Public sector folklorists have refined various models for cultural tourism within recent years. The focus on music trails has yielded excellent resources in various regions, and folklorists, musicians, and listeners have all benefitted from these, discovering ways to enhance their network of connections in communities across the nation. The publication of this guide to the living musical traditions of western North Carolina offers a vibrant resource for experiencing the richness of the musical heritage of North Carolina’s Appalachian region. More than a guidebook, this volume features overviews of six distinctive regions within the state, a compilation CD of historical and contemporary recordings, and a wealth of resources that will benefit musicians, fans, and researchers.
Each of the book’s sections begins with a brief overview of the history of the region as it relates to the musical resources that are profiled. Fred Fussell knows his history, and his writing is interesting and engaging. The book gives descriptions of various venues where traditional music is performed, and the resource provides practical information on these sites, including links to their individual websites and links to the more generalized information found on the Blue Ridge Music Trails site: www.BlueRidgeMusicNC.com. Additional information includes “Sidebars” and “Profiles.” Each sidebar is a short feature story on a musician, arts advocate, or other contributor to the community, and the profiles provide a further context for the musical traditions of the region. The compact disc is also linked to these sections, as it features recordings of over two dozen of the musicians or the groups profiled. Beautiful color and historical photographs complete the volume, and the images made by Cedric Chatterley are especially vibrant.
Folklorists sometimes express ambivalence about tourism. Although we are eager to share our own experiences after an excursion, some folklorists too eagerly dismiss tourism for its superficiality, while others critique the entire enterprise as a form of careless capitalist consumption, engagement with exoticism and romanticism, or even postcolonial exploitation. The fact remains, however, that tourism is integral to heritage, and the publishers of this book have a deep understanding of relationships between folklore and tourism. Rather than offering a simplistic tour-book, Fussell and other writers recognize the sophistication that many tourists bring with them in their travels. They give their readers ways to move beyond the simplistic images of Appalachia and conscientiously suggest ways to sensitively participate in the musical and cultural life of these communities. The book can be used to support local artistic expressions in ways that enhance rather than distort the history and culture of local communities. Rather than simply listing sites to see, the book offers ways to visit the area.
The prominent musical traditions that are featured throughout the book are old-time string-band music and bluegrass. Excerpts from a recorded conversation with musicians Nick McMillian and Kelley Breiding (39-42) provide clear, accurate, and succinct descriptions of the distinctions between these two styles. There’s also an excellent discussion of the term “transitional sound”—a distinctive style of music that emerged as bluegrass began to influence how the older string-band music was played.
Decades after folklorists visited the region, often with the aim of salvaging vanishing traditions, it is inspiring to learn of the vitality of folk music within Appalachia. It is particularly remarkable that Fussell describes an active and on-going ballad tradition within the region, including excellent recordings of contemporary ballad singers. Fussell also shows how easy it is to find on-going jam sessions, dances, and concerts of old-time, bluegrass, and early country music, and his writing provides an excellent sense of what to expect when hearing music at pawnshops, grocery stores, music barns, and in various festivals and concert halls. Fussell, Steve Kruger, and other contributors, however, point out that the music of the Blue Ridge is actually much more diverse and rooted in a wider range of communities. They showcase the on-going Piedmont blues tradition, gospel music, and shape-note singing as well as a range of musical traditions of the Cherokee.
Those interested in the region’s music will also be interested in other elements of the culture. Although the focus is on music, the guide also references a range of folklife traditions associated with Appalachia. It includes information on foodways, legends, folk arts, hunting and agricultural traditions, and a variety of activities that will embellish visitors’ forays into the mountains. The descriptions of pawnshops, orchards, farmers’ markets, cafés, and local museums are especially useful and appealing.
The compact disc is an excellent recording. As do the profiles on musicians, it features the music of earlier artists as well as the music of contemporary performers. Mastered by Jeff Carroll, these high-quality selections include tunes by landmark musicians from the region, including Bascom Lamar Lunsford, Ola Belle Reed, Etta Baker, Doc Watson, Flatt & Scruggs, Tommy Jarrell, and other performers whose stellar careers reflect their upbringing within the region. Complementing these more historical recordings is a wealth of more recent selections by contemporary musicians. Among the most interesting selections is Clyde “Pop” Ferguson’s version of “Black Cat Bone.” He grew up playing gospel music and Piedmont-style blues guitar. His and his son’s musical expression broadened, and the selection showcases the use of electric guitar played in a style derived from acoustic picking, gospel, and electrified versions of Delta blues. Knowing about this tradition adds to our understanding of blues music, especially because electrified versions of Delta and Texas-style blues are so prevalent.
This guidebook is an excellent addition to the resources for enhancing heritage tourism. It gives readers a fine sense of what to seek out when visiting an area, and it will also appeal to residents of these communities who wish to show outsiders (and insiders) their towns. The wealth of traditions and the vitality of the region’s musical communities amount to a renaissance of artistic expression in the Blue Ridge. It is a revitalization of older traditions that public folklorists like Fred Fussell, Steve Kruger, Wayne Martin, and numerous fieldworkers, presenters, and arts administrators have supported through the years.
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[Review length: 998 words • Review posted on April 9, 2014]