Charlie Woods

Charlie Woods: Like many of his neighbours, Charlie was a tobacco farmer who was equally adept on both banjo and fiddle.  He was the first Appalachian instrumentalist that I recorded and I was unsure how I would be received when I drove up to his home in the late afternoon.  Charlie and his wife came out onto the veranda as I explained my interest in old-timey music.  I asked him if I could hear him play and was taken aback when he said, “Sure.  Have you got one of those recording things?  Why don’t you go get it.”  It was as easy as that!

Part of the booklet notes, written by Mike Yates, to the Musical Traditions Records CDs Far in the Mountains (MTCD321-4)