Round Peak is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

in Surry County,

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

, United States, near Mount Airy with an elevation of 1,280 feet. It is located in the southern

Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. They ...

and gives its name to the Round Peak style of

old-time music Old-time music is a genre of North American folk music. It developed along with various North American folk dances, such as square dancing, clogging, and buck dancing. It is played on acoustic instruments, generally centering on a combination ...

practiced in the area.Round Peak style
Old Time Music from Surry County, North Carolina Special Collections Belk Library Appalachian State University The community of Round Peak is named for the nearby

summit A summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. The topography, topographic terms acme, apex, peak (mountain peak), and zenith are synonymous. The term (mountain top) is generally used ...

of Round Peak which has an elevation of 2,094 feet . Popular attractions include the Round Peak Vineyards, part of the Yadkin Valley wine region.

Music

Round Peak style is one variation of music drawing on Anglo-Celtic fiddle and African banjo music, known as "old-time" or mountain string band music. It is said to hold a distinct sound produced by performers including Charlie Lowe,

Tommy Jarrell Thomas Jefferson Jarrell (March 1, 1901 – January 28, 1985) was an American fiddler, banjo player, and singer from the Mount Airy region of North Carolina's Appalachian Mountains. Biography He was born in Surry County, North Carolina, United ...

, and

Fred Cockerham Fred Cockerham (3 November 1905 - July 8, 1980) was an American fiddle and banjo player of American folk music. Cockerham was one of the seven children of Elias and Betty Jane Cockerham in North Carolina. He was one of the most accomplished of al ...

who helped popularize the style in the 20th century. Round Peak differs from other types of old-time by incorporating banjo "with syncopated rhythms made by drop thumbs and the melodic nature of noting." The area hosts the

Mount Airy Fiddlers Convention The Mount Airy Fiddlers Convention is a popular festival devoted to old-time and bluegrass music, as well as related arts such as dance, which takes place each summer at Veterans Memorial Park in Mount Airy, North Carolina, United States. It was ...

and the W. L. Eury Appalachian Collection at Appalachian State University houses research materials on Round Peak old time music.

Notes

References

External links

Round Peak Vineyards homepage
Unincorporated communities in Surry County, North Carolina Unincorporated communities in North Carolina {{SurryCountyNC-geo-stub