Chester Burton Atkins, nicknamed by throngs of fans as “Mister Guitar,” changed the world of guitar music, developing and elevating an innovative guitar playing style that has inspired scores of musicians. His style and sound are often duplicated but no one has completely captured the sound of Chet. He admired and was influenced by Merle Travis, Les Paul and Django Reinhardt. Working his way from low paying radio gigs to success in the business world at RCA Nashville, he discovered and signed many talented artists of his time. As one of the most prolific record producers of all times he was a driving force in the development of what was dubbed “the Nashville Sound.”
Dr. T. R. Bryan Wilkes Heritage Music Award: Dr. T. R. Bryan
Dr. Thomas Rhudy Bryan, Jr. (Doc) was synonymous with love for all other human beings far beyond himself. He was also never present in any one place for very long, before the sounds of music could be heard around him. He was always drawn to music, especially the pure sounds of old Country Music, Bluegrass, Folk and Americana styles of music. He owned every kind of music reproducing device including an old megaphone record player with the cylinders, old 33 record players, 8 track tape players, MP3 players as well as CD and DVD players. In the car, camping, horseback riding, at home, rafting at the Nantahala, in the medical office, in the labor and delivery room, at a family reunion, sitting around with friends and family, wherever he was, he made sure he could listen to music.
He had a great love and appreciation for many of the grass roots performers of early country music and bluegrass. He was a big fan of The Carter Family and so many of the original Grand Ole Opry performers such as Patsy Cline, Flatt and Scruggs, Hank Williams, Uncle Dave Macon, Grandpa Jones, Jim Reeves, Roy Acuff, Little Jimmy Dickens, Johnny Cash, Doc Watson, and many more. He visited the Grand Ole Opry quite a few times in his life.
Doc attended the original MerleFest as its resident physician. He did not miss a single MerleFest since its inception in 1987 up to his last MerleFest in April of 2011. He was a fixture at all the musical events that occurred annually in Wilkes County. He was always present at Chickenfest, the Brushy Mountain Apple Festival, Carolina in the Fall, and Americana Day. According to Ken Welborn, publisher of The Record newspaper, the Mayor of North Wilkesboro, George Church, would officially open up Chickenfest with the words “We can begin now, because our faithful attendee, Dr. Bryan is present.” Doc would often bring a chair for his beloved “Ruthie” to sit and enjoy the music by his side.
He began his own musical gathering about 5 years ago and called it his “Pre –Memorial”. His theme for this gathering was based on the song, “Give Me the Roses While I am Living.” He wanted to enjoy the music of his friends while he could. He invited many of his talented friends to come and play music for him and his guests. It was a free fun jam for all who were able to attend. He also provided food and drinks to complete the occasion.
Doc Bryan was also a man who encouraged local musicians by attending their performances and also by financially supporting them. He was great friends with the Krüger Brothers, David Culler and BackPorch Bluegrass, The Snyder Family, David Johnson, Charlie Tesh, Tut Taylor, Herb Key, Bill Williams, Mule Ferguson, Kirk and Maria Stadlin, Wilkes Acoustic Folk Society and too many more to name. However, he did not like receiving recognition or accolades for the support he would give to these musicians. He preferred to stay out of the limelight and would blush or shake his head when recognized for his generosity.
He enjoyed going to the Hometown Opry many Friday mornings, arriving to begin as early as 6:30am to take in the local talent performing that day live on WKBC radio. On a few occasions, he would sing along or even sing the lead to a song. After the Hometown Opry was over, a favorite tradition would be to continue the music at Harold Call’s Restaurant at Broadway, enjoying good food and more fun music with friends.
He frequently attended the Senior Center musical gatherings on Tuesday evenings where he would sing along with his many friends there. He would bring family, such as Jim England with him to share his talents on the juice harp and the autoharp. The musicians loved having him around because he knew the words to most any old time song by heart. His instrument of choice was his walnut carved wooden spoons. He enjoyed making rhythm to the music with his spoons, but he also mastered a few tunes, such as “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” on the Plicket that Tut Taylor gave him.
Of course, he was known for his active membership in the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame. His participation in that organization was a highlight to his promotion of traditional music in the area. Ken Welborn said that he was always glad to give Doc Bryan the stage to promote the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame. At the Chickenfest of 2011, Doc set up a table and sold raffle tickets all day for a Deering Banjo. Those funds were to help support the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame. At the Chickenfest performance, Dr. Bryan delighted the Elkville String Band and the audience when he made the remark that he would have just as soon been here (at Chickenfest) as at the Grand Ole Opry.
Doc Bryan’s lifelong love of traditional music gave him thousands of hours of listening pleasure and gave him a wonderful bond with so many of the talented and good people of Wilkes County. He would want the Traditional Americana Music of this area to continue to be promoted and preserved for future generations to enjoy as he did.
Dr. Bryan also enjoyed sharing his beloved music with his family. I can remember family reunions at Kerr Scott Lake when he would hire musicians to come play their instruments and sing the old time songs. He would also invite musicians and friends to his home to gather in the living room and play music and sing along. He enjoyed learning to play a “canjo” that his brother John Q. Bryan made for him and all the rest of the Bryan sisters. At the Bryan family reunion in Traphill, they played their canjos together. He and his brother-in-law Joe Brewer sang a few duets. Some of his 6 grandchildren had a love of traditional and bluegrass music. They spent many times at MerleFest together. The family remembers singing country tunes with Doc while riding up the ski lift to pass the time and try to stay warm. The nurses at the hospital have recalled many occasions in which Dr. Bryan sang in the delivery room, with nurses, and even patients joining in the old hymns or traditional songs. He would sing right in the middle of a delivery to calm the laboring mom down. He brightened up a room with his smile and his tunes. Doc was a living legend. Everyone who met Dr. Bryan knew that he loved life and that he had a deep abiding love for people. I am sure that in Heaven he is one of the loudest and happiest in the heavenly choir. And now he is playing his favorite instruments with perfect rhythm and is singing his favorite songs with perfect pitch.
Bill moved to Wilkes County from Florida in 1976, and he immersed himself in the mountain music of the region. Bill’s music endeavors started when his wife bought him an old guitar shortly after they were married in 1983. He learned to play rhythm guitar and met guitarist Steve Kilby at American Drew where they both worked. Bill had been playing the “doghouse” bass some too. His first on-stage gig was playing bass with Ramona Church and her band at Fiddlers Grove in Union Grove, NC. Bill continued his association with Steve Kilby and did his first studio recording with Steve at Heritage Records in Galax, VA. The name of this recording was “Sunday Night” and all the songs were originals written by Steve. Bill was a founding member of Steve Kilby’s “Sunday Night Band” along with John Akin and Tim Lewis. He stayed with this band, later renamed “Kingsberry Run”, for about five years. While with Steve’s band he won numerous ribbons and trophies at fiddlers’ conventions throughout North Carolina and Virginia.
Around 1994, Bill met Drake Walsh and Floyd Williams. They had a band called “Southland’ and Floyd asked Bill if he would be interested in playing bass with them because their bass player, Marshal Craven was leaving the band. He stayed with this band until 2003. In 2001 Bill and Drake were approached by Jerry Lankford, editor of The Record newspaper, and asked if they would be interested in playing with a band that was being formed to play live music for a play written by Karen Wheeling Reynolds called “Tom Dooley, A Wilkes County Legend”. The play was being put on annually by the Wilkes Playmakers at Benton Hall in North Wilkesboro. Bill agreed to join the band which also included Jerry Lankford, Drake Walsh, Herb Key and Nicole Vidrine. A name was needed for the band so Her Key came up with the name “Elkville String Band” due to the fact that Tom “Dooley” Dula was born in Elkville, a small town in Wilkes County, now called Ferguson. The band played for four seasons of the Tom Dooley play and the group recorded four CDs of the music for the play. After Jerry Lankford and Nicole Vidrine could no longer play with the band, Jeff Michael stepped in and played with the band for several years. At that time “The Elkville String Band” was made up of Herb Key, Drake Walsh, Jeff Michael and Bill Williams. After Drake passed away in 2010, Jim Lloyd started playing banjo and Trevor McKenzie started playing fiddle in the band.
Bill has also played and recorded with “The Lloyd Church Band” and several other groups from this area. He is still a member of “The Elkville String Band” along with Herb Key, Jim Lloyd and Trevor McKenzie but is currently not active with the band right now due to his wife having a stroke. He is her primary caregiver but hopes to be able to play music again in the near future.
Smithsonian Folkways is the non-profit record label of the United States. Its mission is to document and celebrate traditional culture throughout the world. It began as Folkways Records in 1948 and was founded by Moses Asch and Marian Distler. The Asch estate sold the label to the Smithsonian Institution in 1987, negotiated by Ralph Rinzler, an important documenter of Appalachian music. It was re-born again the following year as Smithsonian Folkways to carry on the Asch legacy. One of the key missions of the label continues to be to provide deep information about the artists and region in the liner notes. Smithsonian Folkways has had a long history of releasing titles of Appalachian music beginning with Hobart Smith and Texas Gladden during the Asch Records period. The label was the prime destination for folklorists looking to publish their recordings from the region. During the era of the great folk song revival musician/folklorists like Mike Seeger, John Cohen, Sandy Paton and Ralph Rinzler brought their work to the public through Folkways. They published extensive liner notes discussing the history of the songs and music. Others Asch published were Hazel and Alice and the Country Gentlemen. The music of the Appalachian Region has always been a central part of what Smithsonian Folkways does. As it moves on into time, projects by Anna and Elizabeth, Rhiannon Giddens and Dom Flemons, formerly of the Carolina Chocolate Drops will continue the legacy.
The reputation of the Easter Brothers as inspired songwriters of gifted material has grown daily, and they have become known as some of the most prolific tunesmith’s in the gospel music profession. Many of their songs were recorded by other groups and have become standards. Among them are “Thank You Lord For Your Blessings On Me,” and “The Darkest Hour,” just a few of the hundreds of songs penned by the three brothers. They have recorded throughout the years for various major record labels, beginning with King Records, a major country label during the 60s, and later progressing to QCA and their own Commandment label. While the bluegrass gospel sound has carried the Easter Brothers throughout the span of their career, they have never confined themselves to just one style of gospel music. Without losing the identity and integrity of their music, the Easter Brothers have broadened their sound to include southern and country gospel. All throughout their career, they have appeared on a variety of different broadcast television events. The PTL Club, Huff Cook, Leonard Repass, Camp Meetin’ USA, Sing Out America, Great American Gospel, Bluegrass Road, and Top of the Morning are just a few national and international television shows the Easter Brothers have been a part of.
The Old Fiddler’s Convention was originated in the spring of 1935 when a few members of the then New Moose Lodge #733 needed something to raise funds and promote publicity. In a newspaper item at the time it was stated that the Convention was dedicated to “Keeping alive the memories and sentiments of days gone by and make it possible for people of today to hear and enjoy the tunes of yesterday.” The original purpose is held in the same regard today. The Old Fiddler’s Convention has grown steadily. In 1965 a Saturday afternoon program was started to relieve the pressure on Saturday night. In 1967 NBC-TV covered the entire three nights and Saturday afternoon. Today, the Convention begins Monday night with Youth Competition and continues each night through Saturday, with an afternoon performance on Saturday. Contestants come from distant states and foreign countries, but when they play, the tunes are the same that have been heard at the convention down through the years. The promoters feel that the Annual Old Fiddlers’ Convention is a tradition in country and mountain musical circles and they do their best to continue bringing the tunes which have been handed down from generation to generation in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The fact that many of the contestants are youngsters is encouraging and the promoters feel that the future of Old Time and Country Music is secure.
Hazel Dickens embodied a fearless honesty expressed in her singing, songwriting, and support of coal miners and women. She never lost her West Virginia mountain vocal style despite her success as an artist and feminist icon. Her life began to change when she met Mike Seeger of the New Lost City Ramblers. Seeger introduced Hazel not only to the folk music scene but to Alice Gerrard. The two blended beautifully musically, and they began a then unheard of female bluegrass duo. Beginning in 1965, they recorded two seminal albums for Folkways with two more released by Rounder during the early 1970s. A fifth album, compiled from practice tapes, appeared in 2018. They also recorded with the mixed gender group, the Strange Creek Singers. During this time, Hazel’s songwriting began to develop alongside her sense of social justice. Gaining courage to sing her new material in jam sessions, her first expression of concern for women’s issues came with “Don’t Put Her Down, You Put Her There.” She was the subject of Mimi Pickering’s Appalshop film “It’s Hard to Tell the Singer from the Song”. The University of Illinois press in 2008 published “Working Girl Blues: The Life and Music of Hazel Dickens”, co-written by Hazel and historian Bill Malone. In 2001, she received the National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. In 2017 Hazel and Alice were inducted into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame, fifteen years after they received the Folk Alliance Lifetime Achievement Award.
George Shuffler was born April 11, 1925 in Valdese, North Carolina to a large musical family. At age ten his father traded an old broken down car for a Kalamazoo guitar. At the age of 17, he was offered a job playing bass for the Bailey Brothers, and appeared with them on the Grand Ole Opry that same year. On December 28, 1950, Carter Stanley called and asked him to join the Stanley Brothers as bass player. Throughout the 1950s, Shuffler was primarily a bass player, but switched from the bass to guitar, and developed a style that changed the guitar from a side or rhythm instrument into a key component of bluegrass music. Shuffler perfected what would become his signature style of cross-picking. Shuffler worked with Don Reno and Bill Harrell until 1969, recording several albums with them on bass. In the early 1970s, he left the road to begin a new chapter of his musical career. For 22 years, he traveled and recorded with members of his family singing southern gospel music. He enjoyed recording “The Legacy Continues” with his protégé, the late James Alan Shelton, as well as “Mountain Treasures”, with his good friend and occasional musical partner, Asheville-based Laura Boosinger. In 1996 Shuffler was awarded the IBMA’s Distinguished Achievement Award. He was a 2007 recipient of the North Carolina Heritage award, and in 2011 he was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Hall of Fame in 2013.
Born near Weaverville, North Carolina in 1898, Joseph Emmett Mainer learned to play the banjo when he was about nine years old. In 1923 J. E.’s brother Wade joined him in Concord and the two of them began playing around for dances and shows. They went to work for the Crazy Water Crystal Company broadcasting over WBT in Charlotte as J. E. Mainer's Crazy Mountaineers. The group soon played at many other radio stations. RCA Victor decided to record the group in 1935 for their Bluebird label. J. E. got Snuffy Jenkins in 1937 to play banjo for him. Some of the Mainer recordings with Snuffy Jenkins' three-finger picking sound tantalizingly close to what would later be called bluegrass. His recordings in 1946 resulted in several singles and two albums. An enduring original from these sessions was "Run Mountain”. In 1962, Chris Strachwitz of the Arhoolie label visited J. E. in Concord and subsequently cut a new album, “The Legendary Family from the Blue Ridge Mountains”. Beginning in 1967, J. E. cut a series of 20 albums for Uncle Jim O’Neal’s Rural Rhythm label, guested on the WWVA Jamboree and played numerous festivals. Two re-issues on Strachwitz’s Old Timey label of early material, along with J. E.’s album from 1946 and a pair of albums that J. E. put out helped keep his earlier material in print. J. E. Mainer stayed active in music until his death in 1971.
Jimmie Rodgers was born on September 8, 1897 in Geiger, Alabama. Jimmie traveled a lot looking for work on the railroad and any opportunity to entertain, earning as much as he could to support his family. In January of 1927, Jimmie headed to Asheville, North Carolina. Jimmie fell in with the local musicians and was part of several bands, one of which was able to secure a weekly thirty-minute spot on the local radio station WWNC. Ralph Peer with Victor Records was holding auditions in Bristol, Tennessee for new recording artists. Jimmie Rodgers headed to audition. On August 4, 1927, Jimmie Rodgers recorded his first record, “The Soldier’s Sweetheart” and “Sleep Baby Sleep.” Jimmie’s next recordings were in Camden and his first “Blue Yodel” otherwise known as “T for Texas” was recorded with “Away Out on the Mountain” skyrocketing him to stardom. As his fame grew, he cultivated dual images that permitted him to be “America’s Blue Yodeler” and “The Singing Brakeman” and a sharp-dressed dandy all at the same time. Jimmie Rodgers received many awards for his music including induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Alabama Hall of Fame, the Blues Hall of Fame, the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame, a United States Commemorative Stamp, the W. D. Handy Award, and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.