WPLN News Archive; Smithville Jamboree (Todd Jarrell) 7 3 01; News Archive 5/15/01-7/3/01

looming the un ao singing and nine grammy this lilting ballad has been sung a mountain trails around campfires and in the classrooms of america for one hundred fifty years many of these capable hands voice of silver haired national folk singer susie kallman sweet betty is still hot enough to win competitions susie and betsy won first place last year in the folk category at the smithfield tambourine the event hosts thirty one contest categories ranging from guitar and banjo picking folk and gospel singing and fiddling to traditional mountain but dancing and clogging it's an incredible event showcasing some of the most unusual talent very young people very old people get up and perform it so warmly received by the crowd and

it's quite a wonderful community for its musicians community tradition family you hear a lot about these when you visit with the folks who frequently tambourine when my mother and her sisters were growing up they didn't have television and i don't think they're at a workplace of the time they are pre poor but they sat on the porch and play music and sang the whole family sang everybody everybody in my family made music to sell it as a real nice beautiful part of who i am and i'm glad to be able to say you know i do have to do it successfully were people actually want to hear it makes me feel really good since nineteen seventy two smith will only sixty miles east of nashville has volunteered citizenry and its town square to the preservation of appalachian music and dance the jim murray has attracted attention from national geographic magazine the new york times and even a bbc film documentary

stations carrie cook meals and a b a c t e television coverage across the united states contestants who've come all the way from australia competitions for beginners twelve years old and under are nationally recognized and many a budding music for grabs first traction on the smithville stage grassman display and sell thousands of handmade goods at this the official craft fair of tennessee after all the arts of building and of playing instruments go hand in hand contestant rob piercey of smyrna talks about his handheld dulcimer this for more good years of a skull culpable loans without medicine most flammable wood and were all suppose we can take their lists of less than a foot steel start fires with it so i'm waiting to spontaneously combust it most are gathered to listen and

smithfield but some like rub your seat come to play slender and reserved and recognizable by his long goatee string tie and flat brimmed hat with its signature sweeping turkey feather rob is now somewhat of a jam very institution he competes on guitar jo bro dulcimer mandolin old time banjo and harmonica that was made for first place in here but it has been three years ago and won probably about twenty twelve first places over the last twenty years ago oh harmony seconds in thursday one of these ruins and tell them all the jewelry regulars talk of the event with a sort of reverence to the faithful it is much more than a picking contest or a weekend entertainment it's a rich a good training ground proving ground and a place for young people to get together with the old counselor milton's and now at the summit so strangely musicals or under the shade trees and jams and

they'll use it to meet that force were different generation and her brood only are the contestants are hot the parking lot pickers are higher and the weather it will be hot too but judging from the caliber of performance and loyal attendance this year smithville jam or you will be all in all barry call for national public radio i'm todd