The Arts
Magical Mountain Music O
ne thing we are known for in the mountains is our unique musical heritage. Many people may only think of Bluegrass when they think of Appalachian Music, but Appalachian music first arose when people from various European and African countries intersected in the mountains, bringing their own traditions and cultures together to form a new music style, now known as “OldTimey” music. It is the culmination of nearly 300 years of musical influences from around the world, has contributed to nearly every modern musical genre and is a part of our history that we treasure and are proud of!
Early Rabun County musicians Grady Nixon on fiddle, Everett Nixon on banjo and other Tallulah Falls students, circa 1925
Tallulah Falls student musicians circa 1920, including Grady Nixon on harmonica, Gertrude Kilby on guitar and Hazel Nixon on banjo 16 - www.laurelofnortheastgeorgia.com - July 2022
Old-timey music encompasses various styles that originated in rural America, particularly in the Southern Appalachians, before recorded music and radio were widely available. This wasn’t music meant for performance’s sake, it was music made in the home and in community spaces, generally for personal entertainment, dancing, worship and mourning. It is a synthesis of European and African music… fiddle traditions from Scotland, Ireland, England, France, and Germany; ballad traditions from Scotland and England; and vocal, rhythm, and instrumental styles from West Africa. Much of this is embodied in the union of European fiddle and African banjo music. This music is so much a part of who we are because it was passed down from family member to family member, just like cooking recipes, sewing and weaving skills, other functional crafts and even liquor making! Everyone participated
