Sunday, February 28, 2010

Who We Are... & Who Are You?!

The Reedy documentary project has been such an interesting process throughout every phase so far.  We've been reflecting on the way in which this blog and the activities and long-term goal it documents has impacted not only our lives, but those of others as well.  So we thought it would be appropriate to more formally introduce ourselves to our audience and to give a shout-out to our readers and invite you to engage in a more interactive way.

First, the blog now includes a couple of new stand-alone pages that compile some useful information about the project and ourselves.  The "Blog Pages" list in the left-hand menu pane includes links to additional information About the Filmmakers, a complete outline of our Chronological Blog Archive, a Multi-Media Library of compiled uploads, as well as a link back the main homepage.  We hope these new materials are helpful in navigating the blog and understanding why we're doing this project in the first place.  At some point we will likely create additional pages to compile important information, so please let us know if you have any ideas about how to make the blog the most useful.

And now to the really interesting part...  A month ago on February 1, we installed Google Analytics so that we could collect and view data on who's visiting the blog, from where, how often, how long they stay, what they look at, etc.  It took me a while to install it correctly, but the results of this tool are intriguing and make me regret not having it installed it when we first started this project this past August.  We have yet to receive any external comments from the folks who are reading our posts, but now we know more about you!

In our first month of documenting our site's usage, we've logged in 180 visits from 91 unique visitors from 8 countries (including the U.S.):

1.
United States





2.
United Kingdom





3.
Canada





4.
France





5.
Germany





6.
Netherlands





7.
Sweden





8.
Australia







...and 20 states!  

1.
Kentucky





2.
Texas





3.
Ohio





4.
Maryland





5.
New Jersey





6.
Tennessee





7.
New York





8.
North Carolina





9.
Pennsylvania





10.
California





11.
Georgia





12.
Florida





13.
Illinois





14.
Arkansas





15.
Massachusetts





16.
Delaware





17.
Washington





18.
Indiana





19.
Virginia





20.
Arizona






We would love to know more about you, this eclectic group of people from a wide range of backgrounds and hometowns.  So we welcome comments on our posts as well as more direct contact if we can share important information with one another.

With Analytics, we can also see search terms when people find us through a search engine, and it provides a valuable window to view references that we would not necessarily think of ourselves or as the most likely path.  For example, there have been several visits, both from the U.S. and elsewhere, that have resulted from searches for other artists included on the recent discography of the Reedy's personal collection. [Note: Timi found some more historical photos that we need to scan as well as several additional LP's to be taken to the library.  So we will soon be posting an exciting update to that discography!]

While we did not anticipate the relative relevance of vinyl recordings and their aficionados, we were already aware that this was an important area of inquiry for our project.  Other unexpected and interesting search terms have surprised and sometimes tickled us such as "Bob Dylan live 1961-2000" (per Timi's love of Bob and him singin' her papaw's song).  Whether through direct search queries for our project and related activities or through back-doors and random short-cuts, we are grateful for your interest and the time you have spent here, however you got here!

In addition to search engines, the Analytics tool shows whether someone types our URL directly or whether they access it through a link from a referring site.  Mostly these are my Facebook friends who visit when I post an update, but it also shows other accessing links like the Berea College website and most recently 45rpmrecords.com, where Dan DeClark posted a link and update about our project.  We've already had several visitors thanks to Dan!

Websites like Dan's (see the "Other Valuable Resources" posted in the left-hand menu) have offered another fascinating foray into multiple sub-cultures of scholars, collectors, and enthusiasts of vinyl recordings in general, of particular genres like Bluegrass and Rock-a-Billy, and/or specific geographical landscapes and locales.  The resources, leads, and links that these websites provide have been enormously beneficial to our project, and we are thankful to be acknowledged among contributors to such an important and unique knowledge base.

We are also amazed and humbled by the way in which the blog and documentary project have helped establish a more mainstream knowledge base about the Reedys.  When we first began formally researching and working on our fellowship proposal a year ago, there were only a few references to either Frances Reedy or John Reedy, and most of them refer to him.  

Some of those resources have provided important summaries and leads, such as Eugene Chadbourne's All Music Guide article on John, which he charmingly begins by describing him as "A singer with a mug like a movie star..."  This article also repeats the error about Frances and John's familial relationship, but otherwise it's an excellent account that was also pretty much the definitive and oft-syndicated source of online information about them.

A year later, we have more than just a month's worth of empirical evidence from Google Analytics that we are reaching people and that our work and this story matter.  Any search of John and Frances Reedy and their music will now include our blog among the first page of results.  This technological outlet and achievement allows Frances and John to speak for themselves in a new way, beyond their vinyl recordings, beyond their home recordings, and even beyond time.

We hope that you, our reader, listeners, watchers, stay tuned to the ever-unfolding story and process of "Remembering the Reedys."  But most of all, we hope to hear from you, to learn from you, and to know... How the heck are ya?!

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Appalachian Studies Conference Presentation 3/21


33rd Annual Appalachian Studies Conference



"Remembering the Reedys:
Appalachian Music, Migration & Memory"
Multi-Media Presentation
(Tammy Clemons & Timi Reedy)
Concurrent Session 9: Sunday, March 21
9:15--10:30 a.m. (Location TBC)



Timi and I are really looking forward to our multi-media presentation at the upcoming Appalachian Studies Conference in Dahlonega, Georgia next month.  It will be exciting to share musical excerpts and footage from our documentary-in-progress about the musical and familial legacy of Frances and John Reedy and to receive feedback from other Appalachian scholars.

The Appalachian Studies Conference is one of my all-time favorite "academic" gatherings precisely because it is not a stuffy crowd of self-important elitists.  Appalachian Studies is a serious interdisciplinary area of study, but the very nature of the subject matter and the inevitable social, economic, and environmental implications of its inquiry make it a unique intellectual and activist community.  It is truly one of the coolest collection of folks for any reason, and it's a veritable "who's who" of well-known Appalachian authors, activists, artists, and icons.

I attended the conference the past three years (and presented twice) when I worked for Berea College.  The first time I went, I was overcome by such a strong feeling of homecoming, of belonging, that I knew I would try to come back every year.  This year, I knew that we had a great project to share, but we had to apply for scholarships to attend since my job ended.  We just found out today that our registration scholarships were approved!

We're planning to carpool and room with our long-time super-fun buddy, previous short-term roomie, accomplished musician/scholar, and fellow Fellow Deborah Thompson.  So our conference plans are coming together as March draws closer. 
We've been working on several projects as follow-up to our fellowship and in preparation for this presentation that will provide some new audio and video material since our first public presentation.  Some of these projects are near completion and will soon be posted for perusal, but there is still much to be done before the conference.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Discography of Reedy Personal Collection (Vinyl)

Among our ongoing archive projects is a discography of the music collected and kept by Frances Reedy.  This collection of music by other artists is substantial, with over 100 vinyl recordings as well as a large quantity of cassette tapes that we are still gathering.  The discography below lists all of the vinyl LP's and 45's in alphabetical order by first name of the artist, all of which will be archived at Berea College as part of our Appalachian Sound Archives Fellowship this past fall.

First, there are a couple of important notes about the discography of recordings collected by Frances.  One recording by Robert Kolan credits John Reedy with playing the harmonica on a track called "Vietnam" and accompaniment on the Side-2 cover of "Somebody Touched Me."  There are also covers included on LP's by L.B. Siler and the Round Mountain Boys, Bill Monroe (erroneously crediting him as composer), Bluegrass Meditations, and Roy Acuff.  The discography also includes a 45 from the mysterious and rare B-Atlas label that we can't find much information about.  And perhaps the most interesting thing about this discography is that it is not all Bluegrass music...

If anyone knows the year that any of these recordings were made, please let us know!  Also, please contact us if you are interested in getting a Word or Excel version of this table so it can be sorted by label, title, format, location, etc.  And soon we'll be posting a really great oral history video with David Lundy, founder/owner of Lundy Recording Studio in Barbourville, Kentucky.
-------------------------------
Discography of Reedy Personal Vinyl Collection

ARTIST REFERENCE
LABEL
SONG TITLE A SIDE / SONG TITLE B SIDE / or ALBUM TITLE
FORMAT
CITY, STATE
YEAR
Ada Larck
Jalyn 17933
There's Gonna Be Heartbreak / Will I Ever Learn
45
Dayton, OH
?
Arlie Petree
Rays of Hope CP-4699
You've Got to Have Heaven / Waiting Outside
45

?
Big Fred & the Ovations
Lemco 10410
Everybody Sing / I'm Gonna Love You
45
Lexington, KY
?
Bill Monroe
MCA 426
Road of Life
LP

?
Blue Grass Gospel Aires
Gospel Gems 5945
Family Bible
LP
Vandalia, OH
?
Blue Mountain Singers
B-Atlas 700
Climbing the Stairway to Heaven / No, No, Sinner He Won't Let you In // Andrew Jackson Fearless Fighter / I'm a Lovesick Stranger
EP

?
Bluegrass Drifters
Jewel 35151
Bluegrass Covered with Snow
LP
Cincinnati, OH
?
Bluegrass Meditations
Bradley's Barn NRP 5412
Were You There?
LP
Nashville, TN
?
Bluegrass Meditations
Bradley's Barn
Remember the Cross
LP
Nashville, TN
?
Bob Withers
Nugget 31532
Don't Fiddle With My Bow / That's Me
45

?
Bob Withers
Nugget 35672
Going Back to Nashville / You're My Favorite Song
45
Goodlettsville, TN
?
Byard Ray & Obray Ramsey
ABC 690
White Lightnin'
LP

?
C.A. Williams
Trail Records 1983
Magnificent Jesus
LP
London, KY
?
Calvary Duet Les & Joe
Ark 10812
Travelin' On / God is Everywhere // Singing in the Promised Land / House of Gold
EP
Cincinnati, OH
?
Calvary Duet Les & Joe
Ark 10810
Great Gilded Hall / Forgive Me Lord // Soul Winner for Jesus / Born Again
45
Cincinnati, OH
?
Calvary Trio
REM 5410
Calvary Trio Sings and Plays Your Favorite Gospel Tunes
LP
Lexington, KY
?
Carl Story & His Ramblin' Mountaineers
Mercury 20323
Family Reunion
LP

?
Charlie Monroe & His Kentucky Partners
RCA
Who's Calling You Sweetheart Tonight
LP

?
Chet Allen & the Lee Brothers
Jalyn 204
London Prison / Trail of Lonesome Pine
45
Dayton, OH
?
Chubby Wise & the Rainbow Ranch Boys
Starday 154
Self-Titled
LP

?
Chuck and Lottie Sivley
Old Timer 806
Have You Ever Been Confused / My World Ended Today
45

?
Country Gospel-Aires
Ark 209
Battle for Heaven / No Teardrops in Heaven / I Just Dropped By // I'll Be Happy in Heaven / God's Love Made Me Whole / We're Building a Mansion
EP
Cincinnati, OH
?
Country Gospel-Aires
Sulkie 102
They Hung My Lord / Climbing the Stairway to Heaven
45

?
Country Gospel-Aires
Ark 8695
Road to Glory / House of God / He Took Your Place // Swing Low Sweet Chariot / Give Me Flowers While I Live / Voice of My Savior
EP
Cincinnati, OH
?
Cumberland River Boys
Rich-a-Tone 8072
Under the Pale Moonlight / Flowers from the Fields of Alabama
45
Johnson City, TN
?
Curly Coldiron & the Circle C Boys
Sullivan U5992
Come on Get Up / Two Many Chiefs and Not Enough Indians
45
Serona, WI
?
Dane Woolum & the Laurel County Partners
Ark 11295
The Great Beyond / Holding On // Childhood Memories / Life Eternal
EP
Cincinnati, OH
?
Dave Dudley
Golden Ring 3030
Cowboy Boots / I Think I'll Cheat a Little Tonight
45
Minneapolis, MN
?
Dave Woolum and the Laurel County Partners
Pine Tree Records 845
Done Gone and Done It
LP
Hamilton, OH
?
Dayton Harvesters Quartet
Self 781
Journey of No Return / I Witness for Jesus
45

?
Delores Bond
Jalyn 20077
You'd Better Stop and Think About Me / Who Do You Think You're Fooling
45
Dayton, OH
?
Earl and Betty Christian
E and B 900
River of Jordon / You'll Be Rewarded Over There
45

?
Earnest Carter and the Hymn Trio
Ark 9606
First Easter Day / Banks of Jordon / Mother Went Walking // Valley of Sin / Mountain Church / Jacob's Vision

Cincinnati, OH
?
Earnest Carter and the Hymn Trio
Ark CP 7601
Path of Sin / The Gospel Train
45
Cincinnati, OH
?
Eddie Ray Sosby & His Circle 3 Ranch Hands
Sullivan U-1979
The Cow Song (O! Why Did I Ever Milk Cows) / Little More Music
45
Serona, WI
?
Elizabeth Attkisson
Viola (Lundy) 760428
Harlan County Mines / I Dreamt About Daddy Last Night
45
Barbourville, KY
?
Glen Barber
Starday 676
If Anyone Can Show Cause / Stronger Than Dirt
45
Nashville, TN
?
Gospel Travelers
GT 325
I'd Like to Hear'm Preach It / Take Up Thy Cross
45
Dayton, OH
?
Herman Bruce & the Cumberland County Trio
Ark 6955
Prophesy of the Lord / Jesus Stopped By One Day // I Found a Way / From the Garden to the Cross
EP
Cincinnati, OH
?
Howard Davis
Ark 1000
Lightning / Oh My Love
45
Cincinnati, OH
?
Jack Lynch & the Lee Brothers
Jalyn 12921
Little Birdie / All the Love I Had is Gone
45
Dayton, OH
?
Janice and Paul Collins
Jalyn 16025
I'll Not Be a Stranger / Higher Power // Mother Left Me Her Bible / Shut-in's Prayer
EP
Dayton, OH
?
JD Jarvis
Ark 11336
River of Death / Nights in Low Lights // I Don't Want to Miss Heaven / When the Angels Carry Me Home
EP
Cincinnati, OH
?
JD Jarvis & Son Lucky & Rocky Mountain Boys
Ark 10645
A Few More Seasons / Nights in Low Lights / The Hands of God // Remember the Cross / Tell Them What You Want To / He is Mine
EP
Cincinnati, OH
?
JD Jarvis & the White Water Valley Boys
Ark 7481
That Lonely River / Are You Walking to the Light
45
Cincinnati, OH
?
Jim Harden & the Bluegrass Statesmen
Artist Recording 800418
Old Fashioned Altar / Pathway to Heaven
45
Cincinnati, OH
?
Jim Kandy
K-Ark 647
I'm the Man / Angelville/Sky
45

?
Jimmy Murphey
Ark 9865
Wake Me Up Sweet Jesus / My Feet's On Solid Ground
45
Cincinnati, OH
?
Johnny Blue & the Pelfrey Brothers
Ark 9007
Lonesome Mountain / New Angel in Heaven
45
Cincinnati, OH
?
Johnny Dacus, The Tennessee Mountain Fiddler
Old Homestead 90042
John's Mule
LP

?
Johnny Foster
Capa 122
My Own / Take Back My Heart
45
Nashville, TN
?
Johnny Morre Trio & Marrie Jones
Blaze 110
Did You Stop to Pray This Morning / Run Sinner Run
45

?
June Black
Chart Records 1285
The Other Woman Is Your Wife / Postmark Vietnam
45
Nashville, TN
?
Kenny Felts with the Starlighters
Jewel 80527
Robe of Calvary and Other Gospel Favorites
LP

?
L.B. Siler and the Round Mountain Boys
Jalyn 33724
The Good Sounds of Bluegrass
LP
Dayton, OH
?
Leon Turner
King 2810
What It Takes / That's the Reason
45
Cincinnati, OH
?
Leon Turner
Ark 9001
That's What It Takes / That's the Reason
EP
Cincinnati, OH
?
Leslie Durham & Joe Anderson the Calvary Duet
Ark 10028
Now Is The Time to Pray / Mother's Bible / I'll Make It Through // Stranger on the Road / Wings of an Angel / Jesus Answers My Prayers
EP
Cincinnati, OH
?
Lloyd Henson and His Electric Guitar
Laurel Leaf 23174
Savior of the Old Rugged Cross / Almost Home
45
London, KY
?
Luke Gibbons Rhythm Rangers
Dess 7010
Prisoner's Promise / Queen of Skid Row
45
Dayton, OH
?
Norville Dollar
Nugget 28572
Lonely Man / My Hurt's Too Deep for Tears
45

?
Old Joe Clark
Ark 8570 EP 229
Old Age Won't Kill You / Willow Garden / Keep My Skillet Good and Greasy // Fly Around My Pretty Little Pink / Pig in the Pen / Mountain Dew
EP
Cincinnati, OH
?
Old Kentucky Ike
Log Cabin 951
Dark Calvary Friend / Two Little Orphan Boys
45

?
Orville Couch
VJ 706
Color Me Gone / You're a Little Heartache
45

?
Paul Mullins and the Backwoods Boys Quartet
Jalyn 18847
Hymns from the Hills
LP

?
Pelfrey Brothers
Jalyn 12331
Joy Bells / I Just Dropped By // When the Angels Carry Me Home / Mother's Not Dead (She's Only Sleeping)
EP
Dayton, OH
?
Pelfrey Brothers
Jalyn 12092
The Fields Have Turned Brown / My Lord Will Lead Me Home // Get on Your Knees and Pray / He Will Set Your Fields on Fire
EP
Dayton, OH
?
Pine Mountain Gospel Singers
Ranger 449
Heaven
LP
Cllo, MI
?
Priscilla Mitchell
Mercury 72565
Sweet Talk / Almost Everything a Lonely Girl Needs
45

?
Ralph Emery
Mercury 72295
Sit Down and Write a Letter Won't You Baby / I Cry at Ballgames
45

?
Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys
Jalyn 22410
Bluegrass Sound
LP

?
Ray Pennington
King 5783
The First Step Down is the Longest / Your Diary
45
Cincinnati, OH
?
Ray Yeager
Tiara 33421
Our Little Girl / Old Junk Drawer
45
Hollywood, FL
?
Reverend Earl Caddell
Gospel Light GLD0345
House of Gold / Jesus is the One // Deliverance Will Come / The Blood That Stained That Old Rugged Cross
45
Knoxville, TN
?
Robert Kolen [Harmonica by John Reedy; Side B Accompanied by John Reedy]
Jalyn 338
Vietnam / Somebody Touched Me
45
Dayton, OH
?
Roy Acuff
Hickory 162
Why is Roy Acuff
LP

?
Rusty York & and the Kentucky Mountain Boys
Bluegrass Special 600
Little Rosewood Casket / Pretty Polly / Roving Gambler // Girl in Sunny Tennessee / Little Maggie / East Virginia Blues
EP
Cincinnati, OH
?
Sandy Brooks
Great 1070
I Didn't Have the Heart / Gold Wedding Ring
45
Nashville, TN
?
Sons of the Bluegrass
Ark 9273
Preach Pray Sing and Shout / I'll Find Him There // Uncle John Who Didn't Shout / Lord Keep Your Hand on Me
EP
Cincinnati, OH
?
Stanley Brothers
Gusto 273
Stanley Brothers In Person
LP
Nashville, TN
?
Stanley Brothers & the Clinch Mountain Boys
Jalyn 323
Long Journey Home / Going Downtown
45
Dayton, OH
?
Teenie Chenault
Alear 655
Where Happiness Ends and Heartbreak Begins / You're No Inspiration, Gracie for a Hit Song
45

?
The Jimmy Murphy Family
Artist Recording
Poor People
LP
Cincinnati, OH
?
The Kentuckians
Jalyn 19327
Little Darlin Pal of Mine / On the Banks of the Ohio
45
Dayton, OH
?
The Mark II
WYE 5-1001
Confusion / Night Theme
45

?
The Melody-ettes
Rose Recording
Amazing Grace Has to Be My Favorite Song
LP
Vandalia, OH
?
The New Georgia Crackers
Olympic 24
Yesterday's Memories (Are Heartaches Today) / Columbus Blues Stockade
45

?
The Osborne Brothers
MGM 4018
The Black Sheep Return to the Fold
LP

?
The Real Pros
Cinema 7515
My Reason is Jesus / Down in the Valley
45
Hollywood, CA
?
Thurston and Jawanda Hensley
Jordan Records
The King's Highway
LP
Covington, KY
?
Various Artists
Hilltop 6140
Bluegrass Banjos
LP

?
Various Artists
Ark 9868
I Long to Hear Hank Sing the Blues (Jimmy Murphy) / Swing Still Blues (Paul Smith
45
Cincinnati, OH
?
Various Artists [Side A = Upchurch Brothers; Side B = Terry Upchurch and the Upchurch Brothers]
Ark 7001
Ain't No Grave / My Soul's Been Satisfied / He'll Set You Free // Song of Songs / Someone Will Love Me / I Remember How Mother Prayed
EP
Cincinnati, OH
?
Various Artists [Side A = Upchurch Brothers; Side B = Terry Upchurch and the Upchurch Brothers]
Jewel EP 401
Counting My Blessings / When Jesus Calls / There Are No Shortcuts // The Day My Daddy Prayed / I'm Gonna Walk With Jesus / Everybody Will Be Happy
EP

?
Wade Mainer & the Sons of the Mountaineers
Old Homestead 90014
Rock of My Soul
LP
Brighton, MI
?
Wayne Rainey & the Rainey Family
New American 600
A Little Pine Log Cabin / Hand in Hand with Jesus / I Found It in Mother's Bible // Where No Cabins Fall / The Uncloudy Day / An Empty Mansion
EP
Oxford, OH
?
Wayne Rainey & the Rainey Family
Starday SEP-139
Over the Rolling Sea / He is Both God and Man / Family Circle // The Garden Where Mother Prayed / Wayward Drunk / I Want to Know
EP
Nashville, TN
?
Wibby Lee
Jalyn 214
I'm Lost Without Your Love / Please Don't Run Me Off
45
Dayton, OH
?
Wibby Lee & Paul Allan
Jalyn 402
Might As Well Be No Moon At All / I'm Talkin' Not Walkin' the Blues
45
Dayton, OH
?
Zirkle Brothers
Ark 9269
Now is the Time to Be Saved / Each Step I Take / King of Kings // Sweet Bye and Bye / Thankful / The Lord is Counting on You
EP
Cincinnati, OH
?
Zirkle Brothers
Ark 10069
They're Expecting Me Home / The Highest Mount
45
Cincinnati, OH
?
Zirkle Brothers
Ark 7607
Bugle Call From Heaven / Tell My Friends / Invisible Hands // Jesus Wept / His Robe / Where the Seasons Never Change
EP
Cincinnati, OH
?