The Singing of the Carter Family
In this class, Ginny and Kay will put you in the place where country music was born with a style and the harmonies that Sarah (Doughery, later Bayes) and Maybelle Addington Carter brought with them to Bristol, TN/VA in 1927 for that 1st recording session, often referred to as the Big Bang of all forms of country music. We will look at several of their songs, many not in the common American songbag, learn to sing them with Maybelle’s unique harmony, and make them real to you with stories and background. Lyrics will be provided. Students are invited to arrive with an open mind for discovery and an open heart to let something beautiful into your life.
Instructor Bio
Ginny Hawker and Kay Justice bring their Appalachian heritage and a love of music that has surrounded them all their lives to the table when they invite you to sing with them. The Carter Family repertoire, style, and harmonies are integral to everything that Ginny and Kay sing. After meeting more than 30 years ago at Augusta, they embarked on a whirlwind of concerts, workshops, and music camps across the US where people were hungry for their close harmonies and soul-stirring ballads. During this time they made four recordings. They stopped traveling together for about 25 years, but their respect for each others’ talent and the requests for their unique sound have never diminished. Their impact upon the traditional southern music scene is evident still.
Check out Justice and Friends at Augusta in 2017: