Interview with Bill Clifton, April 28, 2006

Partial Transcript: Just start with your, uh, questions and we'll roll tape.

Segment Synopsis: Bill Clifton is introduced. He talks about his early interest in music during his childhood, especially A.P. Carter and the Carter Family. He talks about hearing a rumor that A.P. Carter had passed away, and learning while he was in college that A.P. was still alive. He talks about meeting A.P. and the friendship that developed.

Keywords: 1949; 1950; A. P. Carter (Artist); Advice; Albums; Archie Green (Artist); Baltimore County (Md.); Carter Family (Artist); Carter, A. P. (Artist); Carter, Janette (Artist); Clark, Johnny (Artist); Dreams; Friends; Green, Archie (Artist); Janette Carter (Artist); Johnny Clark (Artist); Keep On the Sunny Side (Song); Learning; Music lessons; Questions; Radio shows; Record stores; Records; Singing; Songs; Wheeling Jamboree (Radio program)

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Childhood; Folk music.; Folk songs.; Music audiences; Music fans.; Music icons; Music--Instruction and study.; Musical families; Musical groups.; Radio programs.; Radio stations.; Sound recordings.

Partial Transcript: But, but, let's, let's talk about your career.

Segment Synopsis: Clifton talks about growing up on a dairy farm and his father's work as an investment banker. He talks about being sent to a prep school in Concord, New Hampshire, and how his interest in "hillbilly" music set him apart from his classmates.

Keywords: "Misplaced"; Albums; Animals; Baltimore County (Md.); Careers; Concord (N.H.); Dairy farms; Fathers; Jobs; Prep schools; Preparatory schools; Record players; Records; Rush, Tom (Artist); Tom Rush (Artist); Victrolas

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Childhood; Education; Family farms; Folk music.; Folk songs.; Musical groups.; Records.; Sound recordings.

Partial Transcript: You, uh, you have a classical education, in other words you went to the University of Virginia.

Segment Synopsis: Clifton talks about his first recording experience while at the University of Virginia. He talks about Bear Family Records and their attempts to preserve as many old recordings as possible, including acts like Woody Guthrie and Ray & Ina Patterson. He talks about the origins of many old songs.

Keywords: A. P. Carter (Artist); Audio recording; Bear Family Records; Blue Ridge Records; Bob Harris (Artist); Carter, A. P. (Artist); Classical education; Clayton, Paul (Artist); Collectors; Country music; Documenting; Frizzell, Lefty (Artist); Generations; Germany; Guthrie, Woody (Artist); Harris, Bob (Artist); History; Lefty Frizzell (Artist); Music recording; Paul Clayton (Artist); Preservation; Radio shows; Ray & Ina Patterson (Artist); Ray and Ina Patterson (Artist); Recording sessions; Recording studios; Richard Weize; Singers; Songs; Speech and drama; Stinson Records; Traditional music; University of Virginia; Weize, Richard; Woody Guthrie (Artist)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Folk music.; Folk songs.; Musical groups.; Radio programs.; Radio stations.; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: Let's get back to Bill though.

Segment Synopsis: Clifton talks about his concerns during the Korean War draft that led to his attempt to join the Navy. He talks about how the Navy's schedule conflicted with his radio show schedule so he switched to the Marine Corps. He talks about spending a summer training on Parris Island and some of the people he knew who were killed in the war.

Keywords: 1954; Baltimore County (Md.); College students; Draft boards; Drill sergeants; Early 1950s; Early fifties; Friends; Guitar cases; Killed in action; Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune (N.C.); Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island (S.C.); Marines; Military commissions; Military draft; Naval ROTC; Naval Reserve Officers' Training Corps; Radio shows; Shenandoah Balladeer; Soldier's Last Letter (Song); Summers; University of Virginia; Veterans; Volunteering

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Folk music.; Folk songs.; Korean War, 1950-1953; Military training camps; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Radio programs.; Radio stations.; United States. Marine Corps; United States. Marine Corps--Military life

Partial Transcript: Let's talk a, a bit about, uh, some of your other training.

Segment Synopsis: Clifton talks about attending the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. He talks about the things he learned there and about getting his first job as a stockbroker. He talks about how their requirement that he quit the music industry led to him quitting his business career. He talks about belonging in Bluegrass culture.

Keywords: "Hillbillies"; Attitudes; Belonging; Business schools; Careers; Case studies; College deans; Computers; Degrees; England; Fathers; Graduation; Great Britain; Jobs; Licenses; Master of business administration (MBA); Mountains; Music industry; Names; New York Stock Exchange; Occupations; Playing music; Record companies; Record labels; Records; Resignation; Sales; Social class; Society; Stockbrokers; Training; University of Virginia Darden School of Business

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Education; Education, Higher; Folk music.; Higher education; Music business; Travel.

Partial Transcript: Tell me about Buddy Starcher.

Segment Synopsis: Clifton talks about how he met and befriended Buddy Starcher at a radio station in Baltimore. He tells several anecdotes about some of his other friends in the music industry including Woody Guthrie, A.P. Carter, and Mike Seeger, among others. He talks briefly about the history of record companies, and where some musicians got their material.

Keywords: A. P. Carter (Artist); Baltimore (Md.); Bear Family Records; Buddy Starcher (Artist); Carter Family (Artist); Carter, A. P. (Artist); Culture; Death; Dixon, Dorsey (Artist); Dorsey Dixon (Artist); Friends; Guthrie, Woody (Artist); Hillbilly music; History; Mainer, Wade (Artist); Material; Mike Seeger (Artist); Morris, Zeke (Artist); Radio shows; Record companies; Rector, Red (Artist); Red Rector (Artist); Seeger, Mike (Artist); Songs; Starcher, Buddy (Artist); WBAL (Radio station); WBMD (Radio station); WFBR (Radio station); Wade Mainer (Artist); Woody Guthrie (Artist); World War II; Writing songs; Zeke Morris (Artist)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Folk music.; Folk songs.; Musical groups.; Radio programs.; Radio stations.; Records.; Sound recordings.

Partial Transcript: You knew the, uh, the Morrises and the Mainers and the--

Segment Synopsis: Clifton dispels a rumor that the Beatles were fans of his, as well as a rumor that the Beatles went to one of his shows in Ireland. He talks about a conversation he had with the manager at Decca Records who chose not to sign The Beatles. He talks about the writing process for the song he sang in response to The Beatles' popularity, "Beatle Crazy."

Keywords: Beatle Crazy (Song); Booking agents; Brian Poole and the Tremeloes (Artist); Brian and the Tremeloes (Artist); Concerts; Country music; Decca Records; England; Funny; Gigs; Great Britain; Ireland; Jeff Stevens; Jobs; Managers; Newspaper headlines; Pat Robinson; Pop music; Popularity; Radio shows; Record companies; Record labels; Robinson, Pat; Shows; Songwriters; Songwriting; Stevens, Jeff; Television; Work

Subjects: Bands (Music); Beatles.; Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Folk music.; Folk songs.; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance; Popular music.; Radio programs.; Radio stations.; Rock music.; Travel.

Partial Transcript: Bill, did the, uh, did the, uh--did this, uh, uh--the, uh, "Beatle Crazy" record, uh, was that one of the things that got you, uh, kicked off to where you could bring country music people--

Segment Synopsis: Clifton talks about his relationship with musician and songwriter Paul Clayton. He talks about meeting Clayton at the University of Virginia during their days as students and their continuing relationship through the years. He talks about his hesitancy to bring Clayton to Europe due to his trouble with drugs at the time, and his suicide not long after their conversation. He talks about Clayton's ability to spot talent in others, including Bob Dylan and Etta Baker.

Keywords: Audio recording; Baker, Etta (Artist); Bascom Lamar Lunsford (Artist); Bob Dylan (Artist); Clayton, Paul (Artist); Collecting; Drug use; Drugs; Dylan, Bob (Artist); England; Etta Baker (Artist); Europe; Lunsford, Bascom Lamar (Artist); Material; Music recording; Old Dominion Barn Dance; Paul Clayton (Artist); Preservation; Radio shows; Songs; Suicide; Sunshine Sue (Artist); University of Virginia

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Folk music.; Folk songs.; Musical groups.; Radio programs.; Radio stations.; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: We were talking about, uh, uh, Europe and, uh--

Segment Synopsis: Clifton talks about his experiences touring in Great Britain, including the story of introducing Bill Monroe to Ravi Shankar. He also talks about touring in the Soviet Union during the rule of the Iron Curtain. He talks about being tracked by the KGB while traveling, and tells several anecdotes about his experiences. He talks about meeting the ordinary citizens in places like Georgia and Ukraine, and their attitudes toward Americans. He talks about how he came to join the Peace Corps and why he stayed for three years despite becoming disillusioned with the organization.

Keywords: Agriculture; Alison Krauss (Artist); Americans; Bill Monroe (Artist); Booking agents; Bureaucracy; Buses; Citizens; Communism; Crowds; Disillusioned; Europe; Folk clubs; Georgia; Greene, Richard (Artist); Greer, Lamar (Artist); Headquarters; Houses; Iron Curtain; James Monroe (Artist); Komitet gosudarstvennoy bezopasnosti (KGB); Krauss, Alison (Artist); Lamar Greer (Artist); Mike Seeger (Artist); Monroe, Bill (Artist); Monroe, James (Artist); Needs; Radio Moscow; Ralph Rinzler (Artist); Ravi Shankar (Artist); Renting; Richard Greene (Artist); Rinzler, Ralph (Artist); Rock slides; Seeger, Mike (Artist); Shankar, Ravi (Artist); Sitars; Soviet Union; State department; Surveillance; Travel visas; Ukraine; Volunteering; Washington, D.C.

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Folk music.; Folk songs.; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance; Peace Corps (U.S.); Peace Corps (U.S.)--Philippines; Travel.; Volunteers; Washington (D.C.)

Partial Transcript: You were doing recordings, uh, through all of these years though, uh--

Segment Synopsis: Clifton describes his relationships with several songwriters, including Buddy Starcher, Arthur Q. Smith, and Carter Stanley. He talks about them selling or giving away their songs.

Keywords: Albums; Are You Alone? (Song); Arthur Q. Smith; Audio recording; Banjo players; Banjos; Billy Cox (Artist); Buddy Starcher (Artist); Buying; Carter Stanley (Artist); Copyright; Cost; Cox, Billy (Artist); Gospel; Intellectual property rights; Material; Money; Music recording; Nathan, Syd; Payment; Ralph Stanley (Artist); Recording sessions; Recording studios; Selling; Smith, Arthur Q.; Song covers; Songs; Songwriters; Songwriting; Stanley, Carter (Artist); Stanley, Ralph (Artist); Starcher, Buddy (Artist); Syd Nathan; Thinking of the Old Days (Song); Those Brown Eyes (Song); Wedding Bells (Song)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Folk music.; Folk songs.; Musical groups.; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: And I tell you, Carter was a good friend.

Segment Synopsis: Clifton talks about his relationships with musicians Bill Monroe and Carter Stanley and their relationship with each other. He talks about meeting Art Stamper and bringing him on tour in Europe. He talks about Don Stover's influence on Bluegrass music.

Keywords: Art Stamper (Artist); Bean Blossom Festival, Indiana; Bill Monroe (Artist); Boston (Mass.); Car accidents; Carter Stanley (Artist); Death; Don Stover (Artist); Drinking; Europe; Fiddle players; Fiddlers; Friends; Hindman (Ky.); Influences; Lilly Brothers (Artist); Monroe, Bill (Artist); Passports; Personality; Rector, Red (Artist); Red Rector (Artist); Relationships; Stamper, Art (Artist); Stanley, Carter (Artist); Stover, Don (Artist); Touring

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Folk music.; Folk songs.; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance; Travel.

Partial Transcript: Let's start with the first record, uh--

Segment Synopsis: Clifton talks about the history of Blue Ridge Records, from its origins with Noah and Drusilla Adams to his own partial ownership of the label. He talks about some of the albums and songs he recorded for Blue Ridge as well as other record labels. He talks about publishing his songbook, which is now out of print.

Keywords: Adams, Drusilla (Artist); Adams, Noah (Artist); All The Good Times are Past and Gone (Song); Audio recording; Bear Family Records; Bill Monroe (Artist); Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Bill Wilcher (Artist); Blue Ridge Records; Burglar Man (Song); Cassidy, Jack (Artist); Chubby Wise (Artist); Church Brothers (Artist); Clark, Johnny (Artist); Connie B. Gay (Artist); Curly Lambert (Artist); Don Owens; Drusilla Adams (Artist); Eanes, Jim (Artist); Gay, Connie B. (Artist); George Shuffler (Artist); Jack Cassidy (Artist); Jim Eanes (Artist); Johnny Clark (Artist); Lambert, Curly (Artist); Missing in Action (Song); Monroe, Bill (Artist); Music recording; Noah Adams (Artist); Owens, Don; Publishing; Ray & Ina Patterson (Artist); Ray and Ina Patterson (Artist); Record companies; Record labels; Recording sessions; Recording studios; Sales; Shuffler, George (Artist); Songbooks; Songs; Songwriters; Starday Records; University of Virginia; Wake Up Susan (Song); Wilcher, Bill (Artist); Wise, Chubby (Artist); You'

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Folk music.; Folk songs.; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: What was your next label?

Segment Synopsis: Clifton talks about how he came to sign with Starday Records and the recordings he did for them, including the musicians who played on each song. He talks about some of the reasons Bluegrass and country music began to change in the late 1950s and how these changes were influenced by the major record labels. He talks about the cross-cultural appeal of folk and Bluegrass music, citing examples from his time in Africa.

Keywords: Africa; Albums; Audio recording; Band members; Carter Family (Artist); Carter Stanley (Artist); Changes; Country music; Cross-cultural; Distribution; Don Pierce; Elvis Presley (Artist); England; Fiddles; Grief; Growth; Guitars; Indie labels; International; Japan; Jimmie Rodgers (Artist); Major labels; Malawi; Mercury Records; Music recording; Music styles; Musical styles; Nashville (Tenn.); Overseas; Pierce, Don; Presley, Elvis (Artist); Radio shows; Ralph Stanley (Artist); Record executives; Recording sessions; Recording studios; Rhodesia; Rock music; Rodgers, Jimmie (Artist); Rough edges; Scarlet fever; Songs; Stanley, Carter (Artist); Stanley, Ralph (Artist); Starday Records; Worldwide

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Folk music.; Folk songs.; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance; Radio programs.; Radio stations.; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: Let's talk about your other labels, uh, the other things that you've done, uh--

Segment Synopsis: Clifton talks about being offered the position of executive director with the Country Music Association and why he ultimately turned down the offer. He talks about why his attempt to apply for a job with Columbia Records was unsuccessful. He talks about the work, especially of people from England and other countries, to document and preserve American culture.

Keywords: Advertising; Alienation; American culture; Artist & repertoire (A&R); Books; British; Carter Family (Artist); Columbia Records; Connie B. Gay (Artist); Contributions; Country Music Association (CMA); Country music; Documenting; Don Lowell; Edwards, John; England; Executive directors; Gay, Connie B. (Artist); Harry Stone; History; James Smithson; Jo Walker; Job offers; John Edwards; Lowell, Don; Madison Avenue; Nashville (Tenn.); Preservation; Russell, Tony; Selling; Smithson, James; Smithsonian; Stone, Harry; Tony Russell; Walker, Jo

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Folk music.; Historic preservation; Music--America.; Music--United States.; United States--History.

Partial Transcript: Uh, let's get back to your records.

Segment Synopsis: Clifton continues to describe, in chronological order, his recording sessions for various record labels and with various musicians. He names specific songs and albums he recorded and gives details about the sessions. He talks about where he got some of his material.

Keywords: Albums; Another Happy Day (Album); Are You From Dixie? (Song); Audio recording; Baker, Kenny (Artist); Band members; Banjo players; Barrett, Ella (Artist); Bear Family Records; Bringing Mary Home (Song); Come By the Hills (Song); Country Gentlemen, the (Artist); County Records; Dave Freeman; Don Pierce; Dr. Jean Blaise Rochart; Duffey, John (Artist); Ella Barrett (Artist); England; Freeman, Dave; Germany; Golden Guinea; Gray, Tom (Artist); Hamilton County Bluegrass Band; House concerts; John Duffey (Artist); Kenny Baker (Artist); Kiwi Records; LPs; London Label; Material; Mike Seeger (Artist); Music recording; New Zealand; Out of print; Pierce, Don; Producers; Recording sessions; Recording studios; Rector, Red (Artist); Red Rector (Artist); Releases; Seeger, Mike (Artist); Singing; Solo; Songs; The Country Gentlemen (Artist); Tom Gray (Artist); Touring; Tours; Tunes; Two Shades of Bluegrass (Album); Where the Willow Gently Sways (Song)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Folk music.; Folk songs.; Musical groups.; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing; Travel.

Partial Transcript: This implanting of, uh, of Bluegrass into, uh, uh--and traditio--American traditional music into Switzerland has had some really nice effects.

Segment Synopsis: Clifton talks more about musicians from outside of America being interested in and recording Bluegrass and other traditional types of music. He talks about the attempt to distance Bluegrass from "hillbilly" culture. He talks about the younger generation of musicians and discusses his role as a "song carrier" preserving the traditional songs.

Keywords: American traditional music; Beatle Crazy (Song); Country Music Association (CMA); Culture; Europe; Fret boards; Generations; Guitars; Hillbilly (Magazine); International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA); Kruger Brothers (Artist); Learning; Melody Maker (Newspaper); Requests; Song carriers; Songs; Switzerland; Teaching; The Krugers (Artist); Young musicians; Young people

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Folk music.; Folk songs.; Music--Instruction and study.; Musical ability.; Musical groups.

Partial Transcript: Talk about some other recordings, uh.

Segment Synopsis: Clifton talks about his work and personal relationships with other musicians, specifically Gordon Terry, Merle Travis, and Chet Atkins. He tells numerous anecdotes demonstrating their personalities, their talent as musicians, and their influence on the music industry. Interviewer Joe Wilson tells a story about Gordon Terry auditioning in Hollywood for the role of Tarzan. Clifton talks more about some of the reasons Bluegrass and country music began to change in the late 1950s.

Keywords: A. P. Carter (Artist); Accents; Arnold, Eddie (Artist); Atkins, Chet (Artist); Audio recording; Auditions; Carter Family (Artist); Carter, A. P. (Artist); Carter, Maybelle (Artist); Changes; Chet Atkins (Artist); Country music; Crossover; Eddie Arnold (Artist); Elvis Presley (Artist); Fender, Leo; Fiddle players; Fiddlers; Films; Gordon Terry (Artist); Grand Ole Opry; Guitarists; Guitars; Hollywood; Humor; Jackson, Tommy (Artist); Leo Fender; Loyalty; Maybelle Carter (Artist); Memphis (Tenn.); Merle Travis (Artist); Motion pictures; Music recording; Nashville (Tenn.); Old Pal Yesterday (Song); Presley, Elvis (Artist); RCA Victor; Recording sessions; Singing; Tarzan; Terry, Gordon (Artist); Tommy Jackson (Artist); Traditional music; Travis, Merle (Artist); Tryouts

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Folk music.; Folk songs.; Musical groups.; Musical instrument makers.; Musical instruments.; Musical inventions and patents.

Partial Transcript: Let's go back to Europe for a--

Segment Synopsis: Clifton talks about his role in the organization of the first Bluegrass music festival, held on July 4, 1961 in Luray, Virginia. He talks about the acts he tried to book and why some of them refused. He talks about his goal of reuniting Bill Monroe with some of his former Blue Grass Boys band members. He talks about how his work on this festival led to him organizing the Newport Folk Festival.

Keywords: 1961; 4th of July; Acceptance; Attendees; Bill Monroe (Artist); Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Booking; Budgets; Carlton Haney; Carter Stanley (Artist); Competition; Concerts; Costs; Country Gentlemen, the (Artist); Country acts; Crowds; Don Reno (Artist); Earl Scruggs (Artist); England; Europe; Fees; Fincastle Festival; Flatt and Scruggs (Artist); Flatt, Lester (Artist); Former band members; Fourth of July; Gigs; Haney, Carlton; Independence Day; Jesse McReynolds (Artist); Jim McReynolds (Artist); Jim and Jesse and the Virginia Boys (Artist); Lester Flatt (Artist); Luray (Va.); Mac Wiseman (Artist); McReynolds, Jesse (Artist); McReynolds, Jim (Artist); Monroe, Bill (Artist); Multi-day festivals; Newport Folk Festival; Promotion; Ralph Stanley (Artist); Red Smiley (Artist); Relationships; Reno & Smiley (Artist); Reno and Smiley (Artist); Reno, Don (Artist); Scruggs, Earl (Artist); Shows; Smiley, Red (Artist); Stanley, Carter (Artist); Stanley, Ralph (Artist); Sunday parks; T; The Country Gentlemen (Artist)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass festivals; Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Folk music.; Folk songs.; Music audiences; Music fans.; Music festivals.; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance; Radio stations.; Travel.

Partial Transcript: So, um, you know, this, uh--that's the kind of thing--and I got Dorsey Dickson up there.

Segment Synopsis: In discussing the acts he booked for the Newport Folk Festival, Clifton begins talking about the Morris Brothers and Dorsey Dickson. He talks about Dickson as a songwriter. He discusses his many attempts to nominate the Morris Brothers for the IBMA Hall of Honor in recognition of their influence on many Bluegrass acts, including Earle Scruggs. Interviewer Joe Wilson tells a story demonstrating Zeke Morris' personality.

Keywords: Acts; Acuff, Roy (Artist); Attitudes; Carter Stanley (Artist); Copyright; Dickson, Dorsey (Artist); Dorsey Dickson (Artist); Hall of Honor; Harper's Ferry; IBMA Committee; Influence; International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA); Invitations; Invited; Money; Morris Brothers (Artist); Morris, Wiley (Artist); Morris, Zeke (Artist); Payment; Personality; Pete Seeger (Artist); Pistols; Punches; Recognition; Rector, Red (Artist); Red Rector (Artist); Roy Acuff (Artist); Royalties; Salary; Seeger, Pete (Artist); Songs; Songwriters; Stanley Brothers and the Clinch Mountain Boys, the (Artist); Stanley, Carter (Artist); The Stanley Brothers and the Clinch Mountain Boys (Artist); Tough; Wages; Wiley Morris (Artist); Zeke Morris (Artist)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Folk music.; Folk songs.; Music--Awards.; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance

Partial Transcript: And I mean Zeke before that was working with, uh, J.E. and Wade, you know?

Segment Synopsis: Clifton talks about Molly O'Day and her musical talent and tells the story of why she quit playing music. He talks about the Mainer brothers, Wade and J.E.

Keywords: Churches; Critics; Davis, Lynn (Artist); Flickinger, Gloria Belle (Artist); Gloria Belle Flickinger (Artist); J. E. Mainer (Artist); J. E. Mainer's Mountaineers (Artist); Lynn Davis (Artist); Mainer, J. E. (Artist); Mainer, Wade (Artist); Michigan; Molly O'Day (Artist); O'Day, Molly (Artist); Playing music; Quitting; Ralph Rinzler (Artist); Requests; Reviews; Rinzler, Ralph (Artist); Wade Mainer (Artist)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Folk music.; Folk songs.; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance

Partial Transcript: Speaking about recording songs, Bill Monroe and I were standing on the side of, uh--at Wembley Stadium, uh, used to have a country music program every year...

Segment Synopsis: Clifton tells several anecdotes about Bill Monroe, including Monroe forgetting songs, his patience with teaching the musicians he added to his band, and his argument with the Gibson Company over his mandolin. Interviewer Joe Wilson tells a story demonstrating Monroe's dedication and focus on his music.

Keywords: All the Good Times Are Past and Gone (Song); Arguments; Attitudes; Audio recording; Bill Monroe (Artist); Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Biography; Bluegrass bands; Doyle Lawson (Artist); England; Focused; Gibson Company; Gibson mandolins; Gibson, Orville; Grand Ole Opry; Great Britain; Influence; Lawson, Doyle (Artist); Mac Wiseman (Artist); Macon, Dave (Artist); Memory; Money; Monroe, Bill (Artist); Music recording; National Heritage Award; Off time; Orville Gibson; Patience; Payment; Personality; Recording sessions; Recording studios; Rehearsals; Salary; Songwriting; Teachers; Tent shows; Uncle Dave Macon (Artist); Wages; Wiseman, Mac (Artist)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Folk music.; Folk songs.; Music--Instruction and study.; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: What more should we cover? Tell me.

Segment Synopsis: Clifton talks about becoming involved with organizing festivals in England. He talks about performing solo and his philosophy that music festivals should provide a variety of acts. He talks more about his role, as well as others', in the preservation of traditional and folk songs, citing the specific example of the song "Faded Coat of Blue." He talks about the origins of folk songs and how they evolve over time.

Keywords: Arlo Guthrie (Artist); Atkins, Chet (Artist); Bill Clifton the Yodeling Mountaineer; Cambridge Folk Festival; Changes; Chet Atkins (Artist); Concerts; Cope Brothers (Artist); Cover songs; Emmylou Harris (Artist); England; Evolution; Faded Coat of Blue (Song); Gigs; Great Britain; Guthrie, Arlo (Artist); Harris, Emmylou (Artist); Keele University; Lost; Loughborough University; Mary Dear (Song); Old time music; Popularity; Preservation; Sheet music; Shows; Solo; Songs; Together; Variety; Verses

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass festivals; Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Folk music.; Folk songs.; Music festivals.; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance; Records.; Sound recordings.; Travel.

Partial Transcript: We're rolling.

Segment Synopsis: Clifton talks more about his time in England, including meeting a band made up of adolescent musicians, The Echo Mountain Boys. He talks about the popularity of Bluegrass in Europe, and his experience of bringing Bill Monroe to the U.K. He talks about his experiences meeting other European Bluegrass bands and touring across the country. He and interviewer Joe Wilson discuss the social context of Bluegrass both in America and internationally.

Keywords: Acceptance; Audio recording; Baby's in the Middle (Song); Berlin (Germany); Bill Monroe (Artist); Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Concerts; Crowds; Dutch; Echo Mountain Band (Artist); Echo Mountain Boys (Artist); England; Europe; Fiddle tunes; Gigs; Greenbriar Boys (Artist); Holland; Home; Imported music; Importing; Instrumental breaks; London (England); Monroe, Bill (Artist); Mountains; Music recording; Musical styles; Newspapers; Popularity; Producers; Recording sessions; Recording studios; Royal Albert Hall (Venue); Sevenoaks (England); Shows; Social context; United Kingson (U.K.); World music; Young musicians; Younger generations

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Folk music.; Folk songs.; Music audiences; Music fans.; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing; Travel.

Partial Transcript: Um, there was a magazine called "Hillbilly Hayride."

Segment Synopsis: Clifton discusses the popularity of Bluegrass magazines across the world. He and interviewer Joe Wilson talk more about the changes in attitudes toward Bluegrass due to organizations like the CMA and Top 40 radio. They discuss the changes in the acceptance of Bluegrass and Bluegrass musicians, which Wilson says was affected by social class.

Keywords: Acceptance; Appalachian State University; Arthel Lane "Doc" Watson (Artist); Attitudes; Barns, Dave; Bluegrass magazines; British Association of Country Music; British Country Music Association; Country Music Association (CMA); Country music; Dave Barns; Deejays; Dr. Jean Blaise Rochat; Education; Elite; Europe; George Haskill; George Tie; Haskill, George; Hillbilly Hayride (Magazine); International; Janssen, Rienk; Jim Reeves (Artist); Jim Reeves fan club; Journals; Literature; Lyrics; Norm Silver; Old TIme Music (Magazine); Overseas; Professions; Ralph Rinzler (Artist); Reeves, Jim (Artist); Rienk Janssen; Rinzler, Ralph (Artist); Russell, Tony; Silver, Norm; Social classes; Social context; Strictly Country (Magazine); Switzerland; Tie, George; Tony Russell; Top 40 radio; Underclass; Watson, Arthel Lane "Doc" (Artist)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Folk music.; Folk songs.; Music audiences; Music fans.; Music--Social aspects.; Musical groups.

Partial Transcript: I wanted to ask you about, uh, the, uh, the, uh, uh, the fact that, uh, uh, most, uh, Europeans, uh, when they recorded Bluegrass and country music...

Segment Synopsis: Clifton discusses why he thinks most Bluegrass bands from outside of American often sang in English. He and Joe Wilson talk about the evolution of various types of music, including minstrel music, parlor music, and transport ballads. They talk about the cross-cultural appeal of Bluegrass and traditional music.

Keywords: A. P. Carter (Artist); Audio recording; Australia; Australian; Carter Family (Artist); Carter, A. P. (Artist); Country music; Crimes; Cross cultural; Czech; David Gordon Kirkpatrick (Artist); Debtors prison; Dusty, Slim (Artist); English; Europe; Europeans; Germany; Grand Ole Opry; Houses; Imports; India; Japanese; Kirkpatrick, David Gordon (Artist); Language; Lyrics; Minstrelsy; Music recording; Parlor music; Prisoners; Racism; Recording sessions; Recording studios; Rocks; Sheet music; Singing; Slim Dusty (Artist); Songs; Story songs; Tasmania; Traditional music; Transport ballads; Verses

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Folk music.; Folk songs.; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing; Travel.

Partial Transcript: Uh, you, you have a position though in, in this music that--I don't know if you're aware of it or not--that you were the ambassador of, uh, Bluegrass and traditional music for a while.

Segment Synopsis: Clifton talks about his unofficial role as sort of an ambassador for Bluegrass music across the world, bringing both music and musicians to foreign countries. He talks more about touring in Europe. He talks about Australian country musician Slim Dusty, the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band from New Zealand, and Russian Bluegrass band Kukuruza.

Keywords: Aboriginal; Australian Outback; Bain, Colleen (Artist); Bill Monroe (Artist); Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Carter Stanley (Artist); Colleen Bain (Artist); Country music; David Gordon Kirkpatrick (Artist); Didgeridoos; Drinking; Dusty, Slim (Artist); England; Europe; Fiddle players; Grand Ole Opry; Hamilton County Bluegrass Band (Artist); Irina Surina (Artist); Kirkpatrick, David Gordon (Artist); Kukuruza (Artist); Local musicians; Magazines; Money; Monroe, Bill (Artist); Payment; Pub With No Beer (Song); Ralph Stanley (Artist); Russian; Slim Dusty (Artist); Spreading music; Stanley, Carter (Artist); Stanley, Ralph (Artist); Surina, Irina (Artist); Sweden; Tineke Clifton; Touring; Vodka; Wages; Whiskey; salary

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Folk music.; Folk songs.; Music icons; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance; Travel.

Partial Transcript: Let's talk a little about Japan.

Segment Synopsis: Clifton talks about his trips to Japan, including his experience as an honored guest in the home of a Japanese publisher. He talks about some of the people he met who were involved with Bluegrass in Japan, including a man who made a banjo from a tambourine who later helped make instruments for Yamaha, a record importer, and the founder of a Bluegrass magazine there, "Moonshiner." Clifton talks about Japanese Bluegrass band, Bluegrass 45, as well as English band the Echo Mountain Boys, and their popularity in the U.S.

Keywords: Acceptance; Akira Otsuka (Artist); Andrew Townend (Artist); Banjos; Bill Monroe (Artist); Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Bluegrass 45 (Artist); Bluegrass bands; Bluegrass festivals; Booking; Concerts; Culture; Customs; Duffey, John (Artist); Echo Mountain Band (Artist); Echo Mountain Boys (Artist); England; Food; Gigs; Guitars; Honored guests; International; Internet; Japan; Japanese music; John Duffey (Artist); Magazines; Mandolin players; Monroe, Bill (Artist); Moonshiner (Magazine); Music festivals.; Otsuka, Akira (Artist); Overseas; Peace Corps; Ralph Stanley (Artist); Rawhide (Song); Reception; Record companies; Record imports; Record labels; Sab Watanabe (Artist); Shows; Stanley, Ralph (Artist); Tambourines; Tokyo (Japan); Toshio Watanabe (Artist); Touring; Townend, Andrew (Artist); Watanabe, Sab (Artist); Watanabe, Toshio (Artist); Yamaha Corporation

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Folk music.; Folk songs.; Music icons; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical instrument makers.; Musical instruments.; Musical inventions and patents.; Musical performance; Travel.

Partial Transcript: --been a, there's been a problem with, uh, Bluegrass festivals, uh, uh, the graying of a Bluegrass audience...

Segment Synopsis: Clifton talks about the popularity of Bluegrass among younger generations and the importance of teaching them music from an early age. He and Joe Wilson discuss the social changes which have led to more acceptance of Bluegrass and its discovery by people who had never heard it before.

Keywords: Acceptance; Band members; Banjo players; Changes; Charlie Waller (Artist); Classes; Country Gentlemen, the (Artist); Discovery; International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA); Jokes, Pranks; Kicked out; Kingston Trio (Artist); O Brother, Where Art Thou? (Album); O Brother, Where Art Thou? (Motion picture); Popularity; Schools; Social class; Socialization; Stafford, Tim (Artist); Teaching; The Country Gentlemen (Artist); Tim Stafford (Artist); Waller, Charlie (Artist); Young musicians; Young people; Younger generations

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Folk music.; Folk songs.; Music--Instruction and study.; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance

Partial Transcript: What else should we talk about?

Segment Synopsis: Clifton talks about his experiences with the Association for Country Entertainers and the British Country Music Association and their attitudes toward the industry, the musicians, and the fans. He and Joe Wilson discuss the "true" birthplace of country and Bluegrass music, from the origins of the banjo in Africa, European immigrants settling in the Appalachian Mountains, and some of the early Bluegrass acts.

Keywords: Acceptance; American; Association for Country Entertainers (ACE); Attitudes; Awards; Blue Ridge Mountains; Booking agents; Branson (Mo.); Bristol (Tenn.); Bristol (Va.); British Country Music Association (BCMA); Carter Family (Artist); Clinch Mountains; Cooper, Stoney (Artist); Country Music Association (CMA); Diversity; England; Ernest Van "Pop" Stoneman (Artist); Ethnicity; Europeans; Grand Ole Opry; History; Immigrants; International; Jimmie Rodgers Snow (Artist); Nashville (Tenn.); Origins; Overseas; Snow, Jimmie Rodgers (Artist); Stoneman Family (Artist); Stoneman, Ernest Van "Pop" (Artist); Stoney Cooper (Artist); Trade offs; Travel agents

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Folk music.; Folk songs.; Music audiences; Music fans.; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance; Travel.

Partial Transcript: Well, I think we've pretty well covered it.

Segment Synopsis: Clifton talks about the future of music and says that he would like to see more live music become available to people. He talks about the benefits of live music versus pre-recorded, edited sessions. He tells a story about his reluctance to be recorded while in the Soviet Union under the Iron Curtain because he was unsure what kinds of editing they might do to his message. He and Joe Wilson discuss their experiences playing in the Soviet Union, from instances of propaganda to the quality of housing there. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Adrenaline; America; Audio recording; BBC; Bailey, Bill (Artist); Beatles, the (Artist); Bill Bailey (Artist); Changes; Communism; Concerts; Conditions; Danger; Ed Sullivan Show; Editing; Factories; Future; Gigs; Housing; Improvisation; Interests; International; Iron Curtain; Kiev (Ukraine); Live music; Mixing; Music recording; Overseas; Posner, Vlad (Artist); Predictions; Producers; Propaganda; Radio Moscow; Recording sessions; Recording studios; Russia; Shows; Soviet Union; Spontaneity; The Beatles (Artist); Vlad Posner (Artist)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Folk music.; Folk songs.; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing; Travel.