Lily May Ledford: Coon Creek Girls

Subject: Lily May Ledford: Coon Creek Girls
From: Richie
Date: 25 Oct 08 - 07:55 PM

Hi,

I made a painting of Lily May Ledford and the song: Banjo Pickin' Girl. Recently I got to play the song at my art show with her Granddaughter Cari Norris.

I've started doing some research on my blog here: http://richardmattesonsblog.blogspot.com/

She had some connections with important people in folk and country music. Just in my last two posts:

President and Mrs Roosevelt
Lamar Bascom Lunsford
John Lair
Alan Lomax
Orson Welles
Gertrude Knott, founder of the National Folk Festival

I've also been listening to Gems: Lily May Ledford. It has stories, fiddle and banjo songs with just her playing. It's great!

Anyone have any info or stories about her they would like to share!

Thanks,

Richie

Subject: RE: Lily May Ledford: Coon Creek Girls
From: Richie
Date: 26 Oct 08 - 08:33 AM

Hi,

It's also interesting to note that Lily May Ledford was featured in two of the Alan Lomax ballad operas featuring Will Geer, Woody Guthrie, Burl Ives, , Pete Seeger, Fiddlin' Arthur Smith, and Hally Wood.

Richie

Subject: RE: Lily May Ledford: Coon Creek Girls
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 26 Oct 08 - 12:48 PM

"Coon Creek Girl" by Lily May Ledford, a 31 page booklet published 1980, reprint edition 1991 by the Berea College Appalachian Center.
ISBN 0-9382211-05-6. Includes several photographs.

I bought mine from County Sales, PO Box 191 Floyd, Virginia.

H

Subject: RE: Lily May Ledford: Coon Creek Girls
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 26 Oct 08 - 01:07 PM

Richie, I enjoyed looking at your paintings and the info you had; I'll be following this project...

~ Becky in Tucson
(another banjo picking girl)

Subject: RE: Lily May Ledford: Coon Creek Girls
From: Richie
Date: 26 Oct 08 - 10:42 PM

Hi,

I actually have a copy of her autobiography, which I guess "Coon Creek Girl" by Lily May Ledford, a 31 page booklet published 1980 is part of. This is about 65 pages and would make two booklets.

Besides being booked with Orson Welles (for details see my blog- link above), here's another little known fact. Her son JP Pennington's band Exile had a number one pop hit for 4 weeks in the US in 1978. The band then hit the road touring with Aerosmith, Heart, Dave Mason, Boston, Seals & Crofts and other hot pop acts of the late seventies throughout the U.S., Europe and Africa.

All of Lily May's children played music and her granddaughter Cari Norris plays her banjo.

Richie

Subject: RE: Lily May Ledford: Coon Creek Girls
From: Richie
Date: 27 Oct 08 - 09:22 PM

Hi,

Maybe I missed something but the Coon Creek Girls "Naomi Wise" and "Jim Along Josie" were listed as old 78s from the 1920s and 30s on Juneberry's Roots Listening Room. The songs are on found on Early Radio Days.

They weren't recorded for Vocalion in 1938. They aren't listed as recordings done any other sessions before 1942. Were there other sessions besides the one for County? I didn't see any.

When and were wher these songs recored?

Richie

Subject: RE: Lily May Ledford: Coon Creek Girls
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 27 Oct 08 - 10:35 PM

You can hear Ms. Ledford on a Juneapple CD
Tracklist:
How Many Biscuits Can You Eat .
Banjo Pickin Girl .
Naming the Coon Creek Girls .
Ain't Gonna work tomorrow .
Pretty Polly .
Wild Bill Jones .
Absent-Minded School Days .
East Virginia Blues .
Babes in the Woods .
Lily May Expresses Love to Audience .
Littlee Birdie .
The`Brown Girl .
the`White House Story .
Hawk Caught the Chicken and Gone .
fiddling and Square Dances on Red River .
Sally Goodin .
Cacklin Hen .
White Oak Mountain .
John Henry .
Row Your Boat .
Didn't It Rain .
Red Rocking Chair


Great stuff.
Availble from CAMSCO. Of course.