Old-time musical pilgrimage sites USA

Subject: BS: Old-time musical pilgrimage sites USA
From: wilco
Date: 04 May 03 - 05:43 PM

The other pilgrimage site thread started me thinking of this one. Where would you go for old-time, musical pilgrimage sites?

1. Carter Fold in Virginia. Carter Family Music
2. Sand Mountain, Alabama (Sylvania) Holiness Churches that never
    stopped "shape note" singing.
3. Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN. Original Grand Ol' Opry Site.

Where else?

---

Also see Pilgrimage Sites USA

Subject: RE: BS: Old-time musical pilgrimage sites USA
From: Mrrzy
Date: 04 May 03 - 05:50 PM

Preservation Hall, New Orleans.

Subject: RE: BS: Old-time musical pilgrimage sites USA
From: mg
Date: 04 May 03 - 06:29 PM

Toledo Washington for the bluegrass festival.
Naselle Washington for the Finnish festival.
St. Patrick's Day Parade in NYC.
New Orleans for dixieland jazz.
Reno Nevada to see the Basque festival.

Subject: RE: BS: Old-time musical pilgrimage sites USA
From: BanjoRay
Date: 04 May 03 - 07:47 PM

Clifftop, West Virginia for Appallachian String Band festival and Galax, Virginia for the Old Fiddler's Convention.
Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: BS: Old-time musical pilgrimage sites USA
From: GUEST,Bill
Date: 04 May 03 - 09:43 PM

Rosine, Kentucky, home of Bill Monroe

Subject: RE: BS: Old-time musical pilgrimage sites USA
From: Walking Eagle
Date: 05 May 03 - 01:27 AM

Come to Hockessin DE to the Grace Lutheran Church any first Friday of the month and they will see dulcimer playing and singing and fun making. 7:30 PM.

Subject: RE: BS: Old-time musical pilgrimage sites USA
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 05 May 03 - 10:20 AM

410 State Street
Bristol, VA/TN

Ole Time Fiddlers and Bluegrass Festival
Fiddler's Grove Campground
Union Grove, North Carolina

Old Time Fiddlers Convention
Mount Airy, NC

Subject: RE: BS: Old-time musical pilgrimage sites USA
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 05 May 03 - 10:25 AM

Martin Guitar Company
Nazareth, PA

Subject: RE: BS: Old-time musical pilgrimage sites USA
From: Marion
Date: 05 May 03 - 01:26 PM

How about the crossroads where Robert Johnson sold his soul? Is it known which crossroads that was?

Marion

Subject: RE: BS: Old-time musical pilgrimage sites USA
From: GUEST,Arkie
Date: 05 May 03 - 04:36 PM

Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View, Arkansas for concerts and the Courtsquare in Mountain View for jamming.

Subject: RE: BS: Old-time musical pilgrimage sites USA
From: wilco
Date: 05 May 03 - 06:33 PM

I'm looking for historical sites, not current performance sites.

Subject: RE: BS: Old-time musical pilgrimage sites USA
From: Burke
Date: 05 May 03 - 06:42 PM

Cajun dance halls in southwest Louisiana.
A dance hall in Wisconsin, Iowa or South Dakota with a Polka band playing (if any are left)

2. Sand Mountain, Alabama (Sylvania) Holiness Churches that never
    stopped "shape note" singing.

I'm not sure about the Holiness Churches, but all the places I've sung on Sand Mountain have been Primitive Baptist. Are you looking for some more specific suggestions?

There are also churches in other places in Alabama, Georgia & Mississippi with living Shape note traditions. Last summer I went to the 150th Chattahoochie convention near Bremen, GA.

Subject: RE: BS: Old-time musical pilgrimage sites USA
From: Walking Eagle
Date: 05 May 03 - 08:07 PM

The Big Bend Tunnel in WV. Very close to Alderson Wv. on the CSX RR. Might have to take Amtrak from Prince to Clifton Forge or Staunton VA. as the tunnel is kind of remote. Might be a rr service road beside the track.

Some of these performance sites ARE historical sites.

I listen to a program called American Routes. The program did a short story on the legend of Robert Johnson and the devilish deal. Try their website to find the intersection of US RT 61 and something or another in MS. That was where the deal between R J and the Devil supposedly went down. The intersection seems to have fallen victim to urban sprawl. Seems as there is a small marker at the intersection.

Subject: RE: Old-time musical pilgrimage sites USA
From: GUEST,Dale
Date: 05 May 03 - 09:21 PM

Wilco48 says, "I'm looking for historical sites, not current performance sites." Sometimes it is hard to separate one from the other. Maybe a few of the above don't qualify, but I'd say most do.

The Acorn Supply, a feed store in Council Bluffs, Iowa probably qualifies. You can read about it here, as well as a number of other ethnic and out of the way musical happenings in Iowa. Link to DesMoines Register Some of them would be worth checking out. Some of these places were mentioned in the PBS River of Song series, too.

I can't name any specifically, but some of the Grange Halls, mostly in the West would be likely candidates, just for the atmosphere.

The Saturday morning jam session at The Savoy Music Center in Eunice, Louisiana, and countless Beer Joints and Dance Halls all over SW Louisiana are helping to keep Cajun Music alive. That makes them treasures right there. Many have been open at the same spot for many years.

Marc Savoy says, "Saturday morning in Cajun Country was always a time when country people went to town to shop, pay bills, or just socialize with other neighbors. It was customary practice for the shop keepers to offer their customers a pot of hot coffee, hot boudin, hot donuts, etc... It was the proprietors' way of showing the customers that their business was appreciated. As a small child accompanying my rice farming father to the hardware store, feed store and tractor shop, I was impressed by this display of appreciation and fellowship between customer and shop keeper.

   When Savoy Music Center opened its doors in 1966, I decided to offer the same hospitality, even though it was no longer "stylish". Since my merchandise did not include tractor parts, chicken feed or farm supplies, it was only natural that we play a few tunes while we drank a cup of coffee and ate some spicy boudin."   Read the rest at the link.

Subject: RE: Old-time musical pilgrimage sites USA
From: Janie
Date: 05 May 03 - 10:59 PM

West Virginia is the only place I really know much about in terms of where the music the came from and was kept going. Seems like I'd have to nearly hit every county in the State, but these would be some of my top sites.

Nimrod Workman's gravesite. (Father of Hazel Dickens)
The Hammond family's place in eastern West Virgina
Any "holler" in West Virginia with a Primitive Baptist church.
Clinch Mountain, Virginia (Ralph Stanley)
Glen Smith's homeplace near Elizabeth, WV
Joe Dobb's music store, St. Albans, WV
Jean Ritchie's homeplace
Augusta Heritage Center, Elkins, WV

Glenville, WV (the very long running Glenville Folk Festival)

Janie

Subject: RE: Old-time musical pilgrimage sites USA
From: Walking Eagle
Date: 05 May 03 - 11:09 PM

Sorry to counter you Janie, but Nimrod was not Hazel Dickens' daddy. His daughter is Phyllis Boyens, who looks very much like Hazel. Nimrod was in his 90ies when he left this earth. Not bad for an old coal miner living with Black Lung.

Subject: RE: Old-time musical pilgrimage sites USA
From: Janie
Date: 06 May 03 - 09:06 AM

Oops. You're right. (OLDTIMER's disease!!)

Janie

Subject: RE: Old-time musical pilgrimage sites USA
From: Walking Eagle
Date: 06 May 03 - 09:13 PM

Another place, although not really musical, is the cave in which the United Mine Workers of America was supposedly formed. I mention it because of all of the fine union coal mining folk songs that are sung. It is outside of New Straitsville, OH in the South Eastern part of the state. New Straitsville is north of Nelsonville. Nelsonville is on U.S. Rt33. New Straitsville is a sleepy coal town of bygone days. Anyone there can tell you where the cave is. It is right alongside the road so it is easily reached.

Subject: RE: Old-time musical pilgrimage sites USA
From: Walking Eagle
Date: 07 May 03 - 12:19 AM

Thanks Janie for the name of the music store in St. Albans. When I'm there next, I'll have to stop in. The pity of WV. is that all the fine music CAME from there. Go back now and all I can find is counrty music. WV Public Radio has some good things, but I'm usually busy listening to Reds baseball as I can't get it here. There are not even any lap dulcimer clubs in the Kanawha Valley. Shame.

Subject: RE: Old-time musical pilgrimage sites USA
From: Art Thieme
Date: 07 May 03 - 11:33 AM

The highrise building at 3100 N. Sheridan Road in Chicago where my brother, Rich, and I grew to manhood. I kept a chicken on the roof there---all unknown to the realty people. That was my tie to rural life that set me on that twisting trail called traditional folksong.

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Old-time musical pilgrimage sites USA
From: Janie
Date: 07 May 03 - 12:04 PM

Years ago there was a very small, bi-annual old-time festival at Hunterville, near Marlington, WV. We go camping in that area, and I always have to stop in the field where it was held and let the memories come. Many of those who performed there are gone now, but a new generation of old-time musicians had their genesis there. Ditto Ivydale, WV where John and Dave Morris used to host a small music gathering. Over time, the festivals got big and rowdy--even dangerous--and many of us serious fans and musicians quit going.

Walking Eagle, When I left WV in 1985 there was still plenty of traditional music being played, but it was largely at weekend jams at private parties and on back porches. I don't know what the musci scene is there now, but I suspect that fine old music is still being played. By the way, Joe's music store is called "The Fret 'n Fiddle"

Janie

Subject: RE: Old-time musical pilgrimage sites USA
From: wilco
Date: 07 May 03 - 12:57 PM

Has anyone seen that horrible movie "Deliverance?' I've never seen the whols thing, since I don't watch anything violent. But, the movie was filmed on th Hiwassee River in Reliance, Tennessee.
    There is an old country store there, Sharp's Texaco, at the one bridge, and there is a historical marker there that says a church up the road, long abandoned, is the place where "Great Speckled Bird" was written and first performed.

Subject: RE: Robt Johnson's Crossroads
From: PoppaGator
Date: 07 May 03 - 01:43 PM

US 49 intersects Highway 61 just outside Clarksdale in the Delta. I *think* that's the place where RJ supposedly sold his soul to the devil.

There's an article right here on the Mudcat site on this old story, but it does not identify the specific crossroads. Nick Spitzer's "American Routes" site, as mentioned above, probably has good information.

Another source for info on this legend is John Sinclair's recent CD "Fattening Frogs for Snakes," which is spoken-word over instrumental blues. (The recording is actually credited to "John Sinclair and the Blues Scholars.") One of the cuts is a lengthy recitation of the Robert Johnson "crossroads" legend, much of it quoted from Tommy Johnson, along with some discussion of the Voodoo deity Legba, who is also mentioned in the Mudcat article. I've heard this several times on our local community radio station -- haven't bought the CD -- so my memory of the complete piece is sketchy, but I *think* John identifies the two highways forming the intersection.

Also hidden somewhere out on the Web is at least one story about the two "dueling" gravesites in different Mississippi towns, each claiming to be Robert Johnson's.

Another oft-cited blues crossroads is "where the Southern cross the Yellow Dog," which is the intersection of two railroad lines -- not highways -- somewhere in the Delta area.

Subject: RE: Robt Johnson's Crossroads
From: PoppaGator
Date: 07 May 03 - 03:32 PM

US 49 intersects Highway 61 just outside Clarksdale in the Delta. I *think* that's the place where RJ supposedly sold his soul to the devil.

There's an article right here on the Mudcat site on this old story, but it does not identify the specific crossroads. Nick Spitzer's "American Routes" site, as mentioned above, probably has good information.

Another source for info on this legend is John Sinclair's recent CD "Fattening Frogs for Snakes," which is spoken-word over instrumental blues. (The recording is actually credited to "John Sinclair and the Blues Scholars.") One of the cuts is a lengthy recitation of the Robert Johnson "crossroads" legend, much of it quoted from Tommy Johnson, along with some discussion of the Voodoo deity Legba, who is also mentioned in the Mudcat article. I've heard this several times on our local community radio station -- haven't bought the CD -- so my memory of the complete piece is sketchy, but I *think* John identifies the two highways forming the intersection.

Also hidden somewhere out on the Web is at least one story about the two "dueling" gravesites in different Mississippi towns, each claiming to be Robert Johnson's.

Another oft-cited blues crossroads is "where the Southern cross the Yellow Dog," which is the intersection of two railroad lines -- not highways -- somewhere in the Delta area.

Subject: RE: Old-time musical pilgrimage sites USA
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 07 May 03 - 03:41 PM

Walking Eagle,
Lots of great traditional music in WV: Melvin Wine's Birthday Party (Sutton, April), Vandalia (Charleston, May), WV Folk Festival (Glenville, June), Augusta (Elkins, all summer), Clifftop (Camp G.W. Carver, July-August), Augusta Festival (Elkins, August), Stonewall Jackson Jubilee (Stonewall Jackson State Park, Labor Day), October Old Time Week (Elkins, October), Dwight Diller Music Camps (near Marlinton, all year).

Subject: RE: Old-time musical pilgrimage sites USA
From: PoppaGator
Date: 07 May 03 - 04:03 PM

Sorry I posted the identical message twice -- two hours apart.

Can someone fix/delete?

I'd explain what happened if I understood why myself...