Menu Expand Menu Close
Back to Top
Filter Search Expand Close Filter
Search Expand Search Close
["Frank George (October 6, 1928 November 15, 2017), a Bluefield native, was a banjo player, fiddler, and piper, who also played piano, organ, hammer and lap dulcimer, and was a walking compendium of West Virginia traditional music history and jokes. He was the recipient of the 1994 Vandalia Award, West Virginias highest folklife honor. Jane George (November 11, 1922 February 19, 2018) helped launch the craft revival in the Mountain State through extensive fieldwork with traditional artists, educational programming, and by co-founding the Mountain State Art & Craft Fair at Cedar Lakes. She also hosted Mountain Heritage weekends and Kanawha County Parks Mountaineer Day Camps to teach young mountaineers about their cultural heritage, founded two Scottish dance troupes, and served as a 4-H agent in multiple counties. She was the 1993 Vandalia Award recipient."]%

1. Frank George's Civil War-era banjo of walnut, chestnut, and a cow hide head

Identifier:
4224.GeorgeFrankGeorgeJane.Photo.009.4.19.16
Title:
Frank George's Civil War-era banjo of walnut, chestnut, and a cow hide head
Date:
2016-04-19
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Banjo, Old-time music, Folk music--West Virginia, Stringed instruments, woodworking
Location:
Roane County (W. Va.)
["Frank George (October 6, 1928 November 15, 2017), a Bluefield native, was a banjo player, fiddler, and piper, who also played piano, organ, hammer and lap dulcimer, and was a walking compendium of West Virginia traditional music history and jokes. He was the recipient of the 1994 Vandalia Award, West Virginias highest folklife honor. Jane George (November 11, 1922 February 19, 2018) helped launch the craft revival in the Mountain State through extensive fieldwork with traditional artists, educational programming, and by co-founding the Mountain State Art & Craft Fair at Cedar Lakes. She also hosted Mountain Heritage weekends and Kanawha County Parks Mountaineer Day Camps to teach young mountaineers about their cultural heritage, founded two Scottish dance troupes, and served as a 4-H agent in multiple counties. She was the 1993 Vandalia Award recipient."]%

2. Close-up of Civil War-era banjo belonging to Frank George

Identifier:
4224.GeorgeFrankGeorgeJane.Photo.010.4.19.16
Title:
Close-up of Civil War-era banjo belonging to Frank George
Date:
2016-04-19
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
woodworking, Stringed instruments, Folk music--West Virginia, Banjo, Old-time music
Location:
Roane County (W. Va.)
["Frank George (October 6, 1928 November 15, 2017), a Bluefield native, was a banjo player, fiddler, and piper, who also played piano, organ, hammer and lap dulcimer, and was a walking compendium of West Virginia traditional music history and jokes. He was the recipient of the 1994 Vandalia Award, West Virginias highest folklife honor. Jane George (November 11, 1922 February 19, 2018) helped launch the craft revival in the Mountain State through extensive fieldwork with traditional artists, educational programming, and by co-founding the Mountain State Art & Craft Fair at Cedar Lakes. She also hosted Mountain Heritage weekends and Kanawha County Parks Mountaineer Day Camps to teach young mountaineers about their cultural heritage, founded two Scottish dance troupes, and served as a 4-H agent in multiple counties. She was the 1993 Vandalia Award recipient."]%

3. Frank George shows off his unique Civil War-era banjo

Identifier:
4224.GeorgeFrankGeorgeJane.Photo.011.4.19.16
Title:
Frank George shows off his unique Civil War-era banjo
Date:
2016-04-19
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Banjo, Stringed instruments, Folk music--West Virginia, Old-time music, Musical instruments
Location:
Roane County (W. Va.)
["Frank George (October 6, 1928 November 15, 2017), a Bluefield native, was a banjo player, fiddler, and piper, who also played piano, organ, hammer and lap dulcimer, and was a walking compendium of West Virginia traditional music history and jokes. He was the recipient of the 1994 Vandalia Award, West Virginias highest folklife honor. Jane George (November 11, 1922 February 19, 2018) helped launch the craft revival in the Mountain State through extensive fieldwork with traditional artists, educational programming, and by co-founding the Mountain State Art & Craft Fair at Cedar Lakes. She also hosted Mountain Heritage weekends and Kanawha County Parks Mountaineer Day Camps to teach young mountaineers about their cultural heritage, founded two Scottish dance troupes, and served as a 4-H agent in multiple counties. She was the 1993 Vandalia Award recipient."]%

4. Frank George arranges his Civil War-era banjo and corn husk fiddle

Identifier:
4224.GeorgeFrankGeorgeJane.Photo.012.4.19.16
Title:
Frank George arranges his Civil War-era banjo and corn husk fiddle
Date:
2016-04-19
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Old-time music, Stringed instruments, Fiddling, Banjo, Folk music--West Virginia
Location:
Roane County (W. Va.)
["Frank George (October 6, 1928 November 15, 2017), a Bluefield native, was a banjo player, fiddler, and piper, who also played piano, organ, hammer and lap dulcimer, and was a walking compendium of West Virginia traditional music history and jokes. He was the recipient of the 1994 Vandalia Award, West Virginias highest folklife honor. Jane George (November 11, 1922 February 19, 2018) helped launch the craft revival in the Mountain State through extensive fieldwork with traditional artists, educational programming, and by co-founding the Mountain State Art & Craft Fair at Cedar Lakes. She also hosted Mountain Heritage weekends and Kanawha County Parks Mountaineer Day Camps to teach young mountaineers about their cultural heritage, founded two Scottish dance troupes, and served as a 4-H agent in multiple counties. She was the 1993 Vandalia Award recipient."]%

5. Frank George's photo of his band with Charlie McCoy (guitar), Gilbert Williams (fiddle), James Beans (banjo)

Identifier:
4224.GeorgeFrankGeorgeJane.Photo.013.4.19.16
Title:
Frank George's photo of his band with Charlie McCoy (guitar), Gilbert Williams (fiddle), James Beans (banjo)
Date:
2016-04-19
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Old-time music, Folk music--West Virginia, Fiddling, McCoy, Charlie, 1941-, Banjo, Stringed instruments
Location:
Roane 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."]%

6. 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."]%

7. 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.)
["Sam Rizzetta is a dulcimer designer, builder, and musician who moved to West Virginia in the early 1970s. He was a member of the string band Trapezoid and founded the hammer dulcimer playing classes at the Augusta Heritage Center at Davis & Elkins College. He has built dulcimers for musicians including John McCutcheon, Guy Carawan, and Sam Herrmann. Rizzetta now collaborates with the Dusty Strings Company who build hammer dulcimers based on his designs. He lives with his wife Carrie Rizzetta in Berkeley County, WV. He was photographed in his home workshop."]%

8. Photo of Sam Rizzetta playing hammer dulcimer

Identifier:
4224.RizzettaSam.Photo.001.7.19.16
Title:
Photo of Sam Rizzetta playing hammer dulcimer
Date:
2016-07-19
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Rizzetta, Sam, Dulcimer, Stringed instruments, Musical instruments
Location:
Inwood (W. Va.), Berkeley County (W. Va.)
["Wooden hammer dulcimer made by Sam Rizzetta. Rizzetta is a dulcimer designer, builder, and musician who moved to West Virginia in the early 1970s. He was a member of the string band Trapezoid and founded the hammer dulcimer playing classes at the Augusta Heritage Center at Davis & Elkins College. He has built dulcimers for musicians including John McCutcheon, Guy Carawan, and Sam Herrmann. Rizzetta now collaborates with the Dusty Strings Company who build hammer dulcimers based on his designs. He lives with his wife Carrie Rizzetta in Berkeley County, WV. He was photographed in his home workshop."]%

9. Hammer dulcimer made by Sam Rizzetta

Identifier:
4224.RizzettaSam.Photo.002.7.19.16
Title:
Hammer dulcimer made by Sam Rizzetta
Date:
2016-07-19
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Rizzetta, Sam, Musical instruments, Dulcimer, Stringed instruments
Location:
Berkeley County (W. Va.), Inwood (W. Va.)
["Sound hole of wooden hammer dulcimer made by Sam Rizzetta. Rizzetta is a dulcimer designer, builder, and musician who moved to West Virginia in the early 1970s. He was a member of the string band Trapezoid and founded the hammer dulcimer playing classes at the Augusta Heritage Center at Davis & Elkins College. He has built dulcimers for musicians including John McCutcheon, Guy Carawan, and Sam Herrmann. Rizzetta now collaborates with the Dusty Strings Company who build hammer dulcimers based on his designs. He lives with his wife Carrie Rizzetta in Berkeley County, WV. He was photographed in his home workshop."]%

10. Sound hole of hammer dulcimer made by Sam Rizzetta

Identifier:
4224.RizzettaSam.Photo.003.7.19.16
Title:
Sound hole of hammer dulcimer made by Sam Rizzetta
Date:
2016-07-19
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Stringed instruments, Musical instruments, Dulcimer, Rizzetta, Sam
Location:
Berkeley County (W. Va.), Inwood (W. Va.)
["Hammer dulcimer hammers made by Sam Rizzetta. Rizzetta is a dulcimer designer, builder, and musician who moved to West Virginia in the early 1970s. He was a member of the string band Trapezoid and founded the hammer dulcimer playing classes at the Augusta Heritage Center at Davis & Elkins College. He has built dulcimers for musicians including John McCutcheon, Guy Carawan, and Sam Herrmann. Rizzetta now collaborates with the Dusty Strings Company who build hammer dulcimers based on his designs. He lives with his wife Carrie Rizzetta in Berkeley County, WV. He was photographed in his home workshop."]%

11. Dulcimer hammers made by Sam Rizzetta

Identifier:
4224.RizzettaSam.Photo.004.7.19.16
Title:
Dulcimer hammers made by Sam Rizzetta
Date:
2016-07-19
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Musical instruments, Stringed instruments, Rizzetta, Sam, Dulcimer
Location:
Berkeley County (W. Va.), Inwood (W. Va.)
["Sam Rizzetta is a dulcimer designer, builder, and musician who moved to West Virginia in the early 1970s. He was a member of the string band Trapezoid and founded the hammer dulcimer playing classes at the Augusta Heritage Center at Davis & Elkins College. He has built dulcimers for musicians including John McCutcheon, Guy Carawan, and Sam Herrmann. Rizzetta now collaborates with the Dusty Strings Company who build hammer dulcimers based on his designs. He lives with his wife Carrie Rizzetta in Berkeley County, WV. He was photographed in his home workshop."]%

12. Photo of Sam Rizzetta playing hammer dulcimer in his workshop

Identifier:
4224.RizzettaSam.Photo.005.7.19.16
Title:
Photo of Sam Rizzetta playing hammer dulcimer in his workshop
Date:
2016-07-19
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Stringed instruments, Musical instruments, Rizzetta, Sam, Dulcimer
Location:
Berkeley County (W. Va.), Inwood (W. Va.)