Clog Dancing On The Porch

To get this entire 1 hour video, go to http://www.createspace.com/204609




Way back in 1964, New York filmmaker, David Hoffman was headed down with his new 16mm hand help camera (weight 49 lbs!) to spend three weeks driving the backcountry around Madison County, North Carolina, in the center of Appalachia, with the 82 year old founder of the pioneer Asheville Mountain Music and Dance Festival, Bascom Lamar Lunsford. The resulting film, "Bluegrass Roots" lets you hear and experience the hard scrabbling, dirt road real people sounds that dominated the back country of the southern mountains 40 years ago. It presents a string of the most extraordinary singers, players and dancers the BlueGrass Mountains had to offer. Many later became famous. Some were never heard from again. Most of the songs are classics, including Lunsford's own tune, "Mountain Dew."
When this film aired on Public Television in 1965, TV Guide gave it a full-page positive review, because Americans had never seen a documentary on the roots of Bluegrass and Country music. Today, the dirt roads and the moonshine counties are largely modernized, and Bluegrass Roots, stands as a record of a uniquely talented group of people at a time just before the coming of television, changed them. www.createspace.com/204609

• Category

  Music

[Teejoker1]

Allinaday, where in buncombe county was this filmed at?

[allinaday]

I am sorry, but after 49 years, I just don't remember exactly. But if you look at the comments, you will find a comment from his grandchild.

David Hoffman–filmmaker

[Linda Thomas]

David, Jesco White and his family are a disgrace to WV. He is a good dancer but the family are embarrassing to be called West virginians. In my opinion...and I'm from WV.

[allinaday]

Who is Jesco White? The scene shown above in my video clip presents Bill Maclreath and Bascom Lamar Lunsford and his wife

 David Hoffman–filmmaker

[OKIBluegrassAssoc]

I agree I am from South Eastern KY so far you had to pump sunlight. But those Whites were ignorant welfare drunks! They disgust me and give southern folk a bad name. Most of the southern people were poor but proud and took care of their own. They were ignorant enough to try and call their mama the "Miracle Woman".

[allinaday]

thank you. I completely agree with your assessment of how spectacular these southern mountain people were, and many of them, still are. David Hoffman–filmmaker

[pileon1999]

Rosstard,

Again, another moronic comment from someone who has never, and will never, visit this beautiful corner of the earth.

The KKK barely exists anywhere today except southern Indiana. The KKK never existed where this video was filmed.

[BillyRosinet]

Great video.

It's clear from watching the cloggers that that style of dancing has its roots in Ireland. Also, I note that the banjo player is using the "frailing" style, which sort of fell out favor after Scruggs' three-finger picking became popular. I prefer the frail sound -- it's not as harsh sounding.

I hope we never lose this heritage to the mass-produced noise that passes for popular music these days.

[Wolfe B]

The first song they play & sing in the video? What's its name? I've never heard it before and it sounds wonderful

[Misty Fallin]

anyone know the name of the

2 songs Bill Maclreath plays????

[evilpixiedance]

agreed

[neurotonin]

Awesome little film. What a wonderful slice of time. This is as real as it gets, not that "reality" crap they show on TV today.

[HWKUK]

I love the music, the people and the film .. greetings from the UK.

[rodsreel]

The dogs tail is bang on time - great vid

[countrygurl1]

I believe this is more accurately termed "flat footing"