Tag Archives: music

Highlights of the McConnell Library Appalachian Music Collection- Farewell My Home

Some years ago electronic and rock musician Brian Eno recorded a series of albums he referred to as ambient music.  In the liner notes he mentioned that he tried to make music as enjoyable as it was ignorable.  I liked … Continue reading

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Happy Birthday Bill Monroe!

Today would mark Bill Monroe’s 100th birthday.   He did a lot for music in his lifetime (which stretched from September 13, 1911 to September 9, 1996) by inventing what he called Bluegrass Music and by teaching it to so many … Continue reading

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Highlights of McConnell Library’s Appalachian Music Collection- Replay

(Used with permission from Darcy Whiteside, photographer) Not all of the music I am highlighting is strictly or traditionally Appalachian music.  Appalachia is a big place and its inhabitants are varied and have many interests and influences.  The album I … Continue reading

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Highlights of McConnell Library’s Appalachian Music Collection- The Seldom Scene

The Seldom Scene was a progressive bluegrass band that started in 1971.  I say “was” because even though the band technically still exists, it only has one original member and I think is no longer leading the way for other … Continue reading

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Highlights of McConnell Library’s Appalachian Music Collection- Throw Down Your Heart

This pick is different from the others I have made so far, this one isn’t Appalachian music at all- in fact it’s not even all music, it’s a DVD.  I picked this one because it concerns one of America’s most … Continue reading

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25th Annual Folk Arts Festival- Saturday Oct 2

Back in the 1970s a wonderful series of books came out that really either reminded us (or informed us) of several of the wonderful traditions of Appalachian culture.  These books contained interviews and photos and instructions on how to do … Continue reading

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Bluegrass and Old-time jams

One of the nice things about bluegrass and old-time music is that it is pretty easy to see it live and that is really something that is almost a core value of the music.  Those of us who play this … Continue reading

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Highlights of McConnell Library’s Appalachian Music Collection- Song of the Traveling Daughter

(Used with permission from Bret Young, photographer) Several years ago I participated in an interesting musical cultural exchange.  My wife and I went to a 4th of July picnic that marked the end of a martial arts conference and one … Continue reading

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Highlights of McConnell Library’s Appalachian Music Collection- Foggy Mountain Banjo

One of the things I want to do with this blog is to “advertise” parts of the McConnell Library Appalachian Music Collection. I was putting off the task of choosing which CD to feature first because I thought it would be a difficult choice. Once I settled into the idea that something had to be first, I asked myself what the *most important* album was to me when I first started listening to Bluegrass music. It didn’t take long for my mind to settle on……….. Continue reading

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County Sales Music

Back in the mid-to-late 1970s, far from the New River Valley when I was just starting to listen to Bluegrass music, a friend of mine gave me record catalog from a store called County Sales. I thumbed through the catalog, … Continue reading

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