Our region is steeped in history, and music has always played a certain part in local life. For decades, mountain and valley people have been united in their shared love of music on front porches, backyards, and stages. This tradition is more than just instruments and people; it rose out of a combined history of heartache, perseverance, and well-earned relaxation.
One of Surry County’s great fiddle players was honored on May 31 at the North Carolina Heritage Awards in Raleigh. The awards have honored traditional artists since 1989, considering everything from folk art to music is considered when selecting honorees. State residents can nominate artists, who are then judged and winners are selected via a panel. This year six artists were recognized with awards, and the region’s own Richard Bowman, a famed fiddle player, was deemed one of North Carolina’s finest.
Bowman was raised in Ararat, Virginia, in a tobacco farming family. He enjoyed the convenience of having a wealth of talented musicians as mentors at his disposal. Musicians from both sides of the state line helped inspire and teach him the ways of old-time music.
When Bowman first heard Tommy Jarrell on the WPAQ’s Merry-Go-Round, he was bitten by the music bug. He soon after started teaching himself to play the fiddle, on an instrument borrowed from his cousin. He traversed the countryside and counties learning tunes and being influenced by musicians such as Tommy Jarrell, Earnest East, Kimble and the Shelor and Flippen families. When interviewed for the NC Heritage Awards program, Bowman praised the area’s rich music heritage, saying, “There were probably ten fiddlers that I could get to within 20 minutes. It was amazing, the places I would go local. They were all real free with their music. They would just invite you in.”
Bowman has played with many bands through the years. During his induction to the NC Heritage Awards, he played with the Slate Mountain Ramblers which consists of family and friends. Bowman, his wife, Barbara Bowman, his daughter, Marsha Todd, and friends performed foot-tapping melodies for the assembly, getting everyone clapping their hands and grooving to the music. I was lucky enough to attend the awards with Jenny Lowry via WPAQ and have never seen a happier crowd.
The Mount Airy Museum of Regional History has an extensive exhibit of the history and creation of old-time music as we know it. Everything from the history of luthiers and the creation of instruments to the communities and cultures that brought us our different instruments and beats can be found on the second floor of the museum.
Want to get a taste of the history live? Head over to the Earle Theatre on Saturday mornings to be part of the live jam. If you can’t get out, simply tune in to 740 AM or 106.7 FM to hear and experience the old-time tunes.
Emily Morgan is the guest services manager at the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History. She and her family live in Westfield. She can be reached at eamorgan@northcarolinamuseum.org or by calling 336-786-4478 x229
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
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