Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina


Book Description

The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina are the heart of a region where traditional music and dance are performed and celebrated as nowhere else in America. This guide puts readers on the trail to discover many sites where the unique musical legacy thrives, covering bluegrass and stringband music, clogging, and other traditional forms of music and dance. The book includes stories of the legendary music of the Blue Ridge Mountains, maps, and contact information for the featured sites, as well as color illustrations and profiles of prominent musicians and music traditions. Chapters are organized county by county, and sidebars include interviews with and profiles of performers, information about various performance styles, and a brief history of Blue Ridge music. The updated second edition adds three new music venues, along with updated information on the almost sixty music sites in Western North Carolina profiled in the previous edition. Also included are new full-color photos, two new artist profiles, and a CD of twenty-six classic songs from the mountains and the foothills.




String Bands in the North Carolina Piedmont


Book Description

String band music is most commonly associated with the mountains of North Carolina and other rural areas of the Blue Ridge and Appalachian mountains, but it was just as abundant in Piedmont region of North Carolina, albeit with different influences and stylistic conventions. This work focuses exclusively on the history and culture of the area, the music's development and the changes within traditional communities of the Piedmont. It begins with a discussion of the settlement of the Piedmont in the mid-1700s and early references to secular folk music, including the attitudes the various ethnic and religious groups had on music and dance, the introduction of the fiddle and the banjo, and outside influences such as minstrel shows, Hawaiian music and classical banjo. It then goes on to cover African-Americans and string band music; the societal functions of square dances held at private homes and community centers; the ways in which musicians learned to play the music and bought their instruments; fiddler's conventions and their history as community fundraisers; the recording industry and Piedmont musicians who cut recordings, including Ernest Thompson and the North Carolina Cooper Boys; Bascom Lamar Lunsford and the Carolina Folk Festival; the influence of live radio stations, including WPTF in Raleigh, WGWR in Asheboro, WSJS in Winston-Salem, WBIG in Greensboro and WBT in Charlotte; the first generation of locally-bred country entertainers, including Charlie Monroe's Kentucky Partners, Gurney Thomas and Glenn Thompson; and bluegrass and musical change following World War II.




Hiking and Traveling the Blue Ridge Parkway


Book Description

This comprehensive guidebook provides a detailed description of every official trail along the Blue Ridge Parkway. But that's just the beginning: veteran hiker Leonard M. Adkins includes information on every trail that touches the Parkway, including the Appalachian Trail, the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, and other public pathways on national park, state park, national forest, municipal, and private lands. You'll find GPS coordinates for official Parkway trailheads, along with fifty maps and many photographs of what you'll see along the way. Adkins notes each trail's length, difficulty, points of interest, handicap accessibility, and natural features. Far more than a guide to the trails, this book also tells you what to expect at overlooks, as well as where to dine, sleep, and find a restroom, and suggests worthwhile side trips. Elevation change charts for bicyclists, minimum tunnel heights for RVs, camping recommendations, roadside bloom calendars, sightseeing information for nearby towns, and other advice make this the perfect companion for your next Parkway adventure.




A Guide to the Crooked Road


Book Description

A guide to the Crooked Road, a 250-mile driving route through southwestern Virginia, officially designated as Virginia's Heritage Music Trail.




Best of the Blue Ridge Parkway


Book Description

Filled with detailed information on the best hikes, scenic stops, waterfalls, and historic locations, this is the ultimate guide to the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina and Virginia, one of America's most visited national parks. Information on lodging, way stations, side trips, hiking trails, and attractions of interest is included--ideal for the time-pressed traveler who wants to hit the high points of the park. Full-color photographs, photographer's notes, and photo tips complement the detailed descriptions of the park's attractions, making this handbook both a travel guide and a compilation to treasure.




The American Songbag


Book Description

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.




Birds of the Blue Ridge Mountains


Book Description

Suggests locales for finding specimens of the over 300 species of birds residing in this region.




Wildflowers of the Blue Ridge Parkway


Book Description

More than 200 photographs of wildflowers organized by color, shape and blooming season. Clearly written descriptions include tips on identification and notes on plant usage by Native Americansand early settlers. Includes tour guide to 75 of the best sites for viewing wildflowers in spring, summer and fall.




African American Music Trails of Eastern North Carolina


Book Description

Thelonius Monk, Billy Taylor, and Maceo Parker--famous jazz artists who have shared the unique sounds of North Carolina with the world--are but a few of the dynamic African American artists from eastern North Carolina featured in The African American Music Trails of Eastern North Carolina. This first-of-its-kind travel guide will take you on a fascinating journey to music venues, events, and museums that illuminate the lives of the musicians and reveal the deep ties between music and community. Interviews with more than 90 artists open doors to a world of music, especially jazz, rhythm and blues, funk, gospel and church music, blues, rap, marching band music, and beach music. New and historical photographs enliven the narrative, and maps and travel information help you plan your trip. Included is a CD with 17 recordings performed by some of the region's outstanding artists.




Moon Blue Ridge Parkway Road Trip


Book Description

From the sprawling green countryside of Shenandoah to the mists rising over the Great Smoky Mountains, endless adventure and beauty await along America's most scenic highway. Inside Moon Blue Ridge Parkway Road Trip you'll find: Multiple Routes: Choose from flexible getaways along the Blue Ridge Parkway, including the ultimate two-week route, a four-day loop from D.C., and more Eat, sleep, stop and explore: With lists of the best hikes, views, restaurants, and more, you can listen to live bluegrass, find the best barbecue around, or sip local moonshine. Wander through the renowned museums in Washington D.C. or take a break in a charming mountain town. Explore a labyrinthine cave system, hike a leg of the famous Appalachian Trail, and spot black bears and elk in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Try your hand at gem mining, spend an afternoon antique hunting, or pick fruit at a family-owned orchard Maps and driving tools: Easy-to-use maps keep you oriented on and off the highway, along with site-to-site mileage, driving times, detailed directions, and full-color photos throughout Local expertise: North Carolinian and mountaineer Jason Frye shares his top tips for what to do Planning your trip: Know when and where to get gas, how to avoid traffic, tips for driving in different road and weather conditions, and suggestions for LBGTQ+ travelers, seniors, and road trippers with children With Moon Blue Ridge Parkway Road Trip's flexible itineraries and practical tips you're ready to fill up and hit the road. Exploring more of America on wheels? Try Moon Nashville to New Orleans Road Trip or Moon Drive & Hike Appalachian Trail. Doing more than driving through? Check out Moon Great Smoky Mountains National Park. About Moon Travel Guides: Moon was founded in 1973 to empower independent, active, and conscious travel. We prioritize local businesses, outdoor recreation, and traveling strategically and sustainably. Moon Travel Guides are written by local, expert authors with great stories to tell—and they can't wait to share their favorite places with you. For more inspiration, follow @moonguides on social media.