Tag: old-time music

We Remember Elmer Rich

95-year-old Elmer Rich, a famous old-time fiddler, died this past June 20th, West Virginia Day, at his home in Westover, West Virginia. He’ll be missed throughout these old hills.

He was born in December of 1919 and grew up just outside a coal community near Morgantown. His father was a miner; his mother was a telephone switchboard operator. Elmer was one of six kids and they all played music. It was 1936 when he and his family played for Eleanor Roosevelt out in Arthurdale.

Elmer Rich was 16 and playing the mandolin for Eleanor. He spent the next 70 years competing at various fiddle competitions, winning trophies and prizes.

A recording of the music and thoughts of Elmer Rich, recorded in August 2014 at an informal after-lunch concert during Old Time Week at the Augusta Heritage Center. He’s accompanied by Mark Crabtree on guitar and Tom Gibson on mandolin.

***Audio Courtesy of Andrew Carroll and the Augusta Heritage Center.

Credit Andrew Carroll / Augusta Heritage Center
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Augusta Heritage Center
Elmer Rich with a crowd at the Augusta Heritage Center, August 2014.

Clifftop Fans – Check Out This Documentary

This weekend, hundreds of fans of old-time music braved rain and mud to jam with each other at the Appalachian String Band Music Festival — known better by its nickname, Clifftop.

Our own Bill Lynch wrote this story in the Sunday Gazette-Mail about Clifftop 2014. It talks about the informal, spontaneous nature of the event, where musicians wander from group to group, striking up jams along the way.

And you should watch this half-hour documentary that captures the energy of the event from producer John Nakashima, “Clifftop.” I especially love the footage of the all-night jam session at the end.

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