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Mill bands were the brass bands of the day and were later replaced by high school bandsFiddle & Old Time Country
A type of country music ensemble that includes fiddle, banjo, acoustic guitar, mandolin, and upright bass. Emerged in the early 1900s and was an important precursor to bluegrass. During the late 1800s, the Carolina Piedmont provided fertile ground for the cultivation of a string band tradition that combined Scots-Irish fiddle and balladry with African instruments like banjo and European guitar and mandolin. String band music was social music, played at dances, contests, and other community occasions. String band musicians were storytellers, performing songs of tragedy and revenge, love and friendship. Much of this music, whether blues or string band, has deep roots in both sacred and secular themes, creating dynamic music with emotional and personal meaning.
Today it is played primarily in circles where old-time country music remains popular, such as family picnics, square dances, fiddle conventions, and jam sessions. Rooted in British ballads and folk songs originally played on the fiddle in Britain. Country music has been aggressively marketed since the 1920s, developing numerous traditions within genre – honky tonk, western swing, and early rock and roll.
Content is provided by McKissick Museum, University of South Carolina.
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Within this Series
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People who worked in the textile mills played in bands that would perform at events and competitionsPhoto
A legendary radio personality and master of the dobro guitar, Jackson was honored for his contribution to the history of country and bluegrass music in the region. Jackson auditioned for and was hired...Photo
Evelyn Kittrell Sutton and Dolly Kittrell Simon began their musical career in 1939 when they won first prize on the Major Bowes Amateur Hour talent contest at the ages of 13 and 15. They were offered...Audio
Original song written by Gene Wyatt, features Wes Wyatt on vocals.Audio
Uptempo tune showcasing Wyatt's proficiency on the guitar.Audio
Recorded live at The Guitar Bar in Spartanburg, SC. This original number features Gene Wyatt on guitar, his son Wes Wyatt on guitar, and Carroll Foster on electric bass. 2003.Audio
J.R. Wilkie, McCormick (McCormick County) realtor who was a musician prior to WWII. Interview conducted by Anne Kimzey.Audio
J.R. Wilkie, McCormick (McCormick County) realtor who was a musician prior to WWII. Interview conducted by Anne Kimzey.Audio
Ralph Smith on guitar and vocals, accompanied by his father-in-law Shelah Laws. Recorded and transferred by Alda Smith.