Who are the Coon Creek Girls?

Coon Creek Girls - Photo by famed Berea, KY photographer Coley Ogg

When you think of Appalachian mountain music, you cannot help but think of the Coon Creek Girls.  The Coon Creek Girls were an all-female string band based out of Kentucky.

Founding member was Lily Mae Ledford, born in Pilot, Kentucky.  Ledford learned to play on an old discarded fiddle belonging to "Gran'pappy Tackett," who was a famous old-time fiddler of the Kentucky mountains, as was her father, White Ledford. She told the story of how she made her first fiddle bow from a willow switch and a generous portion of the tail of "Ole Maudie," "Gran'pappy's" white mare.

Lily Mae Ledford had formed the Red River Ramblers with her sister, Rosie, and brother, Cayden.  After auditioning for talent scouts in 1935, Lily May Ledford was asked to appear on the famous WLS Chicago Barn Dance.  It was there that John Lair took interest in becoming her manager.  John Lair would also become the founder of Renfro Valley Barn Dance.

When John Lair moved on to Renfro Valley, he wanted to manage an all female string band with Lily May Ledford as the lead.  Lily May Ledford would become one of the founding members of the Renfro Valley Barn Dance.  That original group of the Coon Creek Girls were Lily May Ledford, her sister Rosie, as well as Evelyn "Daisy" Lange, and Esther "Violet" Koehler.  Evelyn and Esther received their nicknames to keep up with the flower name theme.  Lily May Ledford played unique tuning and claw-hammered style of banjo.  Rosie Ledford played guitar, Violet on mandolin, and Daisy on bass.

The Coon Creek Girls made their debut on October 9, 1937 from the Cincinnati Music Hall.  They would begin performing on the Renfro Valley Barn Dance and would do so for fifteen years.  

They would produce their first album in 1938 on the Vocalion label in Chicago.  One of their most popular songs was "How Many Biscuits Can You Eat?"  They were even invited to perform at the White House in 1939 for the King and Queen of England and President and Mrs. Roosevelt.

The group would disband as Evelyn Lange and Esther Koehler would move to Dallas the following year.

Never to give up, Lily Mae and her sister, Rosie, were joined by their sister, Minnie, known as "Black Eyed Susan."  They continued to perform together with others until around 1957.  Lily Mae Ledford continued on as a solo act until her passing in 1985.

During the 1980s, John Lair created the New Coon Creek Girls.  They included Pam Gadd on banjo & guitar; Wanda Barnett on guitar & fiddle; Vicki Simmons on bass & banjo; and Pam Perry Combs on mandolin & guitar.  They continue to perform throughout Kentucky and the Appalachian region.

In 2004, the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame honored the Coon Creek Girls by inducting them into their Hall of Fame.  There is also a display of the group at the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Renfro Valley, Kentucky.  Needless to say, they made a huge impact in the world of Appalachian Music, as well as the beginning of Kentucky country music history.  Below is a video of them performing, "How Many Biscuits Can You Eat?"

Pine Mountain State Resort Park to host 40th Annual Great American Dulcimer Convention

Pine Mountain State Park will be hosting the 40th Annual Great American Dulcimer Convention on September 23-24, 2016.  This long running musical event is made up of both free learning workshops during the day Saturday and must-see evening concerts Friday & Saturday. Come early on September 24 and enjoy the Frontier Night Buffet in the park’s Mountain View Restaurant as well, featuring buffalo and elk entrees.

Cumberland Highlanders celebrate 20 years of bringing bluegrass music to homes

Cumberland Highlanders - via RFD-TV

On July 16, 1996, the first taping of the Cumberland Highlanders television show occurred in London, Kentucky.  Campbell Mercer, also known as Doc Mercer to many, brought along Travis Brown, Claude Haron, Jimmie Hamm, Julie Mercer, and Paul Wayne Jones for that first taping.  It happened behind Doc Mercer's old farm house in London.  The lone cameraman was Roy Steck, who ran all three cameras.  That first show aired later on July 25, 1996, on WOBZ-TV.

Watch the funeral for Dr. Ralph Stanley

Special thanks to WYMT of Hazard, Kentucky, for airing the funeral for Dr. Ralph Stanley.  They have graciously uploaded the service on Youtube.  Below is that video.  

Dr. Ralph Edmond Stanley, age 89 passed away Thursday, June 23, 2016 at his residence. He was a lifelong resident of Dickenson County and was of the Primitive Baptist Faith. He was a 1945 graduate of Ervinton High School and a World War II Veteran of the United States Army. Dr. Stanley was a member of the Clintwood Masonic Lodge #66 and a member of the Kazim Shrine in Roanoke, Virginia . He was preceded in death by his parents, Lee and Lucy Jane Stanley; four brothers, Carter Stanley, Morgan Stanley, Lansing Stanley, and Doc Stanley; four sisters, Ruby Rakes Eubank, Buford Tate, Georgia Armes, and Hattie Stanley; several nieces and nephews, and many loyal Clinch Mountain Boys.

Survivors Include:
His Wife: Jimmi Stanley

Two Daughters: Lisa Joy Stanley Marshall and her husband, Bryan, and Tonya Carletta Stanley Armes and husband Jason.

One Son: Ralph Edmond Stanley II and wife, Kristi

One Step Son: Michael Ray Cheek and wife Tonya
One Brother: Freddie Stanley and wife, Joan of Abingdon, Virginia

Seven Grandchildren: Amber Dawn Stanley, Nathan Edmond Stanley, Evan Matthew Stout, Alexis Faith Marshall, Ashley Hope Marshall, Taylor Brooke Stanley, and Ralph Edmond Stanley III

One Great Granddaughter: Makenzie Paige Stanley

The family will receive friends Tuesday, June 28, 2016 at the Hills of Home Park, Smith Ridge Section, McClure, Virginia at 5:00 p.m with a Masonic Service to begin at 6:00 p.m. Funeral services will follow with Frank Newsome and Eva Murphy officiating. VFW Post 8979 will conduct a VFW graveside service with entombment to follow.  Fans are asked to bring a lawn chair if they plan on attending the services.

Pallbearers will be Nathan Stanley, Bryan Marshall, Walter Carlton, Evan Stout, Jason Armes, Ralph Stanley II, and Ralph Stanley III.

Honorary Pallbearers will be Ricky Skaggs, Josh Turner, Jim Lauderdale, Dewey Brown, Ralph Murphy, Bobby Hammons, and any Clinch Mountain Boy present.


In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Shriner’s Childrens’ Hospital or St. Judes.

Appalachian music and heritage has always been strong through Ralph Stanley.  He embraced the mountains, the people, and the music.  For 70 years, he stood on stage performing, with most of those years accompanied by his clawhammer banjo picking.  The skies are weeping in the mountains of Virginia as we say goodbye to the legend that passed away on June 23, 2016 at the age of 89.

The Angel Band has called up Ralph Stanley

Dr. Ralph Stanley

Back in 1998, I was fortunate to go to Poppy Mountain Bluegrass Festival with some college friends.  My main mission - to meet Ralph Stanley.  I got to see the frail looking man in a suit, a roll of money nestled in his front pocket, sitting at a merchandise table.  He would talk to anyone that wanted to talk and sign anything that he had for sale.  I was able to purchase a cd, shake his hand, and tell my friends that I got to meet Ralph Stanley.  Later on, he would stand up on the stage with his band, the Clinch Mountain Boys, to sing pure Appalachian gospel and bluegrass tunes that resonated among the crowd.

A couple of years later, I continued to travel to bluegrass festivals in the summer and write more for the college newspaper on music.  I became friends with guitarist, James Alan Shelton, who allowed me to do an interview with Ralph Stanley.  In the summer of 2001, it was blazing hot at the Shriners Bluegrass Festival in Olive Hill, Kentucky.  It would be the first interview that I would conduct with someone in music and it was with Ralph Stanley.  I was doing quite a bit of research on bluegrass music for papers and presentations in college.  The movie "O Brother, Where Art Thou" was a hit on the silverscreen and bluegrass saw a resurgence of listeners and fans.  We spoke about the connection of bluegrass and movies.  Needless to say, I learned quite a bit from Mr. Stanley that day.  Ralph, along with the Clinch Mountain Boys, all signed the coversheet of one of my research papers, much to my surprise.  I did get an A+ on that particular paper.

Later on, Ralph Stanley would perform at Renfro Valley Entertainment Center over the years.  James Alan Shelton said I always had a standing invitation to come out and see them.  I took him up on that offer one cold December evening when they played in the Old Barn.  Afterwards, Ralph Stanley would sit at the merchandise table shaking hands, signing autographs, and greeting fans.  He would sign my mandolin that is now hanging on the wall at my house.

Many fans can tell you that seeing Ralph Stanley sing put a haunted eerie feeling over the crowd.  Everyone would be silenced by the reverend vocal style of Ralph Stanley booming through the speakers.  It didn't matter what music style you liked, but you would easily turn your heard and listen to what he would sing.  It is rare to see someone on stage take command with performing the traditional Baptist hymns.  

Appalachian music and heritage has always been strong through Ralph Stanley.  He embraced the mountains, the people, and the music.  For 70 years, he stood on stage performing, with most of those years accompanied by his clawhammer banjo picking.  The skies are weeping in the mountains of Virginia as we say goodbye to the legend that passed away on June 23, 2016 at the age of 89.

Appalshop to celebrate 30th anniversary of Seedtime on the Cumberland

On June 3-4th, Seedtime on the Cumberland continues its annual tradition of bringing musical entertainment in the mountains of southeastern Kentucky.  Hosted by Appalshop, the event is free and open to the public at the Appalashop headquarters in Whitesburg, Kentucky.

Scheduled to perform include Lee Sexton, Jericho Woods, Amythyst Kiah, Chris King, Larry Sigmon and Martha Spencer, The Local Honeys, Michael & Carrie Kline, Nikos Pappas, Sam Gleaves, Saro Lynch Thomason, The Price Sisters, Kevin Howard, Brett Ratliff, Bill & The Belles, and Sunrise Ridge.

Seedtime on the Cumberland furthers Appalshop’s mission through the presentation and broadcasting of Appalshop’s work to the general public intensively over one weekend each year. Seedtime’s goal is to "be a mirror for the mountain people and communities. To remind folks here of our cultural riches and traditions of the true vine that make this region vibrant and always growing. Seedtime on the Cumberland brings the arts of the community to the community, and, by broadcasting this festival live on the airwaves of WMMT and on the internet at www.wmmt.org, we present ourselves to the entire world."

Friday's schedule starts at 5:00 p.m. on the Main Stage with Rich Kirby & Nate Polly, Kevin Howard, Nikos Pappas, Sunrise Ridge, Bill & The Belles, and Brett Ratliff closing it out at 10:00 p.m.  In the Cowan Community Theatre, there will be a screening of "After Coal" by Tom Hansell.

Saturday's schedule on the Main Stage starts at 11:00 a.m. with Pick & Bow, Sam Gleaves, Lee Sexton, Chris King & Nigel Jones, The Local Honeys, The Price Sisters, Larry Sigmon & Martha Spencer, Carcassone Square Dance, Amythyst Klah, and Jericho Woods.  Over in the theatre, there will be a Grow Appalachia Workshop, Ethnobotany Workshop with Dr. Sunshine Brosi, Appalshop Archive Screening, Appalachian Media Institute Film Screenings, and the Roadside Theatre.  In the Conference Room, the Southern Appalachian Writers Cooperative will be having a broadcasted reading.  There will also be a group sing with Michael and Carrie Kline.

Thursday at 6:30 p.m., there will be Feedtime on the Cumberland at the Farmer's Market.

On Saturday, there will be a Shapenote Sing Workshop from 10:00-11:00 a.m. at the First Baptist Church.  For over two hundred years, communities of people across the country (and now around the world) have come together to sing these hauntingly beautiful hymns. The first hour, from 10 to 11, will be a singing school taught by Dr. Ron Pen of the University of Kentucky. We'll learn some history of shapenote, and learn how to sing it. Then for the next two hours, from 11 to 1, we'll have a regular sing, where anyone can call and lead a song, or just sing or listen. Anyone can take part in the singing -- no experience, note-reading ability, or "talent" needed!

Also on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., there will be a Seedtime Hike. Join Pathfinders of Perry County for a Seedtime Hike on Pine Mountain. This hike is suitable for all ages, and kids are especially welcome (must be accompanied by adult). This year's hike will feature Trail Talks, a series of very short, interactive talks on watersheds, geology, bears, trees, and history! The hike itself is about 2 miles roundtrip, and of moderate difficulty (lots of elevation changes, but a mostly good trail). Bring water, wear sturdy shoes (tennis shoes are fine), and be prepared to learn lots of cool new stuff! Meet at the old Letcher County High School at 10:30 to carpool, or at Wylie's Last Resort at 11 a.m. to start hiking.

Be sure to check out the Seedtime on the Cumberland website with schedule and performer information at www.seedtimefestival.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/seedtimefestival.