SKU: 0738554103

During the late 1920s, Ralph Peer and the Victor Recording Company visited the city of Bristol to look for new talent. They stumbled upon Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family, two future legends of country music, however, other amazing musicians were unable to make the trip to Bristol for the auditions because of work and family obligations. For the locals, music was more than a way to earn fame and fortune, the music was part of the fabric of life in this rural environment. Some individuals did become famous, including the Stoneman Family, who recorded The Ship That Didnt Return, The Titanic, and Henry Whitter, who recorded The Wreck of Old 97, but that was never the focus. The songs they played and created accompanied an entire generation through the Great Depression and World War II and into the vigorous growth of the 1950s and 1960s. All of these musicians influenced the birth, growth, and continued development of the Galax Fiddlers Convention, which is known around the world by old-time mountain music fans. Author Bio: The members of the Blue Ridge Music Makers Guild have all contributed to this book. The nonprofit organization, which comprises fans, composers, songwriters, performers, producers, and luthiers, is dedicated to the preservation of the old-time musical heritage of the Blue Ridge Plateau.