Smithsonian Institution. Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Introduction:
The Twelfth Annual Ralph Rinzler Memorial Concert in 2006 was a tribute to Joseph T. Wilson, Executive Director of the National Council for Traditional Arts from 1976-2004 and a long-time collaborator of Ralph's and the Folklife Festival's. The concert spotlighted Joe's retirement project, "The Crooked Road", Virginia's Heritage Music Trail, officially designated by the Virginia General Assembly in 2004 to promote 250 miles of highways and backroads that meander through Southwestern Virginia from the Piedmont Plateau to the coalfields of the Cumberland Mountains.
Joe, writing in the guide to The Crooked Road, explained that "Virginia is one of the places where America invented its music. ... This music is the old fiddle and banjo sounds which have roots in Northern Europe, West Africa and colonial America." And, he continued, this "music from early America, treasured by musical families and small communities, is keeping to small places and instruction close to the hearth." The Crooked Road project was a careful attempt to share this regional music without destroying it. Joe and his colleagues in this effort were confident that the tradition was strong and its artists hearty. In local parlance, "taking the crooked road" also means playing an older fiddle tune, too difficult for an ensemble to tackle because it doesn't always follow a single line and offers a few too many unexpected twists. This sums up this individualistic region, its music, and one of its sons, Joe Wilson.
The 2006 Festival also featured a series of special concerts, Been in the Storm So Long, presenting the music of New Orleans. The spirit and sound of New Orleans music, in all of its forms, are heard and felt around the globe. Even today's urban hip hop has given birth to a local rhythmic version called "bounce." New Orleans has remained among the most important and influential music centers in the world. Its laid-back lifestyle, family traditions, close community ties, Creole humor, amazing cuisine, and unique view of life promised to ensure that the communal flame and rhythms that run from Congo Square through jazz, gospel, rhythm & blues, the Mardi Gras Indians, funk, and brass bands would continue to sustain its traditions while giving birth to new and exciting music forever.
However, the arrival of Hurricane Katrina of August 29, 2005, dealt a devastating blow to New Orleans - one that has threatened the city's physical, social, cultural, and economic future. More than 1500 Louisianans perished and hundreds were injured. Many homes, businesses, and buildings were destroyed or severely damaged. At the time of the 2006 Festival, nearly a year after the storm, several hundred thousand area residents remained outside of the city or state, as many neighborhoods were abandoned and in ruin, with little or no sign of recovery. A scarcity of jobs, housing, schools, medical services, and other basic needs, as well as environmental and health concerns, left over two-thirds of the pre-Katrina population questioning how, when, and if they could ever return home.
The neighborhoods that produced generations of musicians, social clubs, Mardi Gras Indians, and eccentric characters that gave New Orleans its identity were devastated, their populations displaced, dispersed, and focused on basic survival, not celebration. Many realized that the disaster was not yet over, as they struggled a year later with a difficult and confusing process of rebuilding.
In the year following the hurricane, many musicians were the focus of relief organizations and assistance. Some had been performing steadily around the world. Several musicians had relocated for the long term, citing better conditions and pay in other cities. The fate of New Orleans's musical traditions and cultural heritage was in serious jeopardy, as it was still not clear whether and when residents could return to rebuild their lives. While some predicted the demise of century-old cultural traditions, others believed that tragedy would inspire musical creativity or lead the New Orleans sound farther, influencing other styles wherever displaced musicians reside.
As the vulnerable city struggled for recovery and identity almost a year after Katrina, only time would tell if, when, and how much of the magic city would return. The Festival program offered a good occasion to reflect upon and savor the unique sound, spirit, and euphoria that New Orleans's musical traditions have shared with the nation and the world for generations, and to allow Washington audiences, once again, to enjoy those vibrant musical expressions.
Richard Kennedy was Coordinator of the Ralph Rinzler Memorial Concert. Michael White was Curator of the Been in the Storm So Long concerts; John Franklin was liaison with National Museum of African American History and Culture; and Chuck Siler was presenter.
Been in the Storm So Long was produced in collaboration with the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Established by Congress in 2003, the museum is devoted to the documentation of African American life, art, history, and culture. The museum's exhibitions cover topics as varied as slavery, post-Civil War Reconstruction, the Harlem Renaissance, and the civil rights movement. Additional funding was provided by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service.
Participants:
Ralph Rinzler Memorial Concert
John Cephas, guitar, vocal, Woodford, Virginia
Phil Wiggins, 1954-, harmonica, Takoma Park, Maryland
Daryl Davis, Silver Spring, Maryland
Linda Lay and Springfield Exit -- Linda Lay and Springfield ExitLinda Lay, 1962-, Winchester, VirginiaDavid Lay, guitarDavid McLaughlin, 1958-, mandolin, Winchester, VirginiaRicky Simpkins, fiddleSammy Shelor, banjo, Meadows of Dan, Virginia
The Whitetop Mountain Band -- The Whitetop Mountain BandThornton Spencer, 1935-, Mouth of Wilson, VirginiaEmily Spencer, 1952-, Mouth of Wilson, VirginiaMartha Spencer, 1985-, Mouth of Wilson, VirginiaSpencer Pennington, rhythm guitar, Warrensville, North CarolinaMichelle Lyle, 1969-, bass, Lansing, North Carolina
Been in the Storm So Long
Friendly Travelers -- Friendly TravelersCarl Barrow, 1955-, Anacoco, LouisianaAl Caston, New Orleans, LouisianaKenitra Figaro, 1979-, Avondale, LouisianaL.D. Hiriams, 1944-, Pine Bluff, ArkansasWanda Joseph, 1960-, New Orleans, LouisianaAlfred Penns, 1949-, New Orleans, LouisianaLucain Randolph, 1963-, New Orleans, LouisianaFloyd Turner, 1943-, Westwego, Louisiana
Dr. Michael White and the Original Liberty Jazz Band -- Dr. Michael White and the Original Liberty Jazz BandDetroit Brooks, Baton Rouge, LousianaLester Caliste, McKinney, TexasHerman Lebeaux, New Orleans, LouisianaKerry G. Lewis, Gainesville, GeorgiaJohn Royen, Folsom, LouisianaGregory Stafford, New Orleans, LouisianaMichael White, Houston, Texas
The Hot 8 Brass Band -- The Hot 8 Brass BandKeith "Wolf" Anderson, 1964-, trombone, New Orleans, LouisianaLee Arnold, 1972-, manager, New Orleans, LouisianaTerrell "Burger" BatisteHarry "Swamp Thang" Cook, bass drum, New Orleans, LouisianaJerreau "Cousin" Fournett, trombone, New Orleans, LouisianaAlvarez "B.I.G. Al" Huntley, 1978-, trumpet, New Orleans, LouisianaJerome "Baybay" Jones, 1974-, trombone, New Orleans, LouisianaBennie "Big Peter" Pete, 1976-, tuba, New Orleans, LouisianaDinerral "Dick" Shavers, 1981-, snare drum, New Orleans, LouisianaWendell "Cliff" Stewart, 1978-, saxophone, New Orleans, LouisianaGerard Williams, 1965-, grand marshal, New Orleans, LouisianaRaymond "Dr. Rackle" Williams, 1961-, trumpet, New Orleans, Louisiana
Big Chief Monk Boudreaux and the Golden Eagles Mardi Gras Indian Tribe -- Big Chief Monk Boudreaux and the Golden Eagles Mardi Gras Indian TribeJoseph Boudreaux, Larose, LouisianaErvin Banister, Baton Rouge, LouisianaJoseph Hill, River Ridge, LouisianaJonahthan Limjuco, New Orleans, LouisianaJohn Lisi, Baton Rouge, LousianaAndrew Preen, Terrytown, LouisianaGlenard G. Siggers, Jr., Prichard, Alabama
Ruben Williams
The Dixie Cups -- The Dixie CupsMarc Adams, Tampa, FloridaLeon Alexander, Virginia Beach, VirginiaCranston Clements, Tampa, FloridaBarbara Ann Hawkins, vocalist, Tampa, FloridaRosa Lee Hawkins, vocalist, Tampa, FloridaBernard JohnsonJames Markway, Tampa, FloridaAthelgra M. Neville, vocalist, Tampa, FloridaJoseph Saulsbury, Tampa, Florida
Access to the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections is by appointment only. Visit our website for more information on scheduling a visit or making a digitization request. Researchers interested in accessing born-digital records or audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 2006 Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution.
Smithsonian Institution. Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Introduction:
The period from July 2002 through July 2003 was declared by Congress the "Year of Appalachia." The year also marked the 75th anniversary of the historically important Victor recording sessions held in Bristol, Tennessee, in 1927. A small museum in Bristol administered by the Birthplace of Country Music Alliance (BCMA), a non-profit group run by country music enthusiasts and supporters of Appalachian music that is also an affiliate of the Smithsonian, approached the Smithsonian with a proposal to mount a Folklife Festival program in 2003 celebrating Appalachian culture. The year began with a series of regional concerts in Appalachia and culminated with the 2003 Festival program on the National Mall. Smithsonian staff worked closely with scholars and experts in the Appalachian region to help us tell their story, to discover what qualities in the region have made it such a hotbed of musical creativity and cooperation.
Although it was not the first time country music had been recorded for commercial distribution, the 1927 Bristol Sessions are considered the "big bang" that kicked off the country music industry. These were the first recordings of the original Carter Family and the singing brakeman, Jimmie Rodgers, the two most important early country music stars. They began what has since become a multibillion-dollar business. For this reason the area around Bristol, Virginia/Tennessee, has been referred to as "the Birthplace of Country Music."
The Festival program focused on the region within a hundred miles of Bristol, although certainly important music was and still is being made in the other parts of Appalachia. What forces converged in this one area of the United States to produce this music? There were various factors: isolation, strength of family, a strong religious faith, a feeling of community, and a sense of innovation. The area's music has influenced subsequent American popular music, but traditional music is still alive and thriving in the region, with younger people learning to play. Traditional music is even being taught in schools, such as the Mt. Rogers Combined School in Virginia and East Tennessee State University, which has a program in bluegrass. Nowadays, the music is also played and loved all over the planet, from Europe to Japan. The Festival program surveyed the different kinds of music one can find in the region. There were older master performers and those just starting out. For every group selected to bring to the Festival there were dozens of other worthy candidates.
Since its founding in 1967, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival has maintained a strong interest in the culture of Appalachia, and particularly its music. In 1968, Doc Watson & Family, Jean Ritchie, and Ralph Stanley participated in the Festival; in 1969 Dock Boggs, Maybelle Carter, Bill Monroe & the Monroe Brothers, and Merle Travis were featured. State programs on Kentucky (1973), Virginia (1977), and Tennessee (1986) have been presented on the Mall. Festival co-founder Ralph Rinzler had a great love for the region; besides "discovering" Doc Watson in 1960, Rinzler recorded and produced numerous recordings of Appalachian music and collected and documented Appalachian crafts. He was also responsible for bringing Appalachian musicians to New York and the Newport Folk Festival for concerts. The other Festival co-founder, James Morris, had been the director of the Asheville Folk Festival. Festival audiences in 2003 relished the opportunity to meet old friends again and to encounter new ones.
Jean Haskell and Jeff Place were Curators, and Arlene Reiniger was Coordinator.
This program was produced in collaboration with the Birthplace of Country Music Alliance and the Center for Appalachian Studies at East Tennessee State University. Major contributions were provided by the Recording Industries Music Performance Trust Funds, the National Endowment for the Arts, King Pharmaceuticals, the Norfolk Southern Foundation, Tennessee Tourism, and West Virginia Division ofTourism. Additional support was provided by the Appalachian Regional Commission, the Virginia Foundation for Humanities, Eastman Chemical, and The United Company.
Friends of Appalachia
Bill and Mary Aldacushion, Joseph & Maureen Alonso, Valerie Amerkhail, R. Bruce Barritt, Rebecca Bartholomae, David Bearinger, Alan Berg, Barry Bergey, Vernon & Mary Emma Bohl, Florence Ann Bowen, Anne Boynton, Joan Brown, Mukadder Buyukunsal, Martha Christie, Denis Clements, Elizabeth Dahlin, Christine Di Lapi, Yeshi Dorjee, Fleur Duggan, William & Elizabeth Edwards, Carolie Farlee, Laura Feller, Amet Figueroa, Barbara Francisco, Gerald Gaudet, Patricia & Thomas Gibney, Angus Gillespie, Anthony Gittens, Paul D. Gould, William Granik, Milton Grossman, John Guffey, Jeffrey Harwood, Marilyn Hayes, Adam Heller, John Herzog, Jon Hundley, Richard Kaczmarek, Peter Kent, John Kerr, Kathryn Kerr, Richard & Allyn Kurin, Jay Ladin, Geoffry & Terry Lewis, Sarah Lewis, George and Marcia Loeb, Kathy Condon and R. Luftglass, Marian A. Lund, Aaron Joel Markel, Alice Markham, Terry & Sara Miller, Kathy Ann Millholland, Toni Milto, Frederick & Karen Mulhauser, Suzanne Murray, Music from China Inc., Sara Ohlidal, Marvin Nakashima, Angela Olszewski, Jeanne Ormsby, Hassan Oushani, Anthony Palombella, Roland Pytel, Joan N. Radner, Ethel Raim, Grace Rawlins, Roland Roebuck, Sue Rollins, Zelda Jenne Rouillar, Sigmund Shapiro, James Shook, Dr. and Mrs. Milton Shor, Gabrielle Shubert, Daniel Snodderly, James & Anita Steele, Louise Steele, Alan J. Steiner, Diane Strnad, Barbara Stratyner, Aaron Sturgis, Thomas Sukitsch, George Swisko, Teoffy Taganas, Kay Turner, Carlha Vickers, William Vickers, Chuck Wagner, John Shunshieh Wang, Douglas Wonderlic
Researchers:
Jean Haskell, East Tennessee State University, Center for Appalachian Studies, and Ted Olson, East Tennessee State University, Center for Appalachian Studies, served as co-chairs and Research Curators.
Childlore Task Force: David Winship, chair; Roberta Herrin, East Tennessee State University
Dance and Narrative Traditions Task Force: Susan Spalding, Berea College, chair; Katy Brown; Angelyn DeBord; Barbara Duncan, Museum of the Cherokee Indian; Betty Fine, Virginia Tech University; Phil Jamison, Warren Wilson College; Bob Leonard, Virginia Tech University; John Lilly, Goldenseal Magazine; Richard Rose, Barter Theater; Sparky Rucker; Jimmy Neil Smith, International Storytelling Foundation; Joseph Sobol, East Tennessee State University
Foodways Task Force: Phyllis Deel, Virginia Tech University, chair; Jon Lohman, Virginia Folklife Program, chair; Fred McClellan, Birthplace of Country Music Alliance, chair; Jeannie Mullins, Virginia Tech University; Mark Sohn, Pikeville College
Material Culture Task Force: Anna Fariello, Virginia Tech University, Curatorial InSight, chair; Kathleen Curtis Wilson, visiting scholar, University of Ulster, chair; Sandra Bennett, Thistle Cover Farm; Donia Eley; Tim Glotzbach, Dean, Kentucky School of Craft; George Hiller, Virginia Economic Development Partnership; John Huron; Allison Kaiser, Kentucky Guild of Artists and Craftsmen; Tess Lloyd, East Tennessee State University; Dian Magie, Center for Craft, Creativity and Design; Rex McCarty; Jeannie Mullins, Virginia Tech University; Kim Parker; Ruth Summers, Southern Highland Craft Guild; Blair White, East Tennessee State University
Media Task Force: Greg Wallace, Wallace Video, chair; Bill Hartley, Birthplace cf Country Music Alliance; Rich Kirby, Appalshop; Jamie Ross, James Agee Appalachian Film Project; Wayne Winkler; Stephen Wade
Music Task Force: Katie Doman, Tusculum College, chair; Richard Blaustein, East Tennessee State University; Ed Cabbell; Ron Carson, Appalshop; Cecilia Conway, Appalachian State University; Steve Fisher, Emory and Henry College; Rita Forrester, Carter Family Memorial Music Center; Pamela Foster; Cary Fridley; Bruce Haney; Bill Hartley, Birthplace of Country Music Alliance; Eddie Huffinan; Rich Kirby, Appalshop; John Lilly, Goldenseal Magazine; Raymond McLain, East Tennessee State University; Gerry Milnes, Augusta Heritage Center; Ted Olson, East Tennessee State University, Center for Appalachian Studies; Jeff Place, Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage; Cassie Robinson; Sparky Rucker; Mike Seeger; Tim Stafford; Jack Tattle, East Tennessee State University; Tim White, Birthplace of Country Music Alliance
Tourism Task Force: Matt Bolas, Bristol Tennessee/Virginia Chamber of Commerce, co-chair; Geneva O'Quinn, Heart of Appalachia Tourism, co-chair; Kitty Barker, Blue Ridge Travel Association of Virginia; Judy Donaghy, North Carolina High Country Host; Steve Galyean, Abingdon Convention and Visitors Bureau; Amy McDougal, First Tennessee Development District; Leesa Sutton, North Carolina Division ofTourism
Presenters:
Charlie Camp, Dudley Connell, Phyllis Deel, Lee Michael Demsey, Katie Doman, Jean Haskell, Rich Kirby, Jon Lohman, Fred McClellan, Ted Olson, Barry Lee Pearson, Susan Spalding, Stephen Wade, Joe Wilson
Participants:
AFRICAN-AMERICAN TRADITIONS
John Dee Holeman, guitar, Durham, North Carolina
Melvin Alston, 1943-, guitar, Durham, North Carolina
Nat Reese, 1924-, guitar, Princeton, West Virginia
James "Sparky" Rucker, 1946-, guitar, Maryville, Tennessee
Joe Thompson, 1918-2012, fiddle, Mebane, North Carolina
Bob Carlin, 1953-, banjo, Lexington, North Carolina
BALLAD SINGERS
Sheila Kay Adams, 1953-, banjo, Marshall, North Carolina
Jim Taylor, 1952-, guitar, Marshall, North Carolina
Laura Boosinger, 1957-, banjo, Asheville, North Carolina
Ginny Hawker, 1940-, vocals, Coxs Mill, West Virginia
Tracy Schwarz, 1938-, fiddle, guitar, Coxs Mill, West Virginia
Bobby McMillon, 1951-, Lenoir, North Carolina
Jean Ritchie, 1922-2015, Port Washington, New York
Randy Wilson, 1952-, banjo, Big Creek, Kentucky
BLUEGRASS
Hazel Dickens and Friends -- Hazel Dickens and FriendsHazel Dickens, 1925-2011, Washington, D.C.Richard UnderwoodJack LiebermanMarshall WilbornDudley Connell, Silver Spring, MarylandBarry Mitterhoff, Scotch Plains, New Jersey
The East Tennessee State University Student Bluegrass Band -- The East Tennessee State University Student Bluegrass BandRaymond McLain, fiddle, Johnson City, TennesseeDaniel Boner, 1981-, guitar, Bridgeton, New JerseyJosh Goforth, 1981-, mandolin, Marshall, North CarolinaJenny Lyn Harper, 1983-, bass, Simsboro, LouisianaJ.P. Mathes, 1980-, banjo, Elizabeth, Tennessee
Jesse McReynolds and the Virginia Boys -- Jesse McReynolds and the Virginia BoysJesse McReynolds, 1929-, mandolin, vocals, Gallatin, TennesseeMatthew Allred, guitarKent Blanton, bassDonny CatronDaniel Grandstaff, banjoBobby Hicks, fiddleLuke McKnight
The O'Quinn Brothers & the Bluegrass Travelers -- The O'Quinn Brothers & the Bluegrass TravelersFred O'Quinn, 1934-, banjo, Birchleaf, VirginiaJoe Arrington, 1938-, bass, Haysi, VirginiaHerb Bowman, 1929-, fiddle, North Tazewell, VirginiaKeith O'Quinn, 1959-, mandolin, Bee, VirginiaKyle O'Quinn, 1962-, guitar, Birchleaf, Virginia
Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys -- Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain BoysRalph Stanley, 1927-2016, banjo, vocalsRalph Stanley IIRalph Stanley IIIJack CookeJames PriceJohn RigsbyJames Alan SheltonSteve Sparkman
The VW Boys -- The VW BoysTim White, 1956-, banjo, Blountville, TennesseeLarry McPeak, 1947-, bass, Wytheville, VirginiaDave Vaught, 1952-, guitar, Bristol, Tennessee
CONTEMPORARY APPALACHIAN MUSIC
The Celtibillies -- The CeltibilliesJack Hinshelwood, 1956-, fiddle, guitar, Shawsville, VirginiaBecky Barlow, 1957-, hammered dulcimer, keyboard, bodhran, Christiansburg, VirginiaJeff Hofmann, 1971-, bass, Roanoke, VirginiaTim Sauls, 1956-, banjo, bouzouki, and guitar, Roanoke, Virginia
Appalachian Reggae Musician Ras Alan with Brother Bob -- Appalachian Reggae Musician Ras Alan with Brother BobRas Alan Childres, 1959-, guitar, kickbox, Zionville, North CarolinaBrother Bob Franklin, 1962-, bass, Weaverville, North Carolina
GOSPEL TRADITIONS
Dorothy "Fountain" Myles, 1947-, vocals, Appalachia, Virginia
Pastor Stanley D. Almon, 1966-, keyboard, Lynch, Kentucky
Michael DeFosche, 1949-, guitar, Whiteyville, Tennessee
Dwight Diller, 1946-, banjo, Hillsboro, West Virginia
Rayna Gellert, 1975-, fiddle, Asheville, North Carolina
Joe Fallon, 1952-, banjo, guitar, Charlottesville, Virginia
Bruce Greene, 1951-, fiddle, Burnsville, North Carolina
Wayne Henderson, 1947-, guitar, Mouth of Wilson, Virginia
Will Keys, 1923-, banjo, Gray, Tennessee
Doug Dorschug, 1946-, guitar, Mountain City, Tennessee
Lester and Linda McCumbers, and Jake Krack -- Lester and Linda McCumbers, and Jake KrackLester McCumbers, 1921-, fiddle, Nicut, West VirginiaLinda McCumbers, 1921-, guitar, Nicut, West VirginiaJake Krack, 1984-, fiddle, Orma, West VirginiaKim Johnson, 1952-, banjo, Clendenin, West VirginiaDara Krack, 1953-2014, guitar, Orma, West Virginia
Don Pedi, 1947-, dulcimer, Marshall, North Carolina
Doug Rorrer, 1951-, guitar, Eden, North Carolina
Taylor Rorrer, 1984-, guitar, Eden, North Carolina
Lee Sexton, 1928-, banjo, fiddle, Cornettsville, Kentucky
OCCUPATIONAL SONG
The Buckingham Lining Bar Gang -- The Buckingham Lining Bar GangCharles W. White, 1930-, leader, Buckingham, VirginiaFrank Austin, 1925-, Buckingham, VirginiaFrank Cottrell, 1928-, Arrington, VirginiaRobert Jones, 1924-, Prospect, VirginiaAsbury Laury, 1936-, Buckingham, VirginiaJohn H. Laury, 1931-, Buckingham, VirginiaDaniel McKinney, 1931-, Dillwyn, VirginiaSamuel Mosley, Buckingham, VirginiaWilliam Eddie Neighbors, 1916-2006, Buckingham, VirginiaIsaac W. Pankey, 1923-, Green Bay, Virginia
Elaine Purkey, 1949-, guitar, Ranger, West Virginia
Carl Rutherford, 1929-2006, guitar, Caretta, West Virginia
OLD-TIME MUSIC STRING BAND
The New Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters -- The New Ballard's Branch BogtrottersDennis Hall, 1953-, guitar, Galax, VirginiaEddie Bond, 1971-, fiddle, Fries, VirginiaDallas Hall, 1958-, mandolin, Galax, VirginiaJesse Morris, 1979-, bass, Elk Creek, VirginiaWayne Watson, 1947-, banjo, Galax, Virginia
The New Southern Ramblers (with Ralph Blizard) -- The New Southern Ramblers (with Ralph Blizard)Ralph Blizard, 1918-2004, fiddle, Blountville, TennesseeJohn Herrmann, 1943-, bass, Asheville, North CarolinaGordy Hinners, 1955-, banjo, Weaverville, North CarolinaPhil Jamison, 1953-, guitar, Asheville, North CarolinaJohn Lilly, 1954-, mandolin, Charleston, West Virginia
STORYTELLING
Lloyd Arneach, 1943-, Asheville, North Carolina
Bonnie Collins, 1915-, Fairmont, West Virginia
Orville Hicks, 1951-, Boone, North Carolina
Bil Lepp, 1970-, South Charleston, West Virginia
Frank Proffitt, Jr., 1946-2005, Todd, North Carolina
DANCE
Carcassonne Community Dancers, square dance -- Carcassonne Community Dancers, square danceJon Henrikson, 1942-, Blackey, KentuckyJames Boggs, 1983-, Big Laurel, KentuckyRachel Boggs, 1981-, Big Laurel, KentuckyLoretta Henrikson, 1949-, Blackey, KentuckyBeverly Johnson, 1961-, Amsterdam, New YorkDale Johnson, 1954-, Amsterdam, New YorkRay Slone, 1932-2007, fiddle, guitar, Hindman, KentuckyBobbie J. Whitaker, 1934-, Cromona, KentuckyCharles Whitaker, 1928-, Cromona, KentuckyCharlie Whitaker, 1929-, Blackey, Kentucky, callerJoyce Whitaker, Blackey, Kentucky
The Green Grass Cloggers, clog-dancing -- The Green Grass Cloggers, clog-dancingPhil Jamison, 1953-, Asheville, North CarolinaKaren Bartlett, 1950-, Asheville, North CarolinaWanda Davidson, 1953-, Swannanoa, North CarolinaGordy Hinners, 1955-, Weaverville, North CarolinaCarol Mallett, 1953-, Asheville, North CarolinaHunt Mallett, 1955-, Asheville, North CarolinaTrina Royar, 1959-, Asheville, North CarolinaRodney Sutton, 1950-, Marshall, North Carolina
FOODWAYS TRADITIONS
Susan Bridges, 1954-, Meadows of Dan, Virginia
Kim Carroll, 1972-, Clintwood, Virginia
Linda Childress, 1947-, Clintwood, Virginia
Harvey Christie, 1964-, Romney, West Virginia
Lacey Griffey, 1928-, Benham, Kentucky
Gerald Hawkins, 1942-, Knoxville, Tennessee
Greg Golden, Treadway, Tennessee
Marie Junaluska, Cherokee, North Carolina
Bennie Massey, 1949-, Lynch, Kentucky
Fred McClellan, 1953-, Abingdon, Virginia
Collection Restrictions:
Access to the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections is by appointment only. Visit our website for more information on scheduling a visit or making a digitization request. Researchers interested in accessing born-digital records or audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 2003 Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution.
The records of Challis Galleries located in Laguna Beach, California, measure 2.2 linear feet and date from 1950 to 1994. The bulk of the records consist of artists' files and sales ledgers. Also included are a few administrative files and business correspondence.
Scope and Contents:
The records of Challis Galleries located in Laguna Beach, California, measure 2.2 linear feet and date from 1950 to 1994. The bulk of the records consist of artists' files and sales ledgers. Also included are a few administrative files and business correspondence.
Administrative files include Challis Galleries brochures, materials related to exhibitions and events; one folder on Adele Bednarz Galleries, which Richard Challis ran for two years; and one folder of miscellaneous printed material.
Business correspondence is from art world colleague Paul Farron, accountant Lacy Marlette, Laguna Beach City Council, and Laguna Beach Museum of Art on matters relating to operating Challis Galleries.
Artists' files include a range of materials on artists represented by Challis Galleries such as biographical outlines, photographs, printed material and price lists. Notable artists include Bennett Bradbury, Sergei Bongart, Rex Brandt, Virginia Dan, Paul Di Bert, Phil Dike, Leon Franks, Roger Kuntz, Eliot O'Hara, Polia Pillin and Burt Proctor, among others.
There are 16 ledgers that record the sales of artwork at Challis Galleries.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as four series.
Series 1: Administrative Files, 1965-1989 (Box 1; 6 folders)
Series 2: Business Correspondence, 1951-1983 (Box 1; 0.2 linear feet)
Series 3: Artists' Files, 1950-1994 (Boxes 1-2; 1.3 linear feet)
Series 4: Sales Ledgers, 1958-1984 (Boxes 2-3; 0.6 linear feet)
Biographical / Historical:
Challis Galleries (1950-1984) was an art gallery in Laguna Beach, California, that featured the work of local and regional artists.
Richard Challis was born in London, England in 1920 and moved to Laguna Beach, California in 1946. Roughly three years after arriving in California, he purchased a building at 1390 South Coast Highway which became Laguna Studio Gallery, later renamed as Challis Galleries in 1966. The gallery officially opened its doors in 1950.
Challis Galleries showcased the work of California watercolorists and regional artists. Among the artists represented are Bennett Bradbury, Sergei Bongart, Rex Brandt, Virginia Dan, Paul Di Bert, Phil Dike, Leon Franks, Roger Kuntz, Eliot O'Hara, Polia Pillin, Burt Proctor, and many others. The gallery held regular exhibitions with Richard Challis as its director until his retirement in 1984. Shortly thereafter the gallery was sold to Esther Wells and became known as the Esther Wells Collection.
Provenance:
The Challis Galleries records were donated to the Archives of American Art by gallery owner Richard Challis in 1994.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center.
Topic:
Art, Modern -- 20th century -- California -- Exhibitions Search this
Function:
Art galleries, Commercial -- California
Citation:
Challis Galleries records, 1950-1994. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
