Music and Dance Heritage of Western North Carolina
Swannanoa String Band at Warren Wilson College (1895)
Located in the heart of the Southern Appalachian Mountains, Western North Carolina has long been a hot-bed of traditional music and dance. In 1924, Samantha Bumgarner of Jackson County became the first old-time banjo player ever recorded.
In 1928, banjo player and folk song collecter Bascom Lamar Lunsford, organized the
Mountain Dance and Folk Festival in Asheville to promote the region's traditional music
and dance. It was here that group clogging got its start. The oldest festival of its kind in
the country, the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival still takes place in Asheville every August and recently celebrated its 78th year.
Marcus Martin, a legendary old-time fiddler who lived in the Swannanoa valley, played
for local dances including the Farmer's Ball. Fiddlers from around the world still listen to
and learn from his repertoire of fiddle tunes recorded by the Library of Congress in 1941.
In the 21st century, western North Carolina continues to be a center for traditional old-time
and bluegrass music, and it is home to an active music scene which includes numerous
festivals, picking sessions, and dances throughout the year.