Janette Carter (July 2, 1923 – January 22, 2006), daughter of musicians A.P. and

Sara Carter Sara Elizabeth Carter (née Dougherty, later Bayes; July 21, 1898 – January 8, 1979) was an American country music musician, singer, and songwriter. Remembered mostly for her deep, distinctive, mature singing voice, she was the lead singer on ...

, was an American musician involved in the preservation of

Appalachian music Appalachian music is the music of the region of Appalachia in the Eastern United States. Traditional Appalachian music is derived from various influences, including the ballads, hymns and fiddle music of the British Isles (particularly Scotland) ...

. Carter was born on July 2, 1923, in

Maces Spring, Virginia Maces Spring is a small unincorporated area, unincorporated community in Scott County, Virginia, Scott County, Virginia, United States, along State Route 614, in an area known as Poor Valley. The settlement consists of a small number of houses. The ...

. She and her brother

Joe Joe or JOE may refer to: Arts Film and television * ''Joe'' (1970 film), starring Peter Boyle * ''Joe'' (2013 film), starring Nicolas Cage * ''Joe'' (TV series), a British TV series airing from 1966 to 1971 * ''Joe'', a 2002 Canadian animated ...

performed with their parents on a series of recordings for the Acme label. Janette and Joe later recorded material together consisting of works they had written and songs previously recorded by members of the Carter family. In 1976, Carter and community members built an 880-seat amphitheater, the

Carter Family Fold The Carter Family Fold is a musical performance and concert venue located near Hiltons, Virginia. It is dedicated to the preservation and performance of old time country and bluegrass music. It is named in honor of the original Carter Family, ...

, beside the

A. P. Carter Store A. P. Carter Store is a historic general store museum located at Maces Spring, Scott County, Virginia. It was built in 1945, and is a one-story, frame building with a cross-gable roof. The store is most notable for its association with the Carte ...

which her father had operated after the

Carter Family Carter Family was a traditional American folk music group that recorded between 1927 and 1956. Their music had a profound impact on bluegrass, country, Southern Gospel, pop and rock musicians as well as on the U.S. folk revival of the 1960s. ...

had disbanded as a musical group. The Carter Family Fold attracts more than 50,000 visitors a year. Carter performed there weekly, until shortly before she died. Carter had three children with her first husband, James Jett: Donald William, Rita Janette, and James Delaney (Dale). She died on January 22, 2006, in

Kingsport, Tennessee Kingsport is a city in Sullivan and Hawkins counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, its population was 55,442. Lying along the Holston River, Kingsport is commonly included in what is known as the Mountain Empire, w ...

, after battling

Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that mainly affects the motor system. The symptoms usually emerge slowly, and as the disease worsens, non-motor symptoms becom ...

and other illnesses. She was buried next to her mother, Sara Carter Bayes, and her brother, Joe, at the

Mount Vernon United Methodist Church Mt. Vernon Methodist Church is a historic Methodist church in Maces Spring, Virginia, United States. It was built about 1895 and is a one-story, rectangular frame structure with gable roof and simple wooden steeple. The church is most notable for ...

Cemetery in Maces Spring. Carter is a recipient of a 2005

National Heritage Fellowship The National Heritage Fellowship is a lifetime honor presented to master folk and traditional artists by the National Endowment for the Arts. Similar to Japan's Living National Treasure award, the Fellowship is the United States government's h ...

awarded by the

National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal ...

, which is the United States' highest honor in the folk and traditional arts, in recognition for her lifelong advocacy for the performance and preservation of Appalachian music.

References

External links

Official Carter Family Fold Website
Bluegrass musicians from Virginia American women country singers American country singer-songwriters 1923 births 2006 deaths National Heritage Fellowship winners People from Scott County, Virginia 20th-century American singers Singer-songwriters from Virginia Cash–Carter family The Carter Family members 20th-century American women singers 21st-century American women Deaths from Parkinson's disease {{US-country-musician-stub