“I thought that was the sweetest music that had ever been in this world, that old fiddle.”– Albert Hash
Music surrounds us in our daily lives whether on the radio, in commercials, at church, social gatherings, or around the house. The Blue Ridge Mountains have a rich and diverse history of music, and due to the isolated nature of some towns, music traditions were able to be passed down through the generations without much variance. Due to this, most famous musicians from the area often have humble musical roots. One little county has given a lot to the preservation and longevity of old-time and bluegrass music and it’s just a hop and a skip through the holler.
Covering approximately 427 miles in northwestern North Carolina is mountainous Ashe County. Through time, it has been part of Anson, Rowan, Surry, Wilkes, and the State of Franklin until it became its own county in 1799. There are three incorporated towns, 19 townships, and 18 unincorporated towns in its borders. Rich in natural resources, the county has boasted various industries over time.
Lansing was incorporated in 1928 and sits on less than half a square mile of land. Out of this town came Ola Belle Reed. Born Ola Wave Campbell in 1916, Ola Belle Reed came from a family of 13 children in Lansing. Both sides of her family were musically versed; her grandfather was a Primitive Baptist preacher who could fiddle, her father could play fiddle, banjo, guitar, and organ, and her grandmother and mother taught her the traditional ballads of the area. Ola learned to play clawhammer banjo and accompanied it with her singing.
Due to the Great Depression, the family moved to Pennsylvania and then Maryland in 1934 for employment. In Maryland, the family formed The North Carolina Ridge Runners, a band that played live radio broadcasts as well as for social gatherings and dance among the Appalachian transplants in the area.
Ola was known for playing and singing traditional songs and hymns but was also an accomplished original song writer. She wrote and recorded, “High on a Mountain,” “My Epitaph,” and “I’ve Endured.” In 1972, she played for the Smithsonian Folk Festival held in Washington D.C and recorded 75 songs for the Library of Congress. In 1986, she was awarded the National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, the highest honor in folk and traditional arts. In 1987, she suffered a stroke and was unable to play music anymore. She passed in 2002.
Although not born in Lansing, Albert Hash spent a bit over a decade in the city. Born in Whitetop Mountain, Virginia, in 1917, Albert learned to fiddle from Corbitt Stamper, his uncle George Finley, and was influenced by GB Grayson. His wife Ethel Spencer’s family was musically gifted as well; his father-in-law Bud Spencer was a dancer while his brother-in-law Thornton Spencer played fiddle. Their distant relatives were Ola Belle Reed and Dean Sturgill.
An extremely gifted player, Albert was better known for building and repairing instruments. He mostly built fiddles, but also made mandolins, banjos, dulcimers, and only one guitar, which is now in the possession of Wayne Henderson, who Albert mentored and was good friends with.
A firm believer in teaching and sharing knowledge and traditions, Albert formed the Whitetop Mountain Band in the 1940s and in 1982 he started the music program at Mount Rogers School, now known as the Albert Hash Memorial Band. In 1976, Albert recorded an album of fiddle tunes with Thornton, Thornton’s wife Emily, and Flurry Dowe under the band name The Whitetop Mountain Boys. Of note, the producer of the album was Kyle Creed. Albert passed in 1983, but his daughter Audrey Hash Ham carried on his work mentoring young luthiers in the craft as well as playing and teaching music.
Ashe County hosts many music events and festivals throughout the year. The Ola Belle Reed Festival is held in Lansing in August and the Ashe County Fiddlers Convention is held in Jefferson in July; both draw musicians and onlookers from around the country to participate and listen. The Old Helton School Hog Stomp is held every Thursday in Sturgills. Don’t let the name fool you, it’s a social gathering full of music, dancing, and of course a jam session. Another local favorite is the Phipps General Store Jam, located outside of Lansing and held on Fridays. The town of Todd offers multiple music events such as the Todd New River Festival, Jam Sessions at the Todd General Store, Todd Concert Series, and dances at the Todd Mercantile.
The interconnectedness of music, family, and traditions is a wonderful sight to behold, whether reading about it, listening to oral interview recordings, or listening to the music itself. This was a an extremely short overview of the subject, as books, documentaries, and films have been made about the people and music mentioned here, but I hope I did it justice.
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
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