The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #61372 Message #2785886
Posted By: Janie
10-Dec-09 - 11:11 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Salt Pork West Virginia (Louis Jordan)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Salt Pork WVA
Bluefield State College, an historically Black college, is located in Bluefield, WV. There is a rich, but little known history of some fine African-American jazz musicians and bands from the southern coalfields. Although I have long been aware of this, I don't know any of the details or history.
What I do know is that southern WV is off the beaten path of nearly anything, at least it was until I-77 was finished in the 1970's (and I-64 in, I think, the early 80's.)
I have a nebulous and entirely speculative notion of why Bluefield is called out, as well as the surprise, given the remoteness of the region by anything but rail in the early and mid 1940's, but am on my way to bed and too tired to think it through. I did a very little bit of on-line research before posting, and will add the following link as a starting point.
African-American Jazz in West Virginia
I can not find Salt Pork, WV as an historic place name. I suppose there could have been such a place, but suspect not.