Friends of the Carter Family Fold News

Carter Family’s Dale Jett to Serve on Artistic Advisory Board of
Birthplace of Country Music Alliance

March 3, 2008
BRISTOL, VA --- Doyle Lawson wants music fans who make the pilgrimage to the birthplace of country music to have more than a mural or a monument to look at.

"It will happen. I was part of a core group in Nashville more than 20 years ago that was looking to establish a home for bluegrass music," Lawson said. "We had no home, no representation, no office and no hall of fame. We only had a handful of people who believed in what we could do."

The result of that group’s efforts was the International Bluegrass Music Association, Lawson said. It now operates a museum in Owensboro, Ky., offices in Nashville and hosts an annual fanfest-tradeshow in Nashville.

That’s why the Grammy Award-winning Bristol Tennessee resident is one of 17 members serving on an artistic advisory board for the Birthplace of Country Music Alliance’s proposed cultural heritage center project.

The BCMA unveiled the council lineup during a news conference on Tuesday at the Bristol Public Library. The association is trying to raise about $12.5 million to transform a vacant Cumberland Street building into a world-class museum honoring Bristol’s musical legacy The artistic council is a mix of musicians, music industry insiders, record and media executives and representatives of affiliated local organizations.

It includes country music star Patty Loveless, bluegrass music icon Ralph Stanley, Grammy Award winner Tim Stafford, folk musician Mike Seeger, country pioneer Bill Clifton, along with singer Dale Jett and banjo player Roni Stoneman, descendants of Bristol Sessions performers the Carter Family and Stoneman Family.

The council also includes representatives of the Country Music Hall of Fame, syndicated public radio program Mountain Stage, record companies Peer International and Rounder Records and Smithsonian Folkways Recordings – a division of the Smithsonian Institution.

"The support of these 17 people adds further validity to what we’re doing," said Kevin Triplett, chairman of the BCMA’s fundraising efforts. "When people of this quality lend their name and support, it makes other people believers." (Credits: Bristol Herald Courier, David McGee Staff Writer)

Folk Icon Ernest “Pop” Stoneman Inducted Into Country Music Hall of Fame

February 13, 2008
Nashville, TN --- The Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tenn. has finally recognized the “pioneering” musical contributions of “Pop” Stoneman. For five decades he led his family in song on stages throughout the world and introduced traditional music to millions of people.

“Pop” was an innovator and is credited with introducing the autoharp to traditional music. Maybelle Carter, always an innovator, later took it, gathered it up to her bosom and picked it ala “Carter Scratching” style creating a much more interesting, versatile instrument.

His work predated the Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers and it was “Pop” who convinced Ralph Peer to come to Bristol VA/TN, looking for new talent, and where Peer recorded Rodgers and the Carter Family, among others, creating what some call the “Big Bang” creation of the “Country Music” industry.

“Pop” had the first million- seller record in America, The Wreck of the Titanic, that advanced to # 3 on the Billboard charts, another first for any “Hillbilly” record and an eye-opener for big-time record company executives who quickly jumped on the “Hillbilly” bandwagon. Rodgers and the Carter Family demonstrated that “Pop’s” success was not a fluke and more likely led to the explosion of country music records onto the market of a willing and eager audience. (Credits: Nashville Tennessean, B.M.I news release, Cybergrass)

“Mother” Maybelle’s Guitar and Monroe Mandolin Once Again in Danger of Being Sold!!

January 6, 2008
Nashville, TN --- Traditional music lovers and guitar connoisseurs breathed a collective sigh of relief in 2004 when Murfreesboro businessman/philanthropist, Bob McLean came up with the cash to purchase Maybelle’s 1928, Loar designed, L-5 Gibson guitar for a reputed $585,000. He then permanently loaned it to the Country Music Hall of Fame.

The guitar had certainly come a long way from its purchase in 1929 by Maybelle’s husband, Eck, for $285. It had seen the rise of the Carter Family to international musical status and witnessed the birth and growth of the modern country music business.

But, unfortunately, the story does not have a happy ending for it turns out that McLean apparently got the money to purchase the guitar, a Bill Monroe mandolin, two guitars owned by Johnny Cash and $2.2 million dollars worth of pianos donated to Middle Tennessee State University, by swindling investors in a “phony” investment scheme. Having spent most of the money on the instruments and other luxuries for himself, when pressed, Mc Lean committed suicide in a Hendersonville field. Now the Bankruptcy Court creditors are pressing the Country Music Hall of Fame to either purchase or return the instruments so that they might be sold to repay some of the investors who were swindled by McLean. Negotiations are continuing, but a Hall of Fame spokesperson has already stated there is no way that the organization can pay back such large sums of money.

Bankruptcy trustee executor, Bob Waldschmidt said that the L-5 and other instruments belong to creditors and not to the Hall of Fame.

Now, it seems that Waldschmidt has gotten one step closer to claiming the instruments and the case has been brought before the Tennessee Federal Court to determine the settlement.

Hall of Fame spokesperson Liz Thiels stated that selling the instruments is out of the question and called the possible exit of these “treasures” from the Museum into the hands of private collectors, “most distressing”. (Credits: Nashville Tennessean and Kingsport Times News)

(Editorial: Maybe some of the artists and record executives who have made a fortune from the “industry” built on the Carter Family musical foundation will show some conscience and step- up to prevent such a great loss to our collective American musical heritage.)

“Papa” Joe Smiddy Receives Lifetime Achievement Award From ACMA at
Annual Leon Kiser Memorial Fund Raiser

February 23, 2008
Bristol, TN --- Octogenarian “Papa” Joe Smiddy shows no signs of slowing down nor has he lost any of his fervor for playing “old-time” music, and that was obvious when he took the stage, late into the evening, at the ACMA’s Leon Kiser Benefit for the ETSU Bluegrass Program at the Paramount Theater in Bristol on Feb. 23rd. where he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the event sponsor, ACMA.

In addition to his banjo playing and singing with son, Dr. Joe Smiddy Jr.’s Reedy Creek Band (regulars at the Carter Fold) “Papa” Joe can be found at any public gathering where his enthusiasm and banjo playing is needed.

He is a member of the Lions Club, an active member of the VFW, board member at Mountain Empire Older Citizens, regular singer at the Wise Baptist and various other churches, great supporter and performer at the Mountain Music School and lends his name to the annual “Papa” Joe Smiddy Bluegrass Festival held each Labor Day at Natural Tunnel State Park. And though he has long retired from UVA/Wise, he dedicates his time and efforts to any school function or event that needs his support. Sponsored by UVA/Wise, he has led a tour group to Ireland, for the past 5yrs. and intends to do so once again in the summer of 2008.

“Papa Joe” does not credit music for his long life, but he certainly gives music credit for much of the enthusiasm he has for living!

“Papa’ Joe is a “National Treasure” and deserves all the recognition that he might get!! (Credits: Ron Short, Friends of the Carter Family Fold)