Donnie Dobro: Donnie's wife contacted me about putting Donnie in the book. He is a renowned Dobro player and a well known character in Mt Airy, NC. I went to visit them and got some pix of them both and he emailed me his chapter. Deborah also sent a nice essay for the book! Thanks y'all!
