Coon Creek Girls - Banjo Pickin Girl (1944)

The Coon Creek Girls were a popular all-girl "string band" in the Appalachian style of folk music (a precursor of country music) which began in the mid-1930s. Created (and named) by John Lair for his Renfro Valley Barn Dance show, the band originally consisted of sisters Lily May and Rosie Ledford (from Powell County, Kentucky) along with Esther "Violet" Koehler (from Indiana) and Evelyn "Daisey" Lange (from Ohio).

In 1939, when King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visited the White House of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, there were numerous musical acts, including Lawrence Tibbett, Marion Anderson, and Kate Smith. Also included were a troupe of Bascom Lunsford's square dancers, and the Coon Creek Girls.[1]

In 1979, John Lair revived the name with the New Coon Creek Girls, a combo which remained popular for several decades, despite numerous changes in line-up.[2]

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Bluegrass
• Hillbilly

[jlovesj4evernalways]

good grief ppl!!!! coon creek is an actual place in ky!!!! its the name of a holler ( hollow or valley) get over yerselves w/ all this racist crap!!!! the name o the band is in no way referring to anything about race -- its where they were from!!!! ik, because lily mae was my cousin!!! get over it!!

[jcoffey28]

I, Am a hillbilly and dam proud of it we know how to make a living not hand outs

[yarmouk334]

These are my kind of women.

[zingo530]

they´re ain´t makin´ thát kinda music nowadays!!!!

[zingo530]

ahhhh,beautiful!!!! that´s all i can say!!!!!!

[Poohpoodoo]

Love the music! Thanks for the upload! =)

[jim7684]

This music knocks me out There harmonies are so natural, more , more , more.

[PopVulure]

They are so hot, seriously.

[greasechimp]

don't make fun of apalachian americans

[MinstrelMike87]

Sounds like this band is really going places

[mrlechifre]

@jcoffey28 making a living is no problem, it's the spelling and grammar that needs work.

[feh2]

It's people getting butthurt and offended that KILL things like this. So kindly take your Political Correctness elsewhere.

[50lancaster]

If you ain't got no money get yerself another honey ... the Kentucky girl themesong.

[50lancaster]

@dugfriendly

[excaderesdesire]

My family was from Kentucky and thais state is full of historical places named like this. This name is not a racial slur goes to show you how some people love to jump on something they know nothing about! Stupid is as stupid does and it appears that the stupid will allways find fault with something because of a name that has nothing what so ever to do with racisim! I guess these people know nothing about folks from the south but they sure do know a lot about racial slurs!

[SuperSniperbunny]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ^_^  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Racking40]

Get over it. Coon was a short word for raccoon in those days. Coon Creek was a stream frequented by Raccoons. It was said that they washed their food before eating, that was not the case. They have very minimal saliva glands and will dip their food in water to make it easier to eat.

[AlwaysSunnyInCali]

Honestly coon is offensive but this was back in the 1940's... I would expect to me i'm half white half black and now today in 2011 this is would 100% out outrageous but there's also "freedom" of speech to an extent . I believe this should be left alone because if people want to listen to their music let them.

[bathamsbottom]

@jpb252 I couldn't agree more. I wouldn't intentionally offend anyone (unless, of course, they offended me first), but I do think some people are far too sensitive and take things totally out of context. Just to clarify matters, I am English and my wife is Afro Caribbean - a "honky" living in harmony with a "darkie" for the last thirty years! My brother was also married to an Afro Caribbean girl and my father's second wife was of Asian origin. I wonder what fatta's credentials are.

[jpb252]

@bathamsbottom I believe some people go around looking for a reason to be "offended," fatta2345's reaction to the innocuous name of a hill-billy band being a case in point. Of course my use of the term hill-billy would probably also be deemed offensive.

[bathamsbottom]

@somecan For some reason fatta2345 thinks that the word "coon" is offensive, but has no problem with the phrase "fuck you people". I despair!

[bathamsbottom]

@fatta2345 Is this rascist? My only concern is the name of the band "Coon Creek Girls" which could be construed as so - but then, perhaps they decided on the name in more naive times when "Coon" was short for raccoon - Raccoon Creek Girls? I think you read too much into it my friend.

[nogoodftw]

@fatta2345 please elaborate so i can attempt to direct your thinking to a more objectve point of view.

[fatta2345]

THIS VIDEO IS RACIST F-U PEOPLE

[myownee]

I believe Violet, which was married to my uncle Custer(brother to Lily May and Rosie), and was actually from Cudahy, Wisconsin.

Stewart Ledford