Comments on: An Introduction to East Tennessee’s Great Music http://themoderatevoice.com/21556/an-introduction-to-east-tennessees-great-music/ An Internet hub with domestic and international news, analysis, original reporting, and popular features from the left, center, indies, centrists, moderates, and right Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:12:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: pacatrue http://themoderatevoice.com/21556/an-introduction-to-east-tennessees-great-music/comment-page-1/#comment-128703 pacatrue Wed, 06 Aug 2008 00:52:22 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/general/21556/an-introduction-to-east-tennessees-great-music/#comment-128703 I spent 8 years in Nashville and, depending on how you count, maybe 4 in northern Mississippi, an hour from Memphis. There used to be a great Tennessee tourism commercial where they sang a "come to Tennessee" song, phasing from the bluegrass music of the Smokies and Blue Ridge into the commercial Nashville sound and then into a bluesy Memphis sound. Tennessee really is a great home for music.<br><br>Gichin, unless things have changed, you will find Memphis to be a world away from Knoxville musically and somewhat culturally. In Memphis, the blues is still king (Memphis was the headquarters of the Delta) as well as a continuing love of the Stax sound. Someone must be playing Mustang Sally in that town every night. Just start on Beale St. and then move out. Nashville has a love of Americana as well. In Nashville, I'd say quintessential Americana is represented by people like Emmy Lou Harris. A definite Appalachia flavor but some blues influences as well. Ralph Stanley, who epitomizes east TN Americana for me, is also very much celebrated in middle Tennessee, but there's a slightly wider field as well. But not as blue-based yet as moving out to Texas.<br><br>Elrod, have you been into the Nantahala Gorge yet? One of my absolute favorite places on earth. I spent 8 years in Nashville and, depending on how you count, maybe 4 in northern Mississippi, an hour from Memphis. There used to be a great Tennessee tourism commercial where they sang a “come to Tennessee” song, phasing from the bluegrass music of the Smokies and Blue Ridge into the commercial Nashville sound and then into a bluesy Memphis sound. Tennessee really is a great home for music.

Gichin, unless things have changed, you will find Memphis to be a world away from Knoxville musically and somewhat culturally. In Memphis, the blues is still king (Memphis was the headquarters of the Delta) as well as a continuing love of the Stax sound. Someone must be playing Mustang Sally in that town every night. Just start on Beale St. and then move out. Nashville has a love of Americana as well. In Nashville, I'd say quintessential Americana is represented by people like Emmy Lou Harris. A definite Appalachia flavor but some blues influences as well. Ralph Stanley, who epitomizes east TN Americana for me, is also very much celebrated in middle Tennessee, but there's a slightly wider field as well. But not as blue-based yet as moving out to Texas.

Elrod, have you been into the Nantahala Gorge yet? One of my absolute favorite places on earth.

]]> By: DLS http://themoderatevoice.com/21556/an-introduction-to-east-tennessees-great-music/comment-page-1/#comment-128702 DLS Tue, 05 Aug 2008 22:04:04 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/general/21556/an-introduction-to-east-tennessees-great-music/#comment-128702 I liked going through there when I lived in Atlanta. When I was in St. Louis -- Ozarks are a distant echo. I liked going through there when I lived in Atlanta. When I was in St. Louis — Ozarks are a distant echo.

]]> By: Mike_P http://themoderatevoice.com/21556/an-introduction-to-east-tennessees-great-music/comment-page-1/#comment-128701 Mike_P Tue, 05 Aug 2008 18:55:47 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/general/21556/an-introduction-to-east-tennessees-great-music/#comment-128701 If you're really interested in roots folk and bluegrass, you can't do any better than the Smithsonian Folkways Collection ( <a href="http://www.folkways.si.edu/albumdetails.aspx?itemid=2426">http://www.folkways.si.edu/albumdetails.aspx?it...</a> ). Music samples are offered on the site as well. The 6-CD collection was originally compiled by the late Harry Smith ( <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthology_of_American_Folk_Music">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthology_of_Ameri...</a> ) an eccentric collector who wrote all his own liner notes, including some fascinating historical details. (The liner notes are available for download on the Smithsonian site linked above.) Most of the recordings were made from his personal 78-rpms, (and even a few wax recordings if I remember correctly) and they open a window on the origins of much of what followed in later decades. If you're really interested in roots folk and bluegrass, you can't do any better than the Smithsonian Folkways Collection ( http://www.folkways.si.edu/albumdetails.aspx?it… ). Music samples are offered on the site as well. The 6-CD collection was originally compiled by the late Harry Smith ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthology_of_Ameri… ) an eccentric collector who wrote all his own liner notes, including some fascinating historical details. (The liner notes are available for download on the Smithsonian site linked above.) Most of the recordings were made from his personal 78-rpms, (and even a few wax recordings if I remember correctly) and they open a window on the origins of much of what followed in later decades.

]]> By: Gichin13 http://themoderatevoice.com/21556/an-introduction-to-east-tennessees-great-music/comment-page-1/#comment-128700 Gichin13 Tue, 05 Aug 2008 16:51:19 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/general/21556/an-introduction-to-east-tennessees-great-music/#comment-128700 My brother is moving from No Va to Memphis pretty soon, I am looking forward to checking out the music scene down your way which is a really sweet thing! My brother is moving from No Va to Memphis pretty soon, I am looking forward to checking out the music scene down your way which is a really sweet thing!

]]> By: elrod http://themoderatevoice.com/21556/an-introduction-to-east-tennessees-great-music/comment-page-1/#comment-128698 elrod Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:16:19 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/general/21556/an-introduction-to-east-tennessees-great-music/#comment-128698 Ricorun,<br>Austin has its own variety of roots music.The beauty of the Americana genre is that it is eclectic. The Appalachian tradition is only part of it. <br><br>There was a huge folk revival from the late 1950s until the early 1970s. Arguably, bluegrass music took off as a genre because of this revival, driven by the Newport Folk Festival. <br><br>Remember, bluegrass music is no older than 1938, and really doesn't go back much before the post-WWII Bill Monroe sessions. Bluegrass reintroduced the mandolin and banjo as hard-charging solo instruments and not as tremolo or rhythm. When Doc Watson started flatpicking fiddle tunes on his guitar, and dobroists added the Hawaiian-esque sound, modern bluegrass had arrived. But that's the early 1960s. Ricorun,
Austin has its own variety of roots music.The beauty of the Americana genre is that it is eclectic. The Appalachian tradition is only part of it.

There was a huge folk revival from the late 1950s until the early 1970s. Arguably, bluegrass music took off as a genre because of this revival, driven by the Newport Folk Festival.

Remember, bluegrass music is no older than 1938, and really doesn't go back much before the post-WWII Bill Monroe sessions. Bluegrass reintroduced the mandolin and banjo as hard-charging solo instruments and not as tremolo or rhythm. When Doc Watson started flatpicking fiddle tunes on his guitar, and dobroists added the Hawaiian-esque sound, modern bluegrass had arrived. But that's the early 1960s.

]]> By: Ricorun http://themoderatevoice.com/21556/an-introduction-to-east-tennessees-great-music/comment-page-1/#comment-128697 Ricorun Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:21:15 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/general/21556/an-introduction-to-east-tennessees-great-music/#comment-128697 Considering what you've been through recently Elrod, I can't blame you for laying low for a while. I hope you, your family and your community are doing well. <br><br>I've always been a fan of "roots", or Americana music. It might be a little surprising, but it was reasonably popular in Connecticut while I was growing up in the 60s and 70s. It didn't saturate the airwaves or anything, but the local public radio station had a couple of shows of it. And there was a little place in New Haven called the Hole in the Wall that played nothing but. Best of all, a bunch of folks would gather at a friend's house for picker parties quite often.<br><br>It was actually harder to find when I got down to Austin. The "Americana" scene there had more of a Texas/Louisiana/Delta flavor in one combination or another. Nonetheless a girlfriend got me hooked up with a clog-dancing club for a while. And every year there was a folk festival down in Kerrville with a smattering of the real thing. Anyway, it's great food for the soul. Thanks for the radio link and good luck to you. Considering what you've been through recently Elrod, I can't blame you for laying low for a while. I hope you, your family and your community are doing well.

I've always been a fan of “roots”, or Americana music. It might be a little surprising, but it was reasonably popular in Connecticut while I was growing up in the 60s and 70s. It didn't saturate the airwaves or anything, but the local public radio station had a couple of shows of it. And there was a little place in New Haven called the Hole in the Wall that played nothing but. Best of all, a bunch of folks would gather at a friend's house for picker parties quite often.

It was actually harder to find when I got down to Austin. The “Americana” scene there had more of a Texas/Louisiana/Delta flavor in one combination or another. Nonetheless a girlfriend got me hooked up with a clog-dancing club for a while. And every year there was a folk festival down in Kerrville with a smattering of the real thing. Anyway, it's great food for the soul. Thanks for the radio link and good luck to you.

]]> By: shaun http://themoderatevoice.com/21556/an-introduction-to-east-tennessees-great-music/comment-page-1/#comment-128696 shaun Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:57:47 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/general/21556/an-introduction-to-east-tennessees-great-music/#comment-128696 Great post. Great music. And I occasionally stream 'DVX. Great post. Great music. And I occasionally stream 'DVX.

]]> By: RememberNovember http://themoderatevoice.com/21556/an-introduction-to-east-tennessees-great-music/comment-page-1/#comment-128695 RememberNovember Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:27:47 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/general/21556/an-introduction-to-east-tennessees-great-music/#comment-128695 don't forget hot fries! Have a Tennesean who works with us- explained the whole phenomenon. don't forget hot fries! Have a Tennesean who works with us- explained the whole phenomenon.

]]> By: Mike_P http://themoderatevoice.com/21556/an-introduction-to-east-tennessees-great-music/comment-page-1/#comment-128694 Mike_P Tue, 05 Aug 2008 06:30:14 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/general/21556/an-introduction-to-east-tennessees-great-music/#comment-128694 I lived in the hill country outside of Johnson City for a few years when I was very young (early 60s) and the atmosphere of the region then, most marked by the music of the era I think, has never faded from my memory. It was hill folk, and it was was real country, way "before country was cool." I've judged all country music since by that standard. Nothing has ever managed to even come close. It was a great place to be a young kid, too! Kind of my own personal Tom Sawyer experience. Thanks, elrod. I'll definitely be bookmarking that site! I lived in the hill country outside of Johnson City for a few years when I was very young (early 60s) and the atmosphere of the region then, most marked by the music of the era I think, has never faded from my memory. It was hill folk, and it was was real country, way “before country was cool.” I've judged all country music since by that standard. Nothing has ever managed to even come close. It was a great place to be a young kid, too! Kind of my own personal Tom Sawyer experience. Thanks, elrod. I'll definitely be bookmarking that site!

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