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Vivian Leva is creating new songs and fresh approaches to old mountain classics. Her premiere album, Time Is Everything, features both, and we hear selections on this week’s Across the Blue Ridge episode.

Oliva Siegel, courtesy Vivian Leva

This week we showcase the premiere album of a young singer and songwriter steeped in traditional Blue Ridge mountain music. Vivian Leva – who’s been on the show before with The Onlies – grew up in a musical family in Lexington, Virginia. Her parents, Carol Elizabeth Jones and James Leva, are both well known in the old-time and bluegrass communities as outstanding singers, creative songwriters and fine instrumentalists. Vivian Leva continues this family tradition on her premiere album, Time Is Everything, with a selection of powerful, thoughtful songs old and new. She creates something fresh from the sounds around her and the landscape of her own life and insights. As we mark Women’s History Month and take note of current events, we also hear songs of life, hardship and independence from Hazel Dickens, Alice Gerrard, Texas Gladden, Dale Ann Bradley, Ruby Vass, The Farwells and Ola Belle Reed. Instrumentals, a song from Max Heineman, and flatfoot dancing figure into the hour, too.

Playlist

1. Piper's Hornpipe

Marvin Gaster

Uncle Henry's Favorites 2. My Stone Mountain Home

Sam Gleaves & Tyler Hughes

Sam Gleaves & Tyler Hughes 3. O'Grady Rd

Max Heineman & Lonesome Ace Stringband

When The Sun Comes Up 4. Solly's Little Favorite

Lonesome Ace Stringband

When The Sun Comes Up 5. Betty Baker

T-Mart Rounders

T-Mart Rounders 6. Going Back To Kentucky

Dale Ann Bradley

Dale Ann Bradley 7. Little White Robe

The Farwells

The Farwells 8. Break 1 - Old Aunt Katie

The Shelor Blackard Family

The Shelor-Blackard Family 9. Time Is Everything

Vivian Leva

Time Is Everything 10. Interview - Vivian Leva

Vivian Leva

Time Is Everything 11. Cold Mountains

Vivian Leva

Time Is Everything 12. No Forever

Vivian Leva

Time Is Everything 13. Light Enough To Find My Way

Jones & Leva

Light Enough To Find My Way 14. One Morning In May

Texas Gladden

The Alan Lomax Collection: Portraits - Ballad Collection 15. Break 2 - June Apple

Olin & Frances Gardner

Olin & Frances Gardner & Friends 16. Only The Leading Role Will Do

Ola Belle Reed

Ola Belle Reed & Family 17. I've Endured

Ola Belle Reed

Ola Belle Reed & Family 18. Come Into Your Own

Alice Gerrard & Kay Justice

Tear Down The Fences 19. Single Girl

Ruby Vass

Southern Journey Vol. 2 20. You'll Get No More From Me

Hazel Dickens

A Few Old Memories 21. The West Fork Girls

Phoeba Parsons

Old Time Music From Clay & Calhoun Counties

Story does not include AP content

atbr #vivian leva #the onlies #hazel dickens #alice gerrard #texas gladden #dale ann bradley #ruby vass #the farwells #ola belle reed

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Wade Ward (L) and Charlie Higgins were two of the most revered old time musicians from the southwest of Virginia in and around the town of Galax. We hear from them and others in a program focusing on Virginia traditional musicians.

John Cohen

This week, as the fiddlers’ convention season in the south really gets underway, we check out some songs and tunes old and new from the Virginia mountains. In the southwestern part of Virginia, Galax and surrounding communities have long been centers of old time and bluegrass music. The Old Fiddlers’ Convention in Galax was started in 1935 and continues to draw thousands of people each August. On this show, we hear some field recordings of musicians including Wade Ward, Charlie Higgins, Ruby Vass and Hobart Smith; and the songs and tunes of contemporary musicians such as mandolinist Scott Freeman and his daughter Dori. The Carter Family, Ralph Stanley and the Lonesome River Band are also on the show.

Playlist

1. Skip To My Lou

Uncle Alec Dunford

The Bristol Sessions Vol. 1 2. Keep On The Sunny Side

The Carter Family

Anchored In Love 3. Ain't Nobody

Dori Freeman

Dori Freeman 4. County Road Gang

Fields Ward

Bury Me Not On The Lone Prairie 5. Ducks In The Millpond

Emmett Lundy

Library of Congress Recording 6. Sally Ann & Step Back Cindy

Luther Davis, Paul Brown, Paul Friedman

Field recording 7. Shady Grove

Norman Edmonds & The Old Timers

Norman Edmonds Vol. 1 8. Break 1 - Bill Brown

The Canote Brothers

Sugarbaby 9. Grey Eagle

Scott Freeman

Southern Souvenirs 10. Ashby's Breakdown

John Ashby

John Ashby 11. Somebody's Missing You

Lonesome River Band

Mountains of Music Homecoming 2015 12. On The Banks Of The Old Tennessee

Tyler Hughes

Mountains of Music Homecoming 2015 13. Gone At Last

The Glorylanders of New River Valley

Mountains of Music Homecoming 2015 14. Cumberland Gap

Albert Hash

Albert Hash 15. Bill Cheatham

Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys

Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys V.3 16. Break 2 - Little Birdie

Paul Brown

Studio recording 17. Cripple Creek & interview

Wade Ward & Charlie Higgins

Southern Journey Vol. 1 18. Pretty Polly

E.C. Ball

Southern Journey Vol. 1 19. The Banks Of The Ohio

Ruby Vass

Southern Journey Vol. 2 20. The Devil's Dream

Hobart Smith

Blue Ridge Legacy 21. Fly Around My Pretty Little Girl

Hobart Smith

Southern Journey Vol. 2

atbr #wade ward #charlie higgins #ruby vass #hobart smith #scott freeman #dori freeman #the carter family #ralph stanley #the lonesome river band

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Wade Ward (l.) and Charlie Higgins were two of the most revered old time musicians from the southwest of Virginia in and around the town of Galax. We hear from them and others in a program with a big component of southwest Virginia musicians.

John Cohen

This week we check out some songs and tunes old and new from the Galax, Virginia area and beyond. In the southwestern part of Virginia, Galax and surrounding communities have long been centers of old time and bluegrass music. The Old Fiddlers’ Convention in Galax was started in 1935 and continues to draw thousands of people each August. On this show, we hear some field recordings of musicians including Wade Ward, Charlie Higgins, Ruby Vass and Hobart Smith; and the songs and tunes of contemporary musicians such as mandolinist Scott Freeman and his daughter Dori – who has a highly acclaimed new album out. Music from southwestern Virginia, and much more including Charlie Monroe, the Carter Family and JD Crowe, on the latest Across the Blue Ridge.

Episode 9 Playlist

1. Skip To Ma Lou My Darling – Eck Dunford

Album -- The Bristol Sessions Volume 1 2. Keep On The Sunny Side – The Carter Family

Album – Anchored in Love 3. Ain’t Nobody – Dori Freeman

Album – Dori Freeman 4. County Road Gang – Fields Ward

Album – Bury Me Not On The Lone Prairie 5. Ducks In The Millpond – Emmett Lundy

Library of Congress recording 6. Sally Ann – Step Back Cindy – Luther Davis, Paul Brown, Paul Friedman

Field Recording 7. BREAK 1 Bill Brown – The Canote Brothers

Album -- Sugarbaby 8. Grey Eagle – Scott Freeman

Album – Southern Souvenirs 9. Still A Child – Dori Freeman

Album – Dori Freeman 10. I’ll Stay Around – J.D. Crowe

Album – Blackjack 11. Little Maggie – Obray Ramsey

Album – Good Old Mountain Dew 12. Live Forever – Laurie Lewis & Her Right Hands

Album – The Golden West 13. End of Memory Lane – Charlie Monroe

Album – Charlie Monroe & His Kentucky Pardners Vol. 1 14. Cluck Old Hen – Wade Ward

Album – Southern Journey Vol. 2 15. BREAK 2 Little Birdie – Paul Brown

Source: studio recording 16. Interview & Cripple Creek – Wade Ward & Charlie Higgins

Album – Southern Journey Vol. 1 17. Pretty Polly – E.C. Ball

Album – Southern Journey Vol. 1 18. The Banks of the Ohio – Ruby Vass

Album – Southern Journey Vol. 2 19. The Devil’s Dream – Hobart Smith

Album – Hobart Smith Blue Ridge Legacy 20. Fly Around My Blue Eyed Girl – Hobart Smith

Album – Southern Journey Vol. 2

galax #virginia #old fiddlers’ convention #wade ward #charlie higgins #ruby vass #hobart smith #scott freeman #charlie monroe #the carter family #jd crowe

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