Music Maker Relief Foundation is an American

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

, based in

Hillsborough, North Carolina The town of Hillsborough is the county seat of Orange County, North Carolina, United States and is located along the Eno River. The population was 6,087 in 2010, but it grew rapidly to 9,660 by 2020. Its name was unofficially shortened to "Hillsb ...

. Music Maker Relief Foundation was founded in 1994 by Tim and Denise Duffy to "help the true pioneers and forgotten heroes of Southern music gain recognition and meet their day-to-day needs. Music Maker presents these musical traditions to the world so American culture will flourish and be preserved for future generations."

History

Early years

In 1989, while completing his studies for a master's degree in

Folklore Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, ranging ...

at the

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...

, Tim Duffy was documenting

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...

musician James "Guitar Slim" Stephens for the university's Southern Folklife Collection. Stephens's health was in decline, and shortly before his death, he advised Duffy to locate a musician named Guitar Gabriel. After his graduation, Duffy began working as a substitute teacher at a middle school in

Winston-Salem Winston-Salem is a city and the county seat of Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States. In the 2020 census, the population was 249,545, making it the second-largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region, the 5th most populous city in N ...

, hearing an assortment of folkloric tales about Guitar Gabriel from students, until one student volunteered that Gabriel was her neighbor, living in the government housing projects of Winston-Salem. That evening, Duffy followed the student's directions to a "drink house" in the neighborhood, where he met Gabriel's nephew, Hawkeye, who took him to meet Gabriel. Duffy forged a close friendship with Gabriel, and the two began recording and performing under the name Guitar Gabriel & Brothers in the Kitchen, releasing the album ''Do You Know What it Means to Have a Friend?'' (also known as ''Toot Blues'') on their own Karibu label in 1991. Gabriel had been inactive in the music industry since the 1970 release of his album ''My South, My Blues'' (as Nyles Jones) on the Gemini label. He had received no royalties and was impoverished. He required almost daily assistance from Duffy, who provided transportation to medical appointments, money, and food for Gabriel and his wife. Through Gabriel, Tim and Denise Duffy made field recordings of other local blues musicians, such as Captain Luke, Macavine Hayes, Mr. Q., and Willa Mae Buckner. They lived in poor conditions and needed regular assistance. Duffy thought their culture was slipping away unnoticed by the music industry. Tim Duffy's father, Allen Duffy, a lawyer, had represented and won a case for audio pioneer Mark Levinson, allowing him to continue working in the hi-fi industry. Levinson heard about Tim Duffy's field recordings, some reminiscent of the work of

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Secon ...

and

Alan Lomax Alan Lomax (; January 31, 1915 – July 19, 2002) was an American ethnomusicologist, best known for his numerous field recordings of folk music of the 20th century. He was also a musician himself, as well as a folklorist, archivist, writer, sch ...

, and invited Duffy to visit his stereo showroom in New York. After hearing the recordings, as well as the stories of the many destitute musicians, Levinson offered to remaster the tapes, which became an eight-artist CD anthology of traditional North Carolina blues entitled ''A Living Past''. Levinson became a crusader for the cause, and solicited funds and industry connections from his friends and colleagues, which, in 1994, resulted in the incorporation of the Music Maker Relief Foundation.

1995–present

In 1995, Tim Duffy met

Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list of ...

in a

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

bistro, sharing some of his field recordings, as well as the philosophy and goals of the foundation, after which Clapton became a supporter, introducing artists such as

B.B. King Riley B. King (September 16, 1925 – May 14, 2015), known professionally as B.B. King, was an American blues singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He introduced a sophisticated style of soloing based on fluid string bending, shi ...

Pete Townshend Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend (; born 19 May 1945) is an English musician. He is co-founder, leader, guitarist, second lead vocalist and principal songwriter of the Who, one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s and 1970s. Townsh ...

Bonnie Raitt Bonnie Lynn Raitt (; born November 8, 1949) is an American blues singer and guitarist. In 1971, Raitt released her self-titled debut album. Following this, she released a series of critically acclaimed roots-influenced albums that incorporated ...

Ron Wood Ron is a shortening of the name Ronald. Ron or RON may also refer to: Arts and media * Big Ron (''EastEnders''), a TV character * Ron (''King of Fighters''), a video game character *Ron Douglas, the protagonist in ''Lucky Stiff'' played by Joe A ...

Lou Reed Lewis Allan Reed (March 2, 1942October 27, 2013) was an American musician, songwriter, and poet. He was the guitarist, singer, and principal songwriter for the rock band the Velvet Underground and had a solo career that spanned five decades. ...

and

Rosanne Cash Rosanne Cash (born May 24, 1955) is an American singer-songwriter and author. She is the eldest daughter of country musician Johnny Cash and Vivian Liberto Cash Distin, Johnny Cash's first wife. Although she is often classified as a country art ...

, all of whom donated to the Music Maker Relief Foundation. Duffy was invited to the Los Angeles studio where B.B. King's album ''

Deuces Wild ''Deuces Wild'' is a 2002 American crime drama film directed by Scott Kalvert and written by Paul Kimatian and Christopher Gambale, who also created the story. The film stars Stephen Dorff, Brad Renfro, James Franco, Matt Dillon, and Fairuza Ba ...

'' was recorded and where he met

Taj Mahal The Taj Mahal (; ) is an Islamic ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in the Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1631 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan () to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mu ...

, who contributed to the foundation's growth and success. By 1996, after receiving several sizable donations, Music Maker Relief Foundation had established the Musician Sustenance, Musical Development, and Cultural Access Programs, which provide food, monetary assistance, transportation to doctor's appointments and to pick up medications, home repairs (in some cases, extremely poor living conditions have warranted the relocation of the musician), performance bookings in professional venues, such as the

Lincoln Center Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5 millio ...

and

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhatta ...

, as well as European tours and music festivals worldwide. The success of the programs is due, in large part, to

, who by 1997 had become an advisory board member, artistic consultant, contributor, and co-producer for many of the artists' records. Taj Mahal headlined blues festivals in support of Music Maker, was instrumental in securing advertising in mainstream print media, as well as the creation of the "Fishin' Blues Tournament", which raises funds for the foundation. Over the next several years, many new donors and contributors were involved, allowing Duffy to expand the roster of the label, and to release over one hundred albums, the proceeds of which the artists keep, in their entirety. Many of the label's artists have been documented in the collaborative work of artists

Harvey Pekar Harvey Lawrence Pekar (; October 8, 1939 – July 12, 2010) was an American underground comic book writer, music critic, and media personality, best known for his autobiographical ''American Splendor'' comic series. In 2003, the series inspired a ...

and

Gary Dumm Gary G. Dumm (b. c. 1947)Dumm entry
Who's Who of American Comic Boo ...

, who have contributed artwork since 2003, and whose work was featured in a 2010 calendar, created as a fundraiser for Music Maker Relief Foundation. In 2006, Tim Duffy saw the

Carolina Chocolate Drops The Carolina Chocolate Drops were an old-time string band from Durham, North Carolina. Their 2010 album, ''Genuine Negro Jig,'' won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards, and was number 9 in ''fRoots'' ...

performing at the Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance in

Silk Hope, North Carolina Silk Hope, in Chatham County, North Carolina, United States, is a farm community centered on a school, a volunteer fire department, several country churches, and many historical farmsteads. Some residents who work in Cary, Chapel Hill, and Researc ...

. Duffy signed a management deal with the group and released their debut record, ''Dona Got a Ramblin' Mind'' on the Music Maker Label. During Duffy's time as manager the Carolina Chocolate Drops won a

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

in 2010 for Best Traditional Folk Album with their first album on

Nonesuch Records Nonesuch Records is an American record company and label owned by Warner Music Group, distributed by Warner Records (formerly called Warner Bros. Records), and based in New York City. Founded by Jac Holzman in 1964 as a budget classical label, Non ...

, ''

Genuine Negro Jig ''Genuine Negro Jig'' is the third studio album of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, one of the few African-American string bands playing today. Its label debut was released on February 16, 2010, while its vinyl version, which included the album on ...

''. The Chocolate Drops second release with Nonesuch, '' Leaving Eden'' was nominated for a Grammy. In 2014, the Music Maker Relief Foundation celebrated its 20th anniversary with an exhibit of 28 photographs of Music Maker artists. The exhibit was previewed at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. A double-disc compilation album and 144-page photo book is also set to be released in honor of the foundation's anniversary. On October 27, 2014

PBS NewsHour ''PBS NewsHour'' is an American evening television news program broadcast on over 350 PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virg ...

aired segment on the Music Maker Relief Foundation, showing

William R. Ferris William Reynolds Ferris (born February 5, 1942) is an American author and scholar and former chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities. With Judy Peiser he co-founded the Center for Southern Folklore in Memphis, Tennessee; he was the fou ...

say, "They provide a model for what our nation should be doing. The New Deal under FDR did this for the entire nation, and Tim Duffy thankfully is doing it for the community of blues artists."

Artists

Little Pink Anderson Alvin "Little Pink" Anderson (born July 13, 1954) is an American Piedmont blues singer-guitarist. Mentored by his father Pink Anderson, he is known for his authentic performing of his father's style of blues and is highly reputed for his electric g ...

* Harvey Arnold *

Etta Baker Etta Baker (March 31, 1913 – September 23, 2006) was an American Piedmont blues guitarist and singer from North Carolina. Early life and career She was born Etta Lucille Reid in Caldwell County, North Carolina, of African-American, Native A ...

Robert Belfour Robert "Wolfman" Belfour (September 11, 1940 – February 24, 2015) was an American blues musician. He was born in Red Banks, Mississippi. When he was a child, his father, Grant Belfour, taught him to play the guitar, and he continued his tut ...

Adolphus Bell Adolphus Bell (June 5, 1944 – October 28, 2013) was an American electric blues musician, best known as a one-man band. He performed in a professional capacity for five decades and released two albums on the Music Maker label. He also played a ...

* The Branchettes *

Skeeter Brandon Skeeter Brandon (April 22, 1948 – March 20, 2008) was an American blind blues keyboardist, singer and songwriter. From 1966 to 1991, Brandon played in various bands across the United States. He joined Highway 61 in 1991, and recorded four a ...

* Essie Mae Brooks * Tommy Brown *

Cora Mae Bryant Cora Mae Bryant (May 1, 1926 – October 30, 2008) was an American blues musician. She was the daughter of another American blues musician, Curley Weaver. Bryant released two solo albums in her lifetime on the Music Maker (label), Music Maker la ...

Precious Bryant Precious Bryant (née Bussey; January 4, 1942 – January 12, 2013) was an American country blues, gospel, and folk singer and guitarist. Bryant is described as one of Georgia's great blueswomen. She played Piedmont fingerstyle guitar. Bryan ...

* Willa Mae Buckner *

Randy Burns Randall R. Burns (born April 14, 1948) is an American folk singer, songwriter and guitarist who recorded several albums in the 1960s and early 1970s, when he performed with the Sky Dog Band. He has continued to perform and record occasionally. ...

* Dr. G. B. Burt * Lil' Joe Burton * David Butler *

* Pat "Mother Blues" Cohen * Robert Lee Coleman * The Como Mamas * George Conner * George Daniels * James B. Davis * Ardie Dean *

Ernie K-Doe Ernest Kador Jr. (February 22, 1933 – July 5, 2001), known by the stage name Ernie K-Doe, was an American rhythm-and-blues singer best known for his 1961 hit single "Mother-in-Law", which went to number 1 on the ''Billboard'' pop chart in the U ...

Drink Small Drink Small (born January 28, 1933) is an American soul blues and electric blues guitarist, pianist, singer, and songwriter. He is known as The Blues Doctor and has been influenced by a variety of musical styles including gospel and country musi ...

* Paul Duffy * Mr. Frank Edwards *

Pura Fé Pura Fé (born Pura Fé Antonia "Toni" Crescioni) Tuscarora/Taino, is an Indigenous singer-songwriter-musician, story teller, instructor, seamstress, artist and reviver of Canoe song/dance and woman's drum. Pura Fe is the founding member of the ...

Cool John Ferguson Cool John Ferguson (born December 3, 1953) is an American blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. He has released five albums under his own name and played on around twenty others. He is the Director of Creative Development for the Music Maker ...

Robert Finley Robert Finley (1772 – November 3, 1817) was an American Presbyterian clergyman and educator who is known as one of the founders of the American Colonization Society, which established the colony of Liberia in West Africa as a place for free A ...

Dom Flemons Dominique Flemons (born August 30, 1982) is an American old-time music, Piedmont blues, and neotraditional country multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter. He is a proficient player of the banjo, fife, guitar, harmonica, percussion, quills ...

* Benton Flippen * Cora Fluker * Sam Frazier Jr. * Preston Fulp * Guitar Gabriel *

Lee Gates Brice Lee Gates (December 20, 1937 – April 15, 2020) was an American blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. The cousin of fellow bluesman Albert Collins, Gates released three albums on the Music Maker (label), Music Maker label. Gates perfor ...

* The Giddens Sisters * Elder James Goins *

Boo Hanks James Arthur "Boo" Hanks (April 30, 1928 – April 15, 2016) was an American Piedmont blues guitarist and singer. He was billed as the last of the Piedmont blues musicians. Hanks recorded two albums in his lifetime, ''Pickin' Low Cotton'' (2007) ...

* Macavine Hayes *

Big Boy Henry Richard Leslie Henry (born May 26, 1921 – December 5, 2004), better known as Big Boy Henry, was an American Piedmont blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. His most notable recording was "Mr. President", a protest against cuts in social w ...

George Higgs George Higgs (March 9, 1930 – January 29, 2013) was an American Piedmont blues acoustic guitarist, harmonicist, singer and songwriter. He recorded three albums in his lifetime, although he spent over sixty years performing regularly, mainly ...

Algia Mae Hinton Algia Mae Hinton (née O'Neal; August 29, 1929 – February 8, 2018) was an American Piedmont blues guitarist and vocalist, based in Johnston County, North Carolina, United States. Biography She was the youngest child of Alexander and Ollie ...

* Carl Hodges *

John Dee Holeman John Dee Holeman (April 4, 1929April 30, 2021) was an American Piedmont blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. His music includes elements of Texas blues, R&B and African-American string-band music. In his younger days he was also known for ...

* Big Ron Hunter *

Ironing Board Sam Samuel Moore (born July 17, 1939), who performs and records as Ironing Board Sam, is an American electric blues keyboardist, singer and songwriter, who has released a small number of singles and albums. His musical career, despite several low p ...

* David Johnson * Elder Anderson Johnson * Todd Jones * Kever's Long House Singers *

Little Freddie King Little Freddie King (born Fread Eugene Martin, July 19, 1940) is an American Delta blues guitarist. Despite the name, his style is not based on that of Freddie King, but is more influenced by John Lee Hooker and his approach to electric blues i ...

* Pernell King * Sonny Boy King *

Willie King Willie King (March 18, 1943 – March 8, 2009) was an American blues guitarist and singer, known for shunning fame and playing at a local bar in Mississippi. Biography King was born in Prairie Point, a community in Noxubee County, Mississippi n ...

* Clyde Langford * Guitar Lightnin' Lee * Lucille Lindsay * Captain Luke * Bishop Dready Manning * Marie Manning * William Maxwell * Jerry "Boogie" McCain * Leyla McCalla * Dave McGraw & Mandy Fer * Rufus McKenzie * Nora Milner * W.C. Minger IV * Mudcat *

Chicago Bob Nelson "Chicago" Bob Nelson (July 4, 1944 – January 17, 2013) was an American blues musician. "Chicago" Bob Nelson was a harmonica player and singer who is known for amalgamating Louisiana and Chicago blues styles. He was singular in being mentore ...

* Sonny Boy Nelson * Bubba Norwood * Jack Owens * Neal Pattman *

Pinetop Perkins Joe Willie "Pinetop" Perkins (July 7, 1913 – March 21, 2011) was an American blues pianist. He played with some of the most influential blues and rock-and-roll performers of his time and received numerous honors, including a Grammy Life ...

* Abe Reid * Jahue Rorie * Carl Rutherford * Cueselle Settle (Mr. Q.) * Larry Shores *

Patrick Sky Patrick Sky (born Patrick Linch; October 2, 1940May 26, 2021) was an American musician, folk singer, songwriter, and record producer. He was noted for his album ''Songs That Made America Famous'' (1973). He was of Irish and Native American anc ...

* Slewfoot *

Alabama Slim Milton Frazier (born March 29, 1939), known professionally as Alabama Slim is an American blues singer, guitarist, and songwriter. It was noted that he "plays a minimal guitar style with a piercing attack". Playing on-and-off since the 1950s, Ala ...

* Albert Smith * Sol * Cootie Stark * James "Guitar Slim" Stephens * Samuel Turner Stevens * Sweet Betty * Robert Thomas *

Eddie Tigner Ed Tigner, Jr. (August 11, 1926 – April 18, 2019), better known as Eddie Tigner, was an American blues pianist, keyboardist, singer, and songwriter. He recorded two albums, both released by Music Maker (label), Music Maker, and continued to pe ...

* Reverend Perry Tillis *

Othar Turner Othar "Otha" Turner (June 2, 1907 – February 27, 2003) was one of the last well-known fife players in the vanishing American fife and drum blues tradition. His music was also part of the African-American genre known as Hill country blues. Earl ...

* Tad Walters * J. W. Warren *

Beverly Watkins Beverly "Guitar" Watkins (April 6, 1939 – October 1, 2019) was an American blues guitarist. Sandra Pointer-Jones wrote, "Beverly Watkins is a pyrotechnic guitar maven whose searing, ballistic attacks on the guitar have become allegorical tales ...

Lightnin' Wells Lightnin' Wells is an American Piedmont blues multi-instrumentalist and singer. He is a proficient musician and regularly plays various instruments in concert including the guitar, mandolin, harmonica, ukulele and banjo. At times he has perfor ...

* Pete Whicher * Whistlin' Britches * Albert White * Pat Wilder * Ernie Williams

Discography

Albums

* 1999 : ''Railroad Bill'' by

(MM7) * 1999 : ''Sugar Man'' by Cootie Stark (MM8) * 1999 : ''Back in Business'' by

* 2000 : ''Rain in Your Life'' by Essie Mae Brooks (MM15) * 2000 : ''This Stuff Just Kills Me'' by

Jerry McCain Jerry McCain, often billed as Jerry "Boogie" McCain (June 18, 1930 – March 28, 2012), was an American electric blues musician, best known as a harmonica player. Biography Born near Gadsden, Alabama, United States, he was one of five childr ...

* 2001 : ''Turn Off the Fear'' by Carl Rutherford (MM17) * 2001 : ''Cool John Ferguson'' by

(MM18) * 2001 : ''Unplugged'' by

(MM21) * 2002 : ''Songs from the Roots of America'' (I & II) * 2002 : ''Ragged but Right'' by

* 2002 : ''Carolina Bluesman'' by

(MM24) * 2002 : ''Cool Yule'' by

(MM29) * 2003 : ''Guitar Heaven'' by

(MM34) * 2003 : ''Boogie is My Name'' by

(MM34) * 2004 : ''High Steppin' Momma'' by Clyde Langford (MM45) * 2004 : ''Follow Your Heart's Desire'' by

(MM48) * 2004 : ''Musicmakers with

'' (MM49) * 2004 : ''Etta Baker with Taj Mahal'' (MM50) * 2005 : ''The Last & Lost Blues Survivors'' (Dixiefrog) * 2005 : ''Tarboro Blues'' by

* 2005 : ''Mississippi Rubberleg'' by

* 2005 : ''Lee Gates and the Alabama Cotton Kings'' by

* 2005 : ''Drinkhouse'' by Macavine Hayes (MM53) * 2005 : ''Carolina Breakdown'' by

with Cora Phillips (MM56) * 2006 : ''One Man Band'' by

(MM58) * 2006 : ''Treasure Box'' (MM61-62-63) * 2006 : ''

The Waifs The Waifs (originally styled as The WAiFS) are an Australian folk rock band formed in 1992 by sisters Vikki Thorn (harmonica, guitar, vocals) and Donna Simpson (musician), Donna Simpson (guitar, vocals) as well as Josh Cunningham (guitar, vocal ...

Band'' (MM68) * 2006 : ''Drink House to Church House Vol. 1'' (Dixiefrog) with a DVD with John Dee Holeman, Captain Luke, Cool John Ferguson, Macavine Hayes, billed as 'Alabama Slim' and others * 2006 : ''Rainy Day'' by

(MM77) * 2006 : ''Black Lucy's Deuce'' by

(MM60) * 2006 : ''Touring With Lucy'' by

* 2006 : ''Dona Got A Ramblin' Mind'' by

(MM76) * 2007 : ''Back in Business'' by

* 2007 : ''Soul of the Blues'' by Albert White * 2007 : ''Pickin' Low Cotton'' by

* 2010 : ''270 Haystack Rd.'' by Benton Flippen & The Smokey Valley Boys * 2011 : ''Rare Traks'' by Guitar Lightnin' Lee And His Thunder Band (MM145) * 2012 : ''I Know I've Been Changed'' by The Giddens Sisters * 2012 : ''Buffalo Junction'' by

and

* 2013 : ''Vari-colored Songs (A Tribute To Langston Hughes)'' by Leyla McCalla * 2014 : ''Prospect Hill'' by

* 2015 : ''Super Spirit'' by

* 2016 : ''Albert White and the Rockers'' by Albert White

Compilation albums

* ''A Living Past'' MMCD 9401 (1994) * ''Came So Far'' MMCD 1294 * ''Expressin' the Blues'' MMKCD 701 (1999) * ''Blues Came to Georgia'' MMCD 23 (2001) * ''Sol - Volume: Blue'' MMCD 25 * ''Songs from the Roots of America'' (Book w/ CD) (2002) * ''Songs from the Roots of America II'' MMCD 28 (2002) * ''Music Makers with Taj Mahal'' (2005) * ''Music Maker Treasure Box'' (2006) * ''Blues Sweet Blues'' (2007) * ''Drink House to Church House Vol. 1'' (2007) CD/DVD

References

External links

Official site

Ncarts.org

Bluesweb.com

{{Authority control Blues record labels Non-profit organizations based in North Carolina Music archives in the United States American folklore Appalachian culture in North Carolina