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["Thomas Alan Cathead Johnston (b. 1952) is a bluegrass and country musician from McDowell County, WV. He is a former bassist in Mel Streets band The Swing Kings and his songs have been recorded by Del McCoury, Tommy Webb, and others."]%

1. Photo of songwriter and musician Alan "Cathead" Johnston

Identifier:
4224.JohnstonAlan.Photo.001.4.14.16
Title:
Photo of songwriter and musician Alan "Cathead" Johnston
Date:
2016-04-14
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Stringed instruments, Folk music--West Virginia, Bluegrass music, Old-time music, Country music
Location:
Welch (W. Va.), McDowell County (W. Va.)
["Thomas Alan Cathead Johnston (b. 1952) is a bluegrass and country musician from McDowell County, WV. He is a former bassist in Mel Streets band The Swing Kings and his songs have been recorded by Del McCoury, Tommy Webb, and others."]%

2. Portrait of songwriter and musician Alan "Cathead" Johnston

Identifier:
4224.JohnstonAlan.Photo.002.4.14.16
Title:
Portrait of songwriter and musician Alan "Cathead" Johnston
Date:
2016-04-14
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Bluegrass music, Country music, Stringed instruments, Folk music--West Virginia, Old-time music
Location:
Welch (W. Va.), McDowell County (W. Va.)
["Elaine (Moore) Purkey is an activist songwriter and musician from Harts Creek, West Virginia in Lincoln County. She was born on May 29, 1949, on the same piece of property where she still lives. She was raised in a family of musicians and flatfoot dancers and attributes her powerful voice to the acapella singing she learned as a member of the Church of Christ. As a teenager she played in bands with her brother, and in early adulthood she was the lead singer of a local country band. In the 1980s, she began performing regularly on the Wallace Horn Friendly Neighbors Show, a live radio program out of Logan County that has been on the air since 1967. She now hosts the show. Elaine performed a concert at Yasou Greek Restaurant in McDowell County on July 8, 2017. The concert was sponsored by the West Virginia Folklife Program at the West Virginia Humanities Council and McArts."]%

3. Elaine Purkey performs at Yasou Greek Restaurant

Identifier:
4224.PurkeyElaine.Photo.001.7.8.17
Title:
Elaine Purkey performs at Yasou Greek Restaurant
Date:
2017-07-08
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Working class--Songs and music, Purkey, Elaine
Location:
Kimball (W. Va.), McDowell County (W. Va.)
["Elaine (Moore) Purkey is an activist songwriter and musician from Harts Creek, West Virginia in Lincoln County. She was born on May 29, 1949, on the same piece of property where she still lives. She was raised in a family of musicians and flatfoot dancers and attributes her powerful voice to the acapella singing she learned as a member of the Church of Christ. As a teenager she played in bands with her brother, and in early adulthood she was the lead singer of a local country band. In the 1980s, she began performing regularly on the Wallace Horn Friendly Neighbors Show, a live radio program out of Logan County that has been on the air since 1967. She now hosts the show. Elaine performed a concert at Yasou Greek Restaurant in McDowell County on July 8, 2017. The concert was sponsored by the West Virginia Folklife Program at the West Virginia Humanities Council and McArts."]%

4. Elaine Purkey performs an a cappella song at Yasou Greek Restaurant

Identifier:
4224.PurkeyElaine.Photo.002.7.8.17
Title:
Elaine Purkey performs an a cappella song at Yasou Greek Restaurant
Date:
2017-07-08
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Purkey, Elaine, Working class--Songs and music
Location:
Kimball (W. Va.), McDowell County (W. Va.)
["Elaine (Moore) Purkey is an activist songwriter and musician from Harts Creek, West Virginia in Lincoln County. She was born on May 29, 1949, on the same piece of property where she still lives. She was raised in a family of musicians and flatfoot dancers and attributes her powerful voice to the acapella singing she learned as a member of the Church of Christ. As a teenager she played in bands with her brother, and in early adulthood she was the lead singer of a local country band. In the 1980s, she began performing regularly on the Wallace Horn Friendly Neighbors Show, a live radio program out of Logan County that has been on the air since 1967. She now hosts the show. Elaine performed a concert at Yasou Greek Restaurant in McDowell County on July 8, 2017. The concert was sponsored by the West Virginia Folklife Program at the West Virginia Humanities Council and McArts."]%

5. Elaine Purkey and bandmate perform at Yasou Greek Restaurant

Identifier:
4224.PurkeyElaine.Photo.003.7.8.17
Title:
Elaine Purkey and bandmate perform at Yasou Greek Restaurant
Date:
2017-07-08
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Working class--Songs and music, Purkey, Elaine
Location:
Kimball (W. Va.), McDowell County (W. Va.)
["Elaine (Moore) Purkey is an activist songwriter and musician from Harts Creek, West Virginia in Lincoln County. She was born on May 29, 1949, on the same piece of property where she still lives. She was raised in a family of musicians and flatfoot dancers and attributes her powerful voice to the acapella singing she learned as a member of the Church of Christ. As a teenager she played in bands with her brother, and in early adulthood she was the lead singer of a local country band. In the 1980s, she began performing regularly on the Wallace Horn Friendly Neighbors Show, a live radio program out of Logan County that has been on the air since 1967. She now hosts the show. Elaine performed a concert at Yasou Greek Restaurant in McDowell County on July 8, 2017. The concert was sponsored by the West Virginia Folklife Program at the West Virginia Humanities Council and McArts."]%

6. Elaine Purkey sings with a friend at Yasou Greek Restaurant

Identifier:
4224.PurkeyElaine.Photo.004.7.8.17
Title:
Elaine Purkey sings with a friend at Yasou Greek Restaurant
Date:
2017-07-08
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Working class--Songs and music, Purkey, Elaine
Location:
Kimball (W. Va.), McDowell County (W. Va.)