Old-Time Music at WHS

Article by Mia Llibre

Footstomps, flannels, and fiddles are at home in Appalachia’s famed folk music style, "Old Time." In the Appalachian mountains, generations of old-time musicians gather together, embracing the music that continues to resonate through the community. Here at Watauga High School, Appalachian music is listened to and performed by faculty and students, carrying on past generations greatest anecdotes.

For Ms. Boone, a social studies teacher at Watauga, Old-Time Music has always been a meaningful part of her life. At the age of 12, she started taking banjo lessons, and became deeply fond of country and traditional Appalachian music styles. Growing up in a small rural town, she was surrounded by its beloved folk music.

“The culture is very accepting and communal. I feel like everyone is very encouraging to bring in people to jam sessions where people can play together and everybody takes turns and plays a little piece,” said Boone. “I think welcoming is a good way to put it. There's no high expectations, anybody can go and play; It’s just fun.”

“It’s a good environment, and especially when you get with those people who do really embrace it and have fun just playing,” said Korbel Cook, WHS Junior.

Korbel started playing fiddle when she was six years old. Introduced to it by her grandparents, she feels a strong connection to the music. In middle school, she began playing the cello and continues to play cello in the high school’s orchestra. She explains how musicians can incorporate old-time style using classical instruments, an approach that Watauga High School's Orchestra teacher, Mr. Selle, frequently integrates into orchestral concerts.

“It’s different from classical music because it isn’t just reading sheet music, it's easy to listen to what's going on and improvise parts,” said Cook. “It's more about manipulating the music to how you feel to make it more personal to you than just reading sheet music”.

Folk music as we know is most certainly evolving and is appealling to younger generations more than ever, introducing them to traditional acoustic instruments and music. Bands like Caamp, Mt. Joy, and The Lumineers have been able to fuse alternative indie music and folk music to fit the times and tastes of younger listeners. Wyatt Demster, Sophomore, plays the guitar and violin and emphasizes the importance of continuing the tradition of playing old-time. He hopes that by embracing Old-Time music we also honor the Appalachian legacy of Doc Watson and many others.