Marion, Perhaps my phrase "reach out and grab you" was something of an overstatement. I first became aware of the Carter Family when I began to realize that many folk revival performers I admired were singing songs attributed to them. Eventually my curosity led me to seek out the original. Having been raised in a midwestern city surrounded by agricultural communities, I had worked hard to expunge anything remotely rural from my conciousness. My first exposure to folk music was as hip urban music and I had a strong cultural suspicion of any one singing in a southern accent. I confess I found the Carter's music strange at first. I regarded the old Carter Family recordings as being primarily of academic interest.

As I continued to listen, it didn't take long for me to become more accepting and eventually I learned to love their their performances and those of other southern Applalachian performers including old-timey and bluegrass bands. My main impediment was all the cultural crap I'd been fed growing up.

I recommend you shell out for an album listed here for sale. It's the second (yellow cover) Carter Family album in the list and is a wonderful selection of some of their best recordings. Given your interest and dedication (as chronicled here) I'd say it won't be long until you love the Carter Family as I do.

Good pickin',

      - Mark