Guest Article - Rockingham County Musicians by Wayne Seymour

In the 1920’s, Spray Cotton Mills brought Otto Kirches, a German violinist, to give violin lessons to the children of mill employees. Instead of insisting on a strictly classical approach, he encouraged the students to continue to play their regional tunes. Even adults came to Kirches for lessons and advice. As a result, many local fiddlers, notably Lonnie Austin and Charlie LaPrade, displayed much better technique than was usual in country fiddlers. 

Although this music is often mistakenly called “mountain music,” Rockingham County has been home to many musicians who have made substantial contributions to American music in the fields of folk, old-time music, bluegrass and other forms of traditional music. Their names are usually not known to the general public, but they are held in high esteem by musicians, not only in America but abroad.  

In the 1920’s, banjo player and singer Charlie Poole took his band to New York and recorded “Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down” and “May I Sleep in Your Barn Tonight, Mister?”  This record sold 100,000 copies at a time when 5,000 copies was a hit, and 10,000 copies was giant smash. No classical, jazz, Broadway, or popular artist came close to that.  Because of Charlie’s success, many musicians came to the area to work in the mills and to play music.  Our county became a center for not only traditional country music, but for ragtime, early jazz and Tin Pan Alley tunes.

A partial list of some early musicians based in and around Rockingham County in the 1920's and  1930's includes: Charlie Poole, banjoist and singer; Norman Woodlief, guitarist; Posey Rorer, fiddler; Lonnie Austin, fiddler and pianist; Tyler Meeks, guitarist; Hamon Newman, tenor banjoist; Earl Shirkey, ukulele player and yodeler; Lucy Terry, pianist; Red Patterson, banjoist and singer; Percy Setliff, fiddler; Buster Carter, banjoist; and Preston Young, guitarist and singer. 

In more recent times, banjo player Posey Roach (Eden) played with Flynn Rigney and the Virginia Partners; Alan Shelton was an influential banjo player with Jim Eanes and Jim and Jesse McReynolds, and he was a model for many banjo players all over the country.  Gene Meade (Eden) set the mold for backing up fiddlers with his driving, spectacular guitar styles. (A recently released DVD of the Gene’s appearance at the 1964 Newport Folk Festival has hundreds of young guitarists trying to emulate his style.)

Ruffin native Tim Austin was the founder of the Lonesome River Band and for years ran Doobie Shea Studios, a highly acclaimed recording venue.  
 
Kinney Rorrer, a native of Eden and grandnephew of Charlie Poole and Posey Rorer (*), is noted as a player and singer of Charlie’s songs. He is the author of Ramblin’ Blues the Life and Songs of Charlie Poole, a biography of Charlie Poole. Kinney hosts Back to the Blue Ridge, a radio program on the Roanoke, VA National Public Radio station, 89.1 FM WVTF, airing Saturdays from 8-10 pm and Sundays from 2 to 4 pm.                  (* note the difference in spelling)

Doug Rorrer, Kinney’s brother, has been praised for his singing and his guitar work that echoes Gene Meade and Doc Watson.  He has performed not only in the US, but in England, Scotland, and Italy.  Doug owned and operated Flyin’ Cloud Studios and has produced many highly praised CD’s of old-time, bluegrass, and folk music. 
Doug’s son, Taylor Rorrer, performs professionally, sometimes with Doug and sometimes with other bands. Taylor is widely praised for his work on both guitar and fiddle. 
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Ivy Sheppard (Bethany) of the highly praised South Carolina Broadcasters (who now live in Mount Airy), is well-known for her authentic fiddling and banjo playing as well as for hosting several radio shows featuring old-time and early bluegrass music.
 
Dr. Don Wright, a dentist in Eden, is a fine banjo player, and has performed and recorded with musicians of the highest skill levels. He also plays guitar and banjo.
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Jesse Smathers of Eden is now the mandolin player/tenor and lead singer with the Lonesome River Band, having previously played with the James King Band and Nothing Fancy. His father Dave Smathers, played for many years with the Campus Tradition, an RCC based band.  The family musical tradition dates back through several generations. 

The late Pat Smith from the Bethany/Monroeton areas kept old-time and bluegrass alive here for many years, playing every instrument in the band, although being best known for his fiddling and banjo playing. Pat’s sons, Terry and Billy, both continue to work in bluegrass. Terry played bass and sang with the Osborne brothers, and is currently with the highly praised band, The Grascals.  Billy is a songwriter. His first cassette had 12 songs, every one of which was recorded by a bluegrass or country artist, an almost unheard-of feat. 

The Moore family from Ruffin has always played not only in family gatherings, but Jason Moore played bass with Mountain Heart and is currently working with the band Sideline. His brother, Darrin is an expert on the music of the Carter Family and plays and sings their music with great skill and authority. He is also an excellent bass player.   

Hubert Lawson and his family band, The Bluegrass Country Boys, are fixtures in the Piedmont NC area bluegrass scene.  

Mandolin and guitar player Ronald Pinnix, as far as can be determined, was the first person to record a flatpick guitar solo in a bluegrass recording. His creative playing influenced many local players. 

There is no way to verify the number of Rockingham County musicians who play regularly in living rooms and kitchens, on porches, in community centers and churches, and at area festivals.  You may receive no public recognition, but you keep the tradition of “our” music alive.  It is MARC’s hope that you (and your friends) will join us at Pickin’ at the MARC on November 9.  It will be a time to share the love of the music, to meet and enjoy the talents of other musicians, and to jam with new friends.  In doing so, you will help to solidify the foundation of Rockingham County’s musical tradition. ​