Oral history of Elaine Purkey, 1 of 2

Identifier:

4224.PurkeyElaine.AudioInt.001.10.27.16

Title:

Oral history of Elaine Purkey, 1 of 2

Date:

2016-10-27

Creator:

Purkey, Elaine

Contributor:

Hilliard, Emily and Wilson, Rick

Description:

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.

Subject:

Coal mines and mining, Working class--Songs and music, Purkey, Elaine, Country music, Folk music--West Virginia, and Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--West Virginia

Rights:

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Location:

Lincoln County (W. Va.) and Harts (W. Va.)

Format:

audio/wav

Language:

English

Source:

A&M 4224, West Virginia Folklife Program Collection