I would have to nominate a couple of Virginians:

Abner Keesee, of Altavista, VA, who sang me "Far Fanil Town" and "The Fisherman's Daughter" in 1954 or 5. An old man then, with little time to live. An extraordinary roar of a voice, ears going deaf, one of the strangest, most wonderful performances I've ever heard.

And the man who sent me to him:

Ben C. Moomaw, from the hills near Hot Springs, VA, who served a term as president of the Virginia Folklore Society, but was himself one of the most extraordinary traditional singers I have ever heard. He never performed beyond a few concerts for Ladies' Aid and Rotary in and around Hot Springs and Roanoke, but he should have been heard loud and clear in every corner of this land. A great voice, with strong natural rhythm carrying a song so well that accompaniment would be superfluous.

Also an unnamed bedridden banjo picker and singer from a B&W TV documentary whose theme was looking for the ballad "The Two Sisters" / "Bow and Balance." This rangy old guy did a wonderful "Old Windy Bill" that I still do to this day, in a great rouser of a voice with scratch chording.

Finally I would have to add the hauntingly beautiful voices of Juanita and Yvonne Thomas of Leetown, VA, teens when I met them, who outdid the Louvin Bros. et al all hollow on oldtime standards like "Rosewood Casket."

Oh, and by the way, another amazing female duet, singers never otherwise taped, will shortly be making its debut on the forthcoming 5-CD set of Joe Bussard's Fonotone recordings: the Beechley Sisters (I knew a guy related to them), whose "Only The Wind" is one of the most beautiful songs of all time, sung with eerie beauty.

I could go on, but there's a start.

Bob