Allegheny Echoes: Music, workshops, fun

The vocal class at the student concert. I'm on the right by the green square, behind the microphone.

In the next few posts, I've tried to capture the essence of Allegheny Echoes, the weeklong workshop on Appalachian traditions that is held annually in Marlinton, WV. The Monday afternoon Monster Jam. The banjo player is Karen McKay from Jackson County, WV--she lives about 10 miles from me, but we met at Echoes.
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Echoes is over, and I am completely saturated with music and memories.

To begin, Allegheny Echoes is an annual weeklong workshop put on by a group of people who believe that oldtime music and traditions must be passed on to new generations to survive. The names was chosen because the organizers want these traditions to “echo” down the generations as well as echoing from our West Virginia hills.
Larry Staats, storyteller from Columbus, cutting the rug at the Monday square dance.

Each year, master musicians and workshop presenters are assembled to teach music, singing, creative writing and other classes. Classes in beginning string instruments in both oldtime and bluegrass styles are offered, and attendees range in age from six to eighty years old. Age is not the determining factor—playing level is. One of my greatest pleasures was listening to music jams where the participants were both young and old, every economic level and from many different backgrounds. What connected them all was love of the music and the desire to play it.

This year I enrolled in the vocal instruction class, courtesy of a professional development grant I obtained through the WV Commission on the Arts. I sing ballads, but prior to this week I had never had any instruction in singing. The class did not focus on ballads alone—it ranged the many kinds of oldtime singing, from the Carter family to gospel to ballads. One of my primary interests was learning more about harmonizing—I sing alone usually, but wanted to know how to sing with others since my pitch is fairly low.

Kay Justice and Evelyn Hamilton from southwest Virginia taught the class, and were assisted by Mary Jackson from Tennessee. Mary enrolled as a student, but was instrumental in helping those of us who wanted to sing low harmony. Kay and Evelyn have been performing together since the mid-seventies, and told many stories of their involvement in the oldtime music world—hearing the Carter family sing, and being part of many of the key musical events of those years. There is nothing quite like hearing the stories from someone who has been there. Carter Family lyrics are available online at many websites.

Much of the class focused on gospel music, since it is a key part of mountain music. I do not know this music—having been raised catholic, we didn’t sing the same hymns. The thing I liked most about it was the way gospel includes everyone in the singing, and the fullness of the sound when 15 or more voices sing it together. It can give you chill bumps, no lie.

Some of the gospel songs we learned included I Have Seen the Rock of Ages, Beautiful Sunlight, No More Goodbyes, Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand, Higher Ground, Where the Roses Never Fade, Angel Band, Crying Holy Unto the Lord, Diamonds in the Rough, The Old Country Church, and Deep Settled Peace.

We learned many oldtime songs too, and like the gospel tunes, these songs are written so that almost anyone can sing them; most have choruses so anyone who listens for a few minutes can jump in and sing along. Here are the ones we sang: I Have No Mother Now, Orphan Train, Will You Miss Me When I’m Gone, Who Will Sing for Me, Sweet Sorrow in the Wind, Still I Love Him, Your Lone Journey (gospel, actually, but one that I learned prior to the workshops and don’t think of that way), S-A-V-E-D (fun to sing!), and Tell Me That You Love Me. A more recent song, but with a lovely melody, was Early by Greg Brown. I learned that one about 10 years ago from a Robin and Linda Williams album and it was wonderful to learn it all over again—I’d forgotten it.

One of the highlights for me (and there were many) were the evening sessions in Kay and Evelyn’s motel room. These instructors made themselves available to students and anyone else who wanted to join them. We sang, told stories, discussed music, and got to know each other in a way that would not have happened in a more formal setting. That end of the motel was dubbed “Estrogen Alley” because so many women of like age were in those rooms. A few men braved the hormones and joined us from time to time. Pete Kosky was there frequently sharing his songs and wit. The man is plain funny, able to satirize at the drop of a hat. His history background allows him to make references that are hilarious and oddly insightful.

The vocal workshop with Pete was a real pleasure for me because we sort of veered off to the old ballads. Pete asked what people wanted to do in the workshop, and since no one else spoke up, I started asking about ballads. We had a great time comparing the versions we knew and singing them.

More photos and details in the following posts.