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49. Oral history of Alan "Cathead" Johnston

Identifier:
4224.JohnstonAlan.AudioInt.4.14.16
Title:
Oral history of Alan "Cathead" Johnston
Date:
2016-04-14
Creator:
Johnston, Alan
Contributor:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Street, Mel, Banjo, Bluegrass music, Country music radio stations, Goins, Melvin, 1933-, Fiddle tunes, Stringed instruments, Folk music--West Virginia, Country music, Fiddling, Old-time music, McCoury, Del, 1939-
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."]%

50. Transcript of oral history of Alan "Cathead" Johnston

Identifier:
4224.JohnstonAlan.IntTranscript.4.14.16
Title:
Transcript of oral history of Alan "Cathead" Johnston
Date:
2016-04-14
Creator:
Johnston, Alan
Contributor:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Bowed stringed instruments, Fiddling, Fiddle tunes, Banjo, Folk music--West Virginia, McCoury, Del, 1939-, Bluegrass music, Goins, Melvin, 1933-, Street, Mel, Old-time music, Country music radio stations, Country music
Location:
Welch (W. Va.), McDowell County (W. Va.)
["Kim Johnson and Cody Jordan were participants in the 2020-2021 West Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Program. Jordan plays guitar in The Modock Rounders with Johnson, touring across the state and region, and is looking forward to expanding his knowledge of central West Virginia old-time banjo traditions.See our feature on Johnsons apprenticeship with Jordan here: https://wvfolklife.org/2020/09/04/2020-folklife-apprenticeship-feature-kim-johnson-cody-jordan-banjo-traditions-of-central-west-virginia/The West Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Program offers up to a $3,000 stipend to West Virginia master traditional artists or tradition bearers working with qualified apprentices on a year-long in-depth apprenticeship in their cultural expression or traditional art form. These apprenticeships aim to facilitate the transmission of techniques and artistry of the forms, as well as their histories and traditions.The apprenticeship program grants are administered by the West Virginia Folklife Program at the West Virginia Humanities Council in Charleston and are supported in part by an Art Works grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. West Virginia Folklife is dedicated to the documentation, preservation, presentation, and support of West Virginias vibrant cultural heritage and living traditions."]%

51. Artist profile of Cody Jordan

Identifier:
4224.JordanCody.ArtistProfile.9.1.20
Title:
Artist profile of Cody Jordan
Date:
2020-09-01
Creator:
Jordan, Cody
Subject:
Folk music--West Virginia, Folk music festivals, Apprenticeship programs, Old-time music, Johnson, Kim (Banjoist), Fiddling, Banjo, Fiddle tunes
Location:
Kanawha County (W. Va.), Charleston (W. Va.)
["Joe Herrman (master artist, b. 1949) of Paw Paw in Hampshire County and Dakota Karper (apprentice, b. 1992) of Capon Bridge are participants in the 2020-2021 West Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Program, studying old-time fiddle. Dakota Karper, a Hampshire County native, has been playing old-time fiddle for 20 years and runs The Cat and the Fiddle Music School. Herrmann and Karper apprenticed together previously in 2004 (when Karper was 11) through Augusta Heritage Centers former Apprenticeship Program.See the West Virginia Folklife Program feature on Herrmann and Karper: https://wvfolklife.org/2020/12/03/2020-folklife-apprenticeship-feature-joe-herrmann-dakota-karper-old-time-fiddle/"]%

52. Artist profile of Dakota Karper

Identifier:
4224.KarperDakota.ArtistProfile3.6.20
Title:
Artist profile of Dakota Karper
Date:
2020-03-06
Creator:
Karper, Dakota
Subject:
Apprenticeship programs, Fiddle tunes, Folk music--West Virginia, Fiddling, Old-time music
Location:
Hampshire County (W. Va.), Capon Bridge (W. Va.)

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53. Oral history of Phyllis Marks

Identifier:
4224.MarksPhyllis.AudioInt.4.22.16
Title:
Oral history of Phyllis Marks
Date:
2016-04-22
Creator:
Marks, Phyllis
Contributor:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Storytelling, Ballads, Folk music--West Virginia, Old-time music, Working class families, Irish Americans
Location:
Glenville (W. Va.), Gilmer County (W. Va.)
["Phyllis Marks (June 5, 1927-June 22, 2019) was born Phyllis Mariam Frashure on June 5, 1927, in Sand Fork, Gilmer County, WV. According to folklorist Gerry Milnes, Marks was the last active ballad singer in the state who, as she says, learned by heart, via oral transmission, mainly from her mother and grandmother, both of Irish ancestry. Since 1954, Phyllis performed annually at the West Virginia State Folk Festival at Glenville. A fixture at the festival and in her community, the 2005 festival was dedicated to her.Marks was recorded in 1978 for the Library of Congress and has been featured in various books and radio programs. In 1997, she worked with Gerry Milnes to release the Augusta Heritage album Phyllis Marks: Old-Time Songs of West Virginia.In 2016, the West Virginia Folklife Program received a Henry Reed Fund Award from the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress to host and record a concert with Marks at the West Virginia Humanities Council. Read more about that concert here: https://wvfolklife.org/2016/10/03/i-think-that-the-women-made-the-folk-songs-phyllis-marks-in-concert/Materials from that concert are available via the Library of Congress/American Folklife Center in the Emily Hilliard collection on West Virginia ballad singer Phyllis Marks: https://catalog.loc.gov/vwebv/search?searchCode=LCCN&searchArg=2017655418&searchType=1&permalink=yRead our tribute to Phyllis Marks on the West Virginia Folklife blog: https://wvfolklife.org/2019/07/02/a-tribute-to-ballad-singer-phyllis-marks-june-51927-june-22-2019/Interviewers notes:I went to interview 88-year old ballad singer Phyllis Marks at her home in Glenville, WV. Folklorist Gerry Milnes believes Marks to be the last living ballad singer in the state who learned her repertoire via oral transmission. Marks is blind and was accompanied by her dog. She said she was hoarse today, but would sing for me another time."]%

54. Transcript of oral history of Phyllis Marks

Identifier:
4224.MarksPhyllis.IntTranscript4.22.16
Title:
Transcript of oral history of Phyllis Marks
Date:
2016-04-22
Creator:
Marks, Phyllis
Contributor:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Irish Americans, Ballads, Working class families, Storytelling, Folk music--West Virginia, Old-time music
Location:
Gilmer County (W. Va.), Glenville (W. Va.)

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55. Oral history of John D. Morris and Jen Iskow, 1 of 3

Identifier:
4224.MorrisJohnIskowJen.AudioInt.001.6.14.18
Title:
Oral history of John D. Morris and Jen Iskow, 1 of 3
Date:
2018-06-14
Creator:
Morris, John D., Iskow, Jen
Contributor:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Clay County (W. Va.), Apprenticeship programs, Fiddling, Fiddle tunes, Old-time music, Folk music--West Virginia
Location:
Clay County (W. Va.)

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56. Oral history of John D. Morris and Jen Iskow, 2 of 3

Identifier:
4224.MorrisJohnIskowJen.AudioInt.002.6.14.18
Title:
Oral history of John D. Morris and Jen Iskow, 2 of 3
Date:
2018-06-14
Creator:
Morris, John D., Iskow, Jen
Contributor:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Apprenticeship programs, Fiddle tunes, Clay County (W. Va.), Old-time music, Fiddling, Folk music--West Virginia
Location:
Clay County (W. Va.)

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57. Oral history of John D. Morris and Jen Iskow, 3 of 3

Identifier:
4224.MorrisJohnIskowJen.AudioInt.003.6.14.18
Title:
Oral history of John D. Morris and Jen Iskow, 3 of 3
Date:
2018-06-14
Creator:
Iskow, Jen, Morris, John D.
Contributor:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Old-time music, Clay County (W. Va.), Apprenticeship programs, Folk music--West Virginia, Fiddle tunes, Fiddling
Location:
Clay County (W. Va.)
["John D. Morris of Ivydale led an apprenticeship in old-time fiddle and stories of Clay County with Jen Iskow of Thomas as part of the 2018 West Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Program, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. John D. MorrisBorn in Ivydale, Clay County, into a family steeped in traditional music, David and John Morris learned from family and neighbors, including banjo player Jenes Cottrell and fiddler French Carpenter. After David returned from Vietnam in 1968, the brothers began organizing musical get-togethers and, in 1969, held the first Morris Family Old-Time Music Festival that same year. The festival became a major traditional music event in Clay County and filmmaker Bob Gates documented the 1972 festival in his film The Morris Family Old-Time Music Festival.Members of The Morris Brothers band included Pocahontas County old-time banjo player Dwight Diller and the late North Carolina harmonica player John Martin. Playing a mix of old-time, bluegrass, and country styles, including some of Davids original music, the group played together through the mid-70s, releasing an LP in the late 60s, Music As We Learned It, and two live shows on eight-track tapes. John, a traditional fiddler, and David, a singer, songwriter, and guitarist, were involved in union and environmental activities from the late 1960s through the 1970s. They were also instrumental in establishing the first Vandalia Gathering at the Cultural Center in 1977.The Morris Brothers music was featured in Barbara Kopples 1976 film Harlan County, USA. David, who passed away in 2016, contributed music to Kopples 2015 film about Vietnam vets, Shelter.John lives in Ivydale and plays fiddle at music events across West Virginia. He is a rich source of information about the history of old-time music in central West Virginia, and one of the few native fiddlers of his generation to continue the older style of playing.Morris was awarded the National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship, the nations highest honor in the folk and traditional arts, in 2020.Jen IskowJen Iskow is an artist, designer, musician, and community organizer based in Thomas, West Virginia. Born and raised in Rockville, Maryland, Jen grew up learning to play blues and punk music. It wasnt until she moved to Morgantown in 2009 for college that she was introduced to old-time music at the weekly Brew Pub jam hosted by Stewed Mulligan. After graduating from West Virginia University, she finally settled in Elkins, West Virginia and accepted a position as the Marketing Coordinator for the Augusta Heritage Center. Suddenly being surrounded by so many talented traditional artists, Jen was immersed into the music and inspired to learn to play fiddle. After studying under talented fiddlers such as Scott Prouty, Erynn Marshall, Jesse Wells, Ben Townsend, John Harrod, and more, Jen met John Morris at his house in Ivydale, and the rest is historySee our feature on Morris apprenticeship with Iskow here: https://wvfolklife.org/2018/11/09/2018-master-artist-apprentice-feature-john-morris-jen-iskow-old-time-fiddling-and-stories-of-clay-county/"]%

58. Transcript of oral history of John D. Morris and Jen Iskow

Identifier:
4224.MorrisJohnIskowJen.IntTranscript.6.14.18
Title:
Transcript of oral history of John D. Morris and Jen Iskow
Date:
2018-06-14
Creator:
Morris, John D., Iskow, Jen
Contributor:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Apprenticeship programs, Folk music--West Virginia, Fiddle tunes, Fiddling, Clay County (W. Va.), Old-time music
Location:
Clay County (W. Va.)

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59. John D. Morris and Jen Iskow play fiddle tunes including "16 Days in Georgia"

Identifier:
4224.MorrisJohnIskowJen.Music.6.14.18
Title:
John D. Morris and Jen Iskow play fiddle tunes including "16 Days in Georgia"
Date:
2018-06-14
Creator:
Iskow, Jen, Morris, John D.
Contributor:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Apprenticeship programs, Folk music--West Virginia, Fiddling, Old-time music, Fiddle tunes, Clay County (W. Va.)
Location:
Clay County (W. Va.)
["John D. Morris of Ivydale led an apprenticeship in old-time fiddle and stories of Clay County with Jen Iskow of Thomas as part of the 2018 West Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Program, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. John D. MorrisBorn in Ivydale, Clay County, into a family steeped in traditional music, David and John Morris learned from family and neighbors, including banjo player Jenes Cottrell and fiddler French Carpenter. After David returned from Vietnam in 1968, the brothers began organizing musical get-togethers and, in 1969, held the first Morris Family Old-Time Music Festival that same year. The festival became a major traditional music event in Clay County and filmmaker Bob Gates documented the 1972 festival in his film The Morris Family Old-Time Music Festival.Members of The Morris Brothers band included Pocahontas County old-time banjo player Dwight Diller and the late North Carolina harmonica player John Martin. Playing a mix of old-time, bluegrass, and country styles, including some of Davids original music, the group played together through the mid-70s, releasing an LP in the late 60s, Music As We Learned It, and two live shows on eight-track tapes. John, a traditional fiddler, and David, a singer, songwriter, and guitarist, were involved in union and environmental activities from the late 1960s through the 1970s. They were also instrumental in establishing the first Vandalia Gathering at the Cultural Center in 1977.The Morris Brothers music was featured in Barbara Kopples 1976 film Harlan County, USA. David, who passed away in 2016, contributed music to Kopples 2015 film about Vietnam vets, Shelter.John lives in Ivydale and plays fiddle at music events across West Virginia. He is a rich source of information about the history of old-time music in central West Virginia, and one of the few native fiddlers of his generation to continue the older style of playing.Morris was awarded the National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship, the nations highest honor in the folk and traditional arts, in 2020.Jen IskowJen Iskow is an artist, designer, musician, and community organizer based in Thomas, West Virginia. Born and raised in Rockville, Maryland, Jen grew up learning to play blues and punk music. It wasnt until she moved to Morgantown in 2009 for college that she was introduced to old-time music at the weekly Brew Pub jam hosted by Stewed Mulligan. After graduating from West Virginia University, she finally settled in Elkins, West Virginia and accepted a position as the Marketing Coordinator for the Augusta Heritage Center. Suddenly being surrounded by so many talented traditional artists, Jen was immersed into the music and inspired to learn to play fiddle. After studying under talented fiddlers such as Scott Prouty, Erynn Marshall, Jesse Wells, Ben Townsend, John Harrod, and more, Jen met John Morris at his house in Ivydale, and the rest is historySee our feature on Morris apprenticeship with Iskow here: https://wvfolklife.org/2018/11/09/2018-master-artist-apprentice-feature-john-morris-jen-iskow-old-time-fiddling-and-stories-of-clay-county/"]%

60. Artist profile of John Morris and Jen Iskow

Identifier:
4224.MorrisJohnIskowJenn.ArtistProfile.6.16.18
Title:
Artist profile of John Morris and Jen Iskow
Date:
2018-06-16
Creator:
Iskow, Jen, Morris, John D.
Subject:
Clay County (W. Va.), Fiddle tunes, Apprenticeship programs, Old-time music, Fiddling, Banjo, Folk music--West Virginia
Location:
Tucker County (W. Va.), Clay County (W. Va.)