Kentucky, the Appalachians and Music!! (Louisville, Dayton: high school, earthquake, live in)

[Tiger Beer]

I posted a thread over on the Knoxville thread..and it really took off and became successful. It's inspired me to find out more about the entire Appalachian region and the music tradition.

It seemed at one time, another generation...people knew their musical instruments and were avid, amazing musicians...giving us a rich musical tradition.

Is some of that still alive in KY? Sounds like Knoxville is Americana, Kentucky is bluegrass. Is music still something strongly in the culture?

[rxpwas]

Yes, it is. When I was a little boy (I grew up in East Ky.) you could simply drive or walk down the road and see someone sitting on their porch playing a guitar, banjo, or fiddle, and playing radio-quality good! No formal lessons any kind whatsoever. Now, not as much so. I personally grew up listening to anything from classical (Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, Stravinsky, etc.), to opera to classic ROCK (Skynyrd, Allman Brothers, Led Zeppelin, etc.), soul, blues, disco, CLASSIC COUNTRY (not the larely insipid crap you hear now), even a little rap in early stages, and of course, bluegrass. Yes, Ky. is hotbed of and seminal area for music, especially country and bluegrass. U.S. 23 corridor in eastern Ky. is where lots of them had their start. You being from Japan, you have a country/bluegrass star that is doing pretty darn well in his own right, Shoji Tabuchi, in Branson, Missouri.

[JefferyT]

It's actually a big deal in Dayton, Ohio, as a lot of appalachians came here to work, and brought their musical culture with them. It's one reason why this city has a suprisingly rich music scene, which has fed into the local alternative/indy rock scene as well as the expected country/bluegrass/trad music things.

[UKUKUK]

I don't know where you guys are coming from but the only music I heard going to high school in Harlan county was rap that was popular in the late 90s and people choking to death on their own vomit in the hallways from various substance overdoses.

Appalachia is nothing to glorify or embrace. I support burning the entire place down.

[masonsdaughter]

Bless your little heart, I'm sorry to hear you feel that way about myself and my family.

[InLondon]

Originally Posted by UKUKUK

Appalachia is nothing to glorify or embrace. I support burning the entire place down.

Oh dear, what a mature statement.

Someone is bitter? Too bad...

[rxpwas]

Originally Posted by UKUKUK

I don't know where you guys are coming from but the only music I heard going to high school in Harlan county was rap that was popular in the late 90s and people choking to death on their own vomit in the hallways from various substance overdoses.

Appalachia is nothing to glorify or embrace. I support burning the entire place down.

I graduated high school in the 70's. Regardless of what time period, I can't see most people in Harlan were probably sorry to see you go. Up yours, jerk!

[UKUKUK]

Funny, that's the attitude a lot of them had.

Then again, they're all dying in the mines and of drug addiction.

[rxpwas]

Originally Posted by UKUKUK

Funny, that's the attitude a lot of them had.

Then again, they're all dying in the mines and of drug addiction.

I am neither working in the mines, nor am I addicted to drugs, am a life-long resident of Appalachia, travelled to 10 different countires, and I don't mean travelled as a result of being in military, either, though I certainly have the upmost respect for our people in all branches of service, and I'm not a millionaire or a millionaire's kid, either. It's one thing to want to better yourself or not even particularly like or care for the area you are from or your heritage, but another to totally forget your roots and "diss" your own people. Some things about this area I don't particularly like myself, and have contemplated moving to Louisville or somewhere else at times, but I never wanted this area to "burn down". It's also bad enough we get these stupid documentaries about us "redneck, hillbilly crackers, etc." from outsiders, but for one of our own to wish us all to burn down, heck with you. I've seen this condescending attitude about this place (both people from here and outside) that reminds me of some people another day I talked to (in Indiana, not Ky.) saying Haiti deserved the earthquake (and hurricanes and other disasters before) because it "made pact with devil" and all the voodoo and hoodoo and so forth (personally, I think these people just simply didn't like the black people there, or at least their culture, but who am I to say). If the Motor City is your thing, by all means stay there. While there, say hi to Bob Seger for me.

[dixiegirl7]

Country, bluegrass and gospel music are a big part of the culture in Kentucky, especially in some families that are just naturally very talented. It must be genetic to some extent. There are some amazing musicians in the area I live in and in the surrounding counties.