Daniel Johnston’s unpolished cassette recordings—raw vocals and all—captivated indie music fans in the ’80s and caught the attention of Kurt Cobain, Sonic Youth, Beck and Wilco. Now, the late “outsider artist” is headed into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. On the next Us & Them, host Trey Kay explores Johnston’s life, art, and enduring legacy.
Pinch, West Virginia is home to about 3,500 people and the longest running community reunion in the country. Since 1902, the reunion has brought current residents together as well as many who moved away.
Credit Eric Douglas / WVPB
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WVPB
The Herbert Hoover High School Marching Band makes it way through Pinch for the annual reunion.
The founders of the reunion hoped to raise “the civic, religious and educational standards of the community.”
This year’s event, held August 10-11, featured pageant queens, a car show, music concerts and a parade. The reunion committee also provided Science Technology Engineering and Math, or STEM, activites. The reunion finished up on Sunday with a church service.
Joe Hoover said he’s been to about 30 Pinch reunions since 1956 when he was in the first grade.
“It means people getting together that maybe you haven’t seen in a long time,” he said.
Kaitlin Jordan grew up in Pinch. She said she hates to miss a parade.
“Everyone lines up on the road in their lawn chairs and sits around and waits and enjoys the show. We love the Pinch Reunion,” she said.
In recent years, attendance at the reunion has has waned, but Hoover is optimistic about the future.
“It’s maybe lost some of its luster over the past few years, but there’s some new people coming in, and I think they’re going to do a good job of getting some things turned around,” he said.
Daniel Johnston’s unpolished cassette recordings—raw vocals and all—captivated indie music fans in the ’80s and caught the attention of Kurt Cobain, Sonic Youth, Beck and Wilco. Now, the late “outsider artist” is headed into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. On the next Us & Them, host Trey Kay explores Johnston’s life, art, and enduring legacy.
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