Interview with John Jacob Niles, September 7, 1977

Partial Transcript: The following is an unrehearsed interview with John Jacob Niles for the Kentucky Literature Oral History Project.

Segment Synopsis: Niles is introduced and talks about his concerns about recording the interview. He talks about a person recording him without his consent.

Keywords: Experiences; Suspicions; Tape recordings; University of Kentucky Libraries

Subjects: Niles, John Jacob, 1892-1980

Partial Transcript: Well, in Louisville, Kentucky, uh--

Segment Synopsis: Niles talks about his parents. He explains the word "doothe" and describes what his father did for a living. He talks about his father's involvement with music and dancing, and describes the dances his father held.

Keywords: Birth; Dances; Family; Fathers; Jug bands; Louisville (Ky.); Molders; Mothers; Pattern makers

Subjects: Niles, John Jacob, 1892-1980; Parents.

Partial Transcript: And there was a, there was a jug band. Ever hear of a jug band?

Segment Synopsis: Niles talks about the jug band his father hired for dances. He talks about what songs the band would play. He talks about playing the piano for the dances.

Keywords: Bluegrass; Genres; Jugs; Music; Notes; Piano; Ragtime; Square dances; Techniques; Waltzes

Subjects: Family--history; Jug bands; Musical performance; Niles, John Jacob, 1892-1980

Partial Transcript: Well now would you say that this is among your earliest musical recoll--

Segment Synopsis: Niles talks about singing with his mother in church. He talks about his great-grandfather making pianos.

Keywords: Baptists; Frederick Adams; Louisville (Ky.); Lutheran Church; Mothers; Pianos; Read notes; Tenor

Subjects: Choral singing; Family--history; Mothers.; Musical performance; Niles, John Jacob, 1892-1980

Partial Transcript: Well how long--how far back in your family, then, does this musical root go?

Segment Synopsis: Niles talks about the musical talents of his family from previous generations. He talks about his genealogy. He talks about his siblings.

Keywords: Brothers; Family; Grand-children; Grandparents; Offspring; Sisters

Subjects: Family--history; Genealogy; Generations; Niles, John Jacob, 1892-1980

Partial Transcript: Well, uh, was music a big thing in your family?

Segment Synopsis: Niles talks about doing farm work in his youth. He describes his maternal grandfather's debts. He talks about his desire to be a musician from a young age. Niles describes learning to play the piano as a small child. He talks about his mother giving piano lessons and her involvement with her church choir.

Keywords: Choir; Cows; Gardens; German National Bank; Mothers; Performances; Pianos; Produce; Schools; Teaching; Work

Subjects: Family--history; Mothers; Niles, John Jacob, 1892-1980; Piano--Performance.

Partial Transcript: Well, the recitals in town, I was interested to know if you remembered any performances by--

Segment Synopsis: Niles talks about attending an orchestra performance in Louisville when he was a boy. He discusses his grandfather's financial involvement, the program of the orchestra, and the musicians going to his grandfather's home to eat.

Keywords: Chicago Symphony Orchestra; German; Grandfathers; Louisville (Ky.); Trains; Travel

Subjects: Grandfathers; Musical performance; Niles, John Jacob, 1892-1980; Orchestra.

Partial Transcript: What other interests had you besides music? Now you farmed, you--

Segment Synopsis: Niles talks about beginning to write poetry and recites a sonnet he wrote when he was fifteen. He talks about a girl who inspired him, and being unpopular at school.

Keywords: Fathers; Mothers; Poems; Protestant; School; Sonnets; Writers; Writing

Subjects: High school; Niles, John Jacob, 1892-1980; Poets, American.

Partial Transcript: How about the rest of your schooling? You moved out to the country while you were still in elementary.

Segment Synopsis: Niles talks about traveling to town for high school. He talks about playing piano for school assemblies. He talks about hazing for a school club. Niles discusses his "clairvoyance" and his friendships in school. [There is a pause in the segment.]

Keywords: Fathers; Friends; George Biggers; Louisville (Ky.); Piano; School

Subjects: High schools; Niles, John Jacob, 1892-1980

Partial Transcript: There wasn't a single damn person in the United States of America outside of Carl Sandburg and Robert Frost, and, uh, oh, a few more, who gave a damn about what the pop--'bout the rural population--

Segment Synopsis: Niles talks about the evolution of the English language, the importance of reading, and what authors should be read. He talks about an English teacher that had a positive impact on his life.

Keywords: Chaucer; English; Influences; Jones; Language; Reading; Teachers; Writing

Subjects: English teachers; High schools; Niles, John Jacob, 1892-1980

Partial Transcript: By some rare accident, my father being in politici--a polit--in politics, I got a job with the county surveyor one summer.

Segment Synopsis: Niles discusses a summer job he had, and learning to succeed in his math and science classes. He talks about not doing well in history class and participating in a school play. He talks about his mother reading to him. Niles discusses poetry that he wrote as a young adult.

Keywords: "Julius Caesar"; "War and Peace"; Classes; Grades; Influences; Jobs; Poems; Reading; School; Subjects; Theater; Writers

Subjects: High schools; Niles, John Jacob, 1892-1980; Poetry; Poets.

Partial Transcript: And then, when I graduated from high school, I worked for the Burroughs Adding Machine Company for about four or five years supporting my entire family when they all went broke.

Segment Synopsis: Niles talks about trying to go to college at the University of Kentucky and having to financially support his family. He discusses his father's work.

Keywords: College; Families; Fathers; Finances; Military; United States Air Force

Subjects: Niles, John Jacob, 1892-1980; University of Kentucky (Lexington, Ky.)

Partial Transcript: Well, you were mentioning, it seems we've brought you up to about the beginning of the war and your departure for abroad.

Segment Synopsis: Niles talks about traveling throughout Kentucky after high school for his job. He also discusses traveling to eastern Kentucky with his father and his familial connections with eastern Kentucky. He talks about singing with mountain people.

Keywords: Appalachian Region; Burroughs Adding Machine Company; Genealogy; Kentucky; Songs; Tolliver; Travel

Subjects: Appalachian Region; Appalachian Region--Social life and customs; Kentucky; Niles, John Jacob, 1892-1980

Partial Transcript: Rena was with me the day we were in the house with this old colored woman who was a slave, who had been born a slave...

Segment Synopsis: Niles talks about a woman singing "The Hangman" and performing the song himself. He discusses other performances. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: "The Hangman"; "The Maid Freed from the Gallows"; Concerts; Dulcimers; Performances

Subjects: Folk music--Kentucky.; Musical performance; Niles, John Jacob, 1892-1980