Interview with Wade Mainer, January 26, 2005

Partial Transcript: [Mainer strums banjo].

Segment Synopsis: Mainer sings a song called "Cripple Creek" combined with another song called "Down the Road." Mainer plays the banjo, accompanied by his wife on the guitar.

Keywords: Banjo players; Banjos; Bluegrass music; Country music; Cripple Creek (Song); Down the Road; Down the Road (Song); Guitar players; Guitars; Lester Flatt (Artist); Live performances; Wife

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Old-time music; Singing; Songs

Partial Transcript: I'll--I'll play you an old fiddle tune on the banjo...

Segment Synopsis: Mainer sings a song called "Walking in My Sleep" while playing the banjo, accompanied by his wife on the guitar.

Keywords: Banjo players; Banjos; Bluegrass music; Country music; Fiddle tune; Guitar players; Guitars; Improvisation; Live performances; Walking in My Sleep (Song); Wife

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Old-time music; Singing; Sleep; Sleepwalking; Songs; Walking

Partial Transcript: [Mainer strums banjo]

Segment Synopsis: Mainer sings "Jack and Mae" while playing on the banjo, accompanied by his wife on the guitar.

Keywords: Banjo players; Banjos; Bluegrass music; Country music; Grave; Guitar players; Guitars; Improvisation; Jack and Mae (Song); Live performances; Past; Wife

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Death; Love; Love songs; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Old-time music; Singing; Songs

Partial Transcript: One of my old songs there, that, uh, "Blue Mountain Bells."

Segment Synopsis: Mainer performs a song he wrote called "Blue Mountain Bells." Mainer plays the banjo and is accompanied by his wife on the guitar. Mainer explains some of his inspirations behind the song.

Keywords: Banjo players; Banjos; Blue Mountain Bells (Song); Blue bonnets; Bluegrass music; Bus; Country music; Desert; Guitar players; Guitars; Highway; Improvisation; Live performances; Wife

Subjects: Arizona; Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Flowers; Inspiration; Mountains; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; North Carolina; Old-time music; Singing; Songs

Partial Transcript: [Mainer strums banjo]

Segment Synopsis: Mainer sings and plays "Lonely Tombs" on the banjo, accompanied by his wife on the guitar.

Keywords: Banjo players; Banjos; Bluegrass music; Country music; Earl Scruggs (Artist); Foothill Special (Song); Gospel music; Graveyard; Guitar players; Guitars; Live performances; Lonely; Lonely Tombs (Song); Tuning; Wife

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Christianity; Heaven; Home; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Old-time music; Religion; Singing; Songs; Tombs

Partial Transcript: [Mainer strums banjo]

Segment Synopsis: Mainer sings and plays "Hear the Whistle Blow a Hundred Miles" on the banjo with his wife on the guitar.

Keywords: Banjo players; Banjos; Bluegrass music; Brother-in-law; Charlie Cooper (Artist); Country music; Graveyard; Guitar players; Guitars; Hear the Whistle Blow a Hundred Miles (Song); King Records; Live performances; Old; Osborne Brothers (Artist); Razor blade; Train whistle; Wife

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Father; Home; Hunger; Listening; Love; Mountains; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Old-time music; Railroad; Record labels; Singing; Songs; Train; Travel; Work

Partial Transcript: [Mainer strums banjo]

Segment Synopsis: Mainer performs the song "Roll on My Lady" on the banjo, accompanied by his wife playing the guitar. He talks about copyright and payment for songs.

Keywords: Banjo players; Banjos; Bluegrass music; CDs; Carpet bag; Cat; Consistent; Country music; Difficult; Fees; First time; Guitar players; Guitars; Help; Holding company; King Records; Live performances; Origins; Pay; Publication; Records; Reliable; Roll on My Lady (Song); Same; Shift; Stereo; Syd Nathan (Record Label Owner); Tedious; Tracks; Unable; Unaffordable; Wife

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Change; Early life; Money; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Nashville (Tenn.); Old-time music; Record labels; Research; Singing; Songs; Washington (D.C.); Women; Writing

Partial Transcript: [Mainer strums banjo]

Segment Synopsis: Mainer performs the song "Scarlet Purple Robe" on the banjo accompanied by his wife on the guitar.

Keywords: Alone; Banjo players; Banjos; Bluegrass music; Country music; Crown of thorns; Eloquent; Emotional; Forsaken; Gospel music; Guitar players; Guitars; Head; Jesus; Live performances; Scarlet Purple Robe (Song); Sorrow; Stanley Brothers (Artist); Weak; Wife

Subjects: Bible; Blood; Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Chains; Christianity; Crucifixion; Hymns; Judgment; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Old-time music; Religion; Shame; Singing; Soldiers; Songs; Tears; Truth

Partial Transcript: That--we--we started our--uh--hymn work after I had quit playing music for a long, long time.

Segment Synopsis: Mainer explains how his religious beliefs helped him to return to playing music after a hiatus period.

Keywords: Assembly line; Automobile workers; Bluegrass music; Continued; Country music; Decision; Depressed; Enjoyed; Impact; King Records; Musical instruments; Old Homestead Records; Quit; Refused; Revival; Tenor; Turning point

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Career; Christianity; Cincinnati (Ohio); Flint (Mich.); General Motors Company; Guilt; Music; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Nineteen sixties; Old-time music; Popular; Record labels; Religion; Singing; Songs; Spirituality; Time; Work

Partial Transcript: Let me do this old song right here...

Segment Synopsis: Mainer sings and plays "Maple on the Hill" with his banjo, accompanied by his wife on the guitar. Mainer briefly discusses the background of the song.

Keywords: Banjo players; Banjos; Bluegrass music; Country music; Grave; Guitar players; Guitars; Hill; Live performances; Maple on the Hill (Song); Maple tree; Met; Moon Pie; No credit; Past; R.C. Cola; Significance; Together; Vernon Dalhart (Artist); Wade Mainer and the Mountaineers (Artist); Wife; Wish

Subjects: Angels; Birds; Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Copyright; Death; Evil; Flowers; Grief; Heaven; Love songs; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Night; Old-time music; Singing; Songs; Tears

Partial Transcript: [Mainer strums guitar]

Segment Synopsis: Mainer sings and plays "Going Down the Road Feeling Bad" on the banjo. Mainer is accompanied by his wife on the guitar.

Keywords: Bad; Banjo players; Banjos; Bluegrass music; Country music; Feelings; Going Down the Road Feeling Bad (Song); Guitar players; Guitars; Improvisation; Live performances; Train whistle; Treatment; Wife

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Feet; Hobo songs; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Old-time music; Pain; Railroad; Shoes; Singing; Songs; Train

Partial Transcript: Let me start that over...

Segment Synopsis: Mainer sings a song called "Mother's Last Message." Mainer plays the banjo and is accompanied by his wife on the guitar.

Keywords: Anxious; Banjo players; Banjos; Bluegrass music; Country music; Gospel music; Guitar players; Guitars; Live performances; Mother's Last Message (Song); River; Wife

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Children; Christianity; Death; Glory; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Old-time music; Religion; Singing; Songs; Spirituality

Partial Transcript: I was thinking about the banjo tuning and everything.

Segment Synopsis: Mainer discusses his banjo playing techniques.

Keywords: Banjo players; Banjos; Bluegrass music; Country music; Doc Watson (Artist); Guitar players; Guitars; Keys; Playing; Suited; Unbothered

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Chords (Music); Learning; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Old-time music; Songs

Partial Transcript: [Mainer strums banjo]

Segment Synopsis: Mainer sings a song called "Whoa Mule." Mainer plays the song on the banjo, accompanied by his wife on the guitar.

Keywords: Banjo players; Banjos; Bluegrass music; Country music; Guitar players; Guitars; Leaving; Live performances; Newspaper clipping; No time; Raymond Fairchild (Artist); Whoa Mule (Song); Wife

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Kiss; Love; Love songs; Mountains; Mules; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Old-time music; Singing; Songs

Partial Transcript: [Mainer strums banjo]

Segment Synopsis: Mainer plays and sings a song on the banjo called "Shout Little Lulie." Mainer is accompanied by his wife on the guitar.

Keywords: Banjo players; Banjos; Bluegrass music; Choke; Coins; Country music; Guitar players; Guitars; Live performances; Shout Little Lulie (Song); Shouting; Watermelon rind; Wife

Subjects: Aging; Arkansas; Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Care; Energy; Health; Money; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Old-time music; Singing; Songs; Watermelons; Wisdom; Work

Partial Transcript: [Mainer strums banjo]

Segment Synopsis: Mainer sings a song called "Little Birdie." Mainer plays the banjo and is accompanied by his wife on the guitar.

Keywords: Baby; Banjo players; Banjos; Bluegrass music; Country music; Guitar players; Guitars; Little Birdie (Song); Live performances; Sad; Sailor; The South; Unafraid; Wife

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Death; Father; Kentucky; Love; Love songs; Marriage; Mother; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Ocean; Old-time music; Singing; Songs; Woman

Partial Transcript: [Mainer tunes banjo]

Segment Synopsis: Mainer performs a song called "The Girl I Left in Tennessee." Mainer also plays the banjo and is accompanied by his wife on the guitar. Mainer discusses other artists who have a similar style to his own rendition of the song.

Keywords: Banjo players; Banjos; Bluegrass music; Cotton fields; Country music; Goodbye; Guitar players; Guitars; Live performances; Original; Playing; Ralph Stanley (Artist); Stanley, Ralph (Artist); Style; The Girl I left in Sunny Tennessee (Song); Troy Brammer (Artist); Wife

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Home; Love; Love songs; Moon; Morning; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Nineteen fifties; Old-time music; Railroad; Singing; Songs; Storytelling; Tennessee; Train; Unique

Partial Transcript: I know that there was that--that connection we spoke of between--uh--you--your fondness for those Golden Gate Quartet songs--

Segment Synopsis: Mainer and his wife discuss the influence of the Golden Gate Quartet on their music. Mainer and his wife recall a devastating house fire that destroyed many of the couple's music memorabilia items.

Keywords: Banjo club; Banjo players; Banjos; Basement; Bluegrass music; Broadcast; Burl Ives (Artist); Country music; Destroyed; Famous; Farm; First records; Franklin D. Roosevelt; Fuse; Golden Gate Quartet (Artist); Gone; Gospel music; Grandpa Jones (Artist); Lightning strike; Liked; Lost; Met; Musical instruments; Plaques; Positions; Program; Refined; Saved; Show; Special; Stage; Survived; Switchbox; Trophies; Tunes; Video tape; White House; White Mountain Music

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Charlotte (N.C.); Fire; Guinness books; Lightning; Listening; Marketing; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Nashville (Tenn.); Nineteen thirties; Owensboro (Ky.); Perfection; Pictures; Record labels; Singing; Songs; Spark; Washington (D.C.)

Partial Transcript: You were doing the trick--the--all the trick--the Dave Macon banjo thing.

Segment Synopsis: Mainer compares his banjo playing tricks and style to famous banjoist "Uncle" Dave Macon. Mainer details his musical process as a whole.

Keywords: "Uncle" Dave Macon (Artist); Abnormal; Angry; Association; Back; Banjo players; Banjo tricks; Banjos; Bass players; Black people; Bluegrass music; Comfortable; Country; Country Gentlemen, the (Artist); Country music; Different; Difficult; Disliked; Earl Scruggs (Artist); Enjoyed; Exception; Four string banjo; Funny; Improvisation; Independent; Innovative; Kept; Leroy Troy (Artist); Manager; Mandolin players; Mandolins; Maple on the Hill (Song); No role models; Origins; Plantation song; Playing; Positions; Radio programs; Sent; Shows; Song requests; Songwriting; String bass; Stringbean (Artist); Switching; The Irish Washwoman (Comedy routine); Tune; WSOC (Radio station); Words

Subjects: African Americans; Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Clowning; Comedians; Comedy; Creative; Guitar picks; History; Identification; Influences; Learning; Letters; Listening; Medicine shows; Minstrel shows; Music; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Nineteen thirties; Old-time music; Opinions; Poems; Radio; Radio stations; Rural; Singing; Suits (Clothing); Telephone calls; Time; Unique

Partial Transcript: If I'm in the key for it.

Segment Synopsis: Mainer sings a famous plantation song called "Lorena." Mainer plays the banjo and is accompanied by his wife on the guitar. Mainer briefly talks of the significance of the song.

Keywords: Banjo players; Banjos; Black people; Bluegrass music; Condemned; Country music; Enslaved people; Enslavement; Guitar players; Guitars; Liked; Live performances; Lorena (Song); Plantation songs; Slave master; Sold; Taken away; Wife; Words

Subjects: African Americans; Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Childhood; Lyrics; Music; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Old-time music; Plantations; Singing; Slavery; Slaves; Songs

Partial Transcript: I haven't heard all of your records by a long shot.

Segment Synopsis: Mainer performs and sings a gospel song on the banjo. Mainer is accompanied by his wife on the guitar. Mainer briefly discusses the origins of the song.

Keywords: Acapella; Alan Lomax (Artist); Banjo players; Banjos; Bluegrass music; Country music; Field; Gospel music; Guitar players; Guitars; Improvisation; Leader; Live performances; Recordings; Whip; Wife

Subjects: Blind; Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Christianity; Enthusiasm; Father; Horses; Learning; Library of Congress; Love; Love songs; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Old-time music; Religion; Rest; Singing; Songs; Spirituality; Surprise; Thinking; Woman; Work

Partial Transcript: Looky, looky yonder [singing] . . .

Segment Synopsis: Mainer sings and plays a gospel song called "I've Got a Home" on the banjo. Mainer is accompanied by his wife on the guitar. Mainer also describes the origins of the song.

Keywords: Banjo players; Banjos; Bluegrass music; Blues; Chariot; Country music; Folder; Gospel music; Guitar players; Guitars; I've Got a Home (Song); J.E. Mainer (Artist); Live performances; Origins; Recording; Ride; Sight; Tunes; Verses; Wife

Subjects: Angels; Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Christianity; Copyright; Death; God; Heaven; Home; Lyrics; Memory; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Old-time music; Religion; Singing; Songs; Spirituality; Wheels

Partial Transcript: [Mainer strums guitar]

Segment Synopsis: Mainer performs and sings a song called "Little Pal" on the banjo. Mainer is also accompanied by his wife on the guitar.

Keywords: Banjo players; Banjos; Bluegrass music; Country music; Dying; Guitar players; Guitars; Letter; Little Pal (Song); Live performances; Petals; Return; Rose; Stay; Wife

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Flowers; Friend; Heart; Love; Love songs; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Old-time music; Singing; Songs; Woman; Writing

Partial Transcript: [Mainer strums banjo]

Segment Synopsis: Mainer performs a song called "John Henry" on the banjo. Mainer is accompanied by his wife on the guitar. Mainer illustrates the origins of the song.

Keywords: Accompany; Banjo players; Banjos; Gospel music; Guitar players; Guitars; Hammer; J.E. Mainer; John Henry (Legendary character); John Henry (Song); Leaving; Live performances; No recordings; Shoulders; Together; Wife; Words

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Brother; Folklore; Music; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Nineteen thirties; Old-time music; RCA Records; Singing; Songs; Steel; Tunnels

Partial Transcript: [Mainer strums guitar]

Segment Synopsis: Mainer performs a song called "Didn't He Ramble." Mainer plays the banjo and is accompanied by his wife on the guitar. The history of this song is also briefly mentioned.

Keywords: "Uncle" Dave Macon (Artist); Banjo players; Banjos; Bluegrass music; Butcher; Country music; Didn't He Ramble (Song); Entertainment; Farm; Flood; Grandpa Jones (Artist); Guitar players; Guitars; Lamb; Live performances; Ram; Rare; Rich; Round; Songwriting; The Delmores (Artist); Travis, Merle (Artist); Washed away; Wife

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; British Isles; Horns; Livestock; Moon; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Nineteenth century; Old-time music; Singing; Songs; Wool

Partial Transcript: [Mainer strums banjo]

Segment Synopsis: Mainer sings and performs the gospel song "I Hold a Clear Title to a Mansion" on the banjo. Mainer is accompanied by his wife on the guitar.

Keywords: Banjo players; Banjos; Bluegrass music; Country music; Flood; Foundation; Free; Gospel music; Guitar players; Guitars; I Hold a Clear Title to a Mansion (Song); Jesus; Live performances; Mansion; Name; Protected; Purchased; Recorded; Ticket; Waiting; Wife

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Christianity; Cost; Crucifixion; Death; Fire; Glory; Heaven; Home; Letters; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Old-time music; Religion; Singing; Sins; Songs; Spirituality; Termites

Partial Transcript: [Mainer strums banjo]

Segment Synopsis: Mainer sings and performs a song called "Sally Ann" on the banjo. Mainer is accompanied by his wife on the guitar.

Keywords: Banjo players; Banjos; Beginning; Bluegrass music; Eloquent; Guitar players; Guitars; Horse and buggy; Live performances; Old; Sally Ann (Song); Wife

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; History; Love; Love songs; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Old-time music; Singing; Songs; Wedding

Partial Transcript: [Mainer strums banjo]

Segment Synopsis: Mainer performs a duet with his wife of the gospel song "Oh, Why Don't You Sit Down." Mainer plays the banjo and his wife is on the guitar. Mainer details the history of the song.

Keywords: Albert E. Brumley, Sr. (Artist); Astonishing; Banjo players; Banjos; Bluegrass music; Book; Carter Family (Artist); Casket; Classical music; Country music; Different; Dress; Gospel music; Guitar players; Guitars; Improvisation; Israelites; Jesus; Live performances; Mac Wiseman (Artist); Miner's Child (Song); Moses; New; Oh, Why Don't You Sit Down? (Song); Old; Origins; Poem; Published; Rediscovered; Staying power; Stories; Style; Together; Tune; Wife; Words

Subjects: Black; Blue; Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Childhood; Children; Christianity; Colors; Copyright; Duets; Eighteenth century; Heaven; History; Home; Lyrics; Melody; Music; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Old-time music; Red; Religion; Singing; Songs; Spirituality; Train; Walking; Washington (D.C.); Wood

Partial Transcript: So--uh--you want to try your song now?

Segment Synopsis: Mainer sings a duet with his wife of the gospel song "Go Down Jonah and Serve the Lord." Mainer plays the banjo and is accompanied by his wife on the guitar.

Keywords: Banjo players; Banjos; Bluegrass music; Body; Country music; Destroy; Go Down Jonah and Serve the Lord (Song); Gospel music; Guitar players; Guitars; Live performances; Sea; Wife

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Christianity; Duets; God; Heaven; Jonah; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Nineveh (Extinct city); Old-time music; Religion; Singing; Songs; Spirituality

Partial Transcript: --Uh--Charlie Monroe and Eleanor Roosevelt.

Segment Synopsis: Mainer recalls the dynamics between himself and the Monroe Brothers during the 1930s. Mainer explains that he was more successful than the Monroe Brothers at that time in terms of popularity.

Keywords: Acquainted; Announcer; Arrival; Audition; Bad; Banjo players; Banjos; Bill Monroe (Artist); Bluegrass music; Breakup; Broadcast; Byron Parker (Artist); Charlie Monroe (Artist); Convincing; Country music; Crazy Barn Dance (Radio program); Crazy Water Crystals (Radio program); Different; Difficult; Disliked; Gave up; Gone; Guitars; High pitch; High tenor; Hired; Hospital; Impactful; Independent; Interesting; J.E. Mainer; Manager; Mandolins; Monroe Brothers (Artist); Monroe, Bill (Artist); Monroe, Charlie (Artist); Moving; Never listened; Problems; Radio programs; Skills; Sons of the Mountaineers (Artist); Speaker; Stayed; Struggling; Tenor; Tour dates; Unaccustomed; Uncommon; Unpopular; WBT (Radio station)

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Brother; Change; Charlotte (N.C.); Fingers; Good; Great Depression; Jealous; Learning; Mail; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Musicians; Nineteen thirties; North Carolina; Old-time music; Popular; Radio; Radio stations; Raleigh (N.C.); Sick; South Carolina; Spartanburg (S.C.); Sponsors; Success; Technique; Time; Unique; Writing

Partial Transcript: And then when Bill and Charlie broke up, Charlie had to go on his own and Bill went on his own.

Segment Synopsis: Mainer describes his interactions with Charlie Monroe during the 1930s and 1940s after the Monroe Brothers band had split up.

Keywords: Angry; Asked; Band; Baseball field; Big; Bill Monroe (Artist); Bluegrass music; Cars; Charlie Monroe (Artist); Common; Country music; Demands; Disliked; Dismissed; Distraction; Earl Scruggs (Artist); Fight; Followed; Gospel music; Mad; Mandolin players; Mandolins; Met; Monroe Brothers (Artist); Monroe, Bill (Artist); Monroe, Charlie (Artist); Old; Parking lot; Playing; Radio programs; Radio studios; Scruggs, Earl (Artist); Song requests; Split; Stringbean (Artist); Talking; Tall; Unable; WTPL (Radio station); What Will You Give in Exchange for Your Soul (Song)

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Dodge automobile; Glass; Morning; Music; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Nineteen forties; Nineteen thirties; Old-time music; People; Radio; Radio stations; Songs; Stature; Teaching; Teasing; Threats

Partial Transcript: When--um--those--those recordings were made in Charlotte in February of--of 1936...

Segment Synopsis: Mainer describes some of the issues he had with retaining the rights to his songs in the 1930s, including being forced to release his single "What Would You Give in Exchange for Your Soul" after the Monroe Brothers made their own version of the song.

Keywords: Ahead; Available; Before; Bill Bolick (Artist); Bill Monroe (Artist); Blue Sky Boys (Artist); Bluebird Records; Bluegrass music; Book; Charlie Monroe (Artist); Claimed; Compass Records; Contract; Copying; Country music; Difficult; Earl Bolick (Artist); Eli Overstein (Record producer); Famous; Fiddle players; Fiddles; Gospel music; Great Depression; Hit; Influence; Issued; J.E. Mainer (Artist); Job; Left; Loved; Modern songs; Monroe Brothers (Artist); Monroe, Bill (Artist); Monroe, Charlie (Artist); Non-competitive; Ownership; Purchased; Quit; Radio station manager; Recording; Recording sessions; Recordings; Records; Release; Searching; Separated; Similar; Single; Small; Taken off; Talent; WPTL (Radio station); Warning; What Would You Give in Exchange for Your Soul (Song)

Subjects: Ballads; Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Brother; Charlotte (N.C.); Christianity; Copyright; Depressions--1929; History; Montgomery Ward; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Nineteen thirties; Popularity; RCA Records; Radio stations; Record labels; Religion; Singing; Songs; Spirituality; Success; Threats; Work

Partial Transcript: You were about to--uh--to--to start talking about field conditions back there with your '39 Dodge...

Segment Synopsis: Mainer describes what it was like to be a traveling bluegrass musician during the Great Depression.

Keywords: Audience; Bluegrass music; Capacity; Car; Careful; Confusing; Country music; Curve; Driving; Enjoyed; Fun; Great Depression; Hard work; House; Lights; Mountain boys; No electricity; No plumbing; No ticket; Oil lamps; One-room schoolhouse; Pay; Pulled over; Radio programs; Schoolyard; Shows; Sweeping; Tail Lights; Tired; Tough; Venues; Waiting; Zeke Morris (Artist)

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Danger; Dark; Depressions--1929; Fire; Heat; Horses; Lanterns; Listening; Logic; Money; Morning; Mountains; Mules; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Nineteen thirties; Old-time music; People; Police; Poverty; Radio stations; Schools; Sleep; Summer; Teacher; Vision; Wagons; Water; Windows

Partial Transcript: Here you talk about--uh--going through some stuff now it's--it's--it's kind of fun to think about it now.

Segment Synopsis: Mainer offers a comparison between a typical American way of life in the mid-2000s versus how he grew up in the 1910s in a rural environment.

Keywords: Acreage; Barn raising; Bluegrass music; Brambles; Cash; Community; Cornbread; Country music; Crowds; Difficult; Exchange; Good time; Great Depression; Help; House; Improvements; Invited; Isolation; Land; Living; Loved; Need; No choice; Polite; Produce; Purchased; Rare; Shelter; Supportive; Today; Turnip greens; Unable; Unfamiliar; Way of life

Subjects: Beef; Blackberries; Building; Buttermilk; Change; Chickens; Children; Cold; Comparisons; Cows; Crops; Depressions--1929; Farmers; Farms; Father; Food; Friend; Harvest; History; Hogs; Independence; Internet; Livestock; Milk; Mother; Music; Neighbors; Nineteen twenties; Nostalgia; Old-time music; People; Rural; Salt; Selling; Sick; Sugar; Time; Trade; Twentieth century

Partial Transcript: Do--do tell us that--that marvelous story about Eleanor Roosevelt.

Segment Synopsis: Mainer recalls meeting Eleanor Roosevelt at the White House when she was First Lady. Mainer ran into Eleanor Roosevelt as he was walking through a set of swinging doors, causing him to drop the bowl of ice cream he was eating onto Mrs. Roosevelt's dress. Mainer also remembers attending a party to celebrate what would have been Franklin Roosevelt's 100th birthday in 1982.

Keywords: Alan Lomax (Artist); Arrival; Bandana; Bashful; Blue Room (White House); Bluegrass music; Confused; Contact; Costume; Country boy; Country music; Date; Dessert; Dinner; Disliked; Eating; Eleanor Roosevelt; Farm hour; Fell; Franklin D. Roosevelt; Friendly; Gigs; Golden Gate Quartet (Artist); Great Depression; Help; High class; Hit; Ice cream; Invitation; Invited; Josh White (Artist); Knocked down; Last; Leaving; Lineup; Live performances; Music--Collectors and collecting; New dress; No records; Party; Playing; Pocket; Questions; Radio programs; Recording; Records; Return; Setup; Sitting; Son; Standards; Standing; Straw hat; Swinging doors; Talent; Talking; WWNC (Radio station); White House; Widow

Subjects: Asheville (N.C.); Depressions--1929; Father; February; Nineteen thirties; Old-time music; Opinions; Overalls; Radio; Radio stations; Reputation; Tucson (Ariz.); Washington (D.C.); Work

Partial Transcript: So--uh--they brought the party in there from--from Asheville, North Carolina, flew me in on a plane.

Segment Synopsis: Mainer discusses his experiences with airplane travel over the years.

Keywords: Accompany; Afraid; Agreed; Backyard; Banjo players; Banjos; Bluegrass music; Captain; Carried; Check; Country music; Divert; First airplane ride; Head; Heavy; House; Illegal; Knew; Late; Layover; Leaving; Loose; Musical instruments; Nice; Not allowed; Office; On time; Overhead bin; Paid; Quiet; Reimbursed; Return; Ride; Seat; Seats; Sitting; Smooth; Staying; Stewardess; Storm; Strings; Takeoff; Touring; Treatment; Waiting

Subjects: Air pressure; Airlines; Airplanes; Boeing Aerospace Company; Business; Canada; Dancers; Fear; Flint (Mich.); International travel; Italy; Jokes; Luggage; Money; New York (N.Y.); Old-time music; Recognition; Safety; Syracuse (N.Y.); Telegram; The Netherlands; Tickets; Travel; Value; Weather

Partial Transcript: Did--do we have any--anything on that Life Magazine coming just before the war?

Segment Synopsis: Mainer describes some of the more interesting photos that have been taken of his family, including a feature in Life Magazine just prior to the outbreak of World War II. Mainer shares his feelings on being viewed as a successful musician and how he continues to stay humble.

Keywords: Album cover; Appreciative; Audience; Bluegrass music; Busy; Calm; Carter Family (Artist); Charlie Monroe (Artist); Commercial recordings; Consensus; Couch; Country music; Crazy Water Crystals (Radio program); Dinner; Disabled; Enjoyed; Family; Feelings; Fiddle players; Fiddles; Fortunate; Generous; Grandfather; Help; Hindsight; House; Humble; Illness; Important; Impossible; Job; Kitten; Life Magazine; Mac Wiseman (Artist); Molly O'Day (Artist); Never returned; News; Not jealous; Not worthy; Old; Personal appearances; Professional music; Quality; Radio programs; Shows; Simple life; Son; Style; Syd Nathan (Artist); Tour dates; Treatment; Tunes; Unable; Unseen; War coverage; Wife; World War II

Subjects: Age; Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Children; Father; Food; General Motors Corporation; Good; History; Hunger; Knoxville (Tenn.); Legacy; Letters; Marriage; Mount Airy (N.C.); Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Musicians; Nashville (Tenn.); Nineteen forties; Nineteen seventies; Nineteen thirties; North Carolina; Old-time music; Pearl Harbor (Hawaii), Attack on, 1941; People; Photographs; Publicity; Radio stations; Regret; Sick; Singing; Success; Time; Washington (D.C.); Weaverville (N.C.); World War, 1939-1945; Writing

Partial Transcript: And--uh--Mac Wiseman told me one time, well--uh--I'll get too far off in that stuff--but he wanted me to come down and be on that interview you know the--them records and things, the History of Bluegrass?

Segment Synopsis: Mainer details some of the recognition he has received for his work in country music. Mainer also explains why he had to turn down a chance to play at the Grand Ole Opry due to health issues.

Keywords: "Uncle" Dave Macon (Artist); Alan Lomax (Artist); Bluegrass music; Buggy; Bus; Cars; Clothes; Contract; Contribution; Country music; Drivers; Effort; Following; George D. Hay (Announcer); Grand marshal; Group; Included; Interview; Mac Wiseman (Artist); Operation; Parade; Plaque; Policeman; Replacement; Return; Role; Sitting; Tape; The History of Bluegrass (Interview series); Visitor; WNOX (Radio station)

Subjects: Age; Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Childhood; Experience; Grand ole opry (Radio program); Health; Horses; Life; Mules; Murfreesboro (Tenn.); Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Nashville (Tenn.); Nostalgia; Old-time music; Radio; Radio stations; Rain; Recognition; Satisfaction; Streets; Surgery; Telegram; Time; Wagons

Partial Transcript: And about the--uh--you--you had--you had been to a revival meeting...

Segment Synopsis: Mainer's wife discusses her religious background and experiences throughout her life.

Keywords: Aisles; Baptist Church; Battery radio; Bluegrass music; Busy; Christian denominations; Circuit riders; Clock; Construction; Country; Country music; Day; Feeling; Fell; Gone; Gospel music; Graveyard; Help; House; Houses; Impact; Influence; Land; Leaving; Live; Missed; Natural; Nearby; Pentecostal Church; Praying; Preachers; Preaching; Proof; Pulpit; Revival; Scaffold; Shouting; Siding; Spike; Stayed; Sunday; Sunday school; Support; Thankful; Traveling preachers; Uncle; Upbringing; Visiting; Weekends; Wife

Subjects: Asheville (N.C.); Baptists; Bible; Childhood; Children; Christianity; Church; Church of God; Columbus (Ohio); Faith; Father; God; Knoxville (Tenn.); Learning; Listening; Marriage; Methodist Church; Methodists; Mother; Night; Old-time music; Parents; Protestants; Reading; Religion; Sermons; Sons; Spirituality; Tennessee; Time; Values; Walking; Weaverville (N.C.); Woodfin (N.C.); Work; Young

Partial Transcript: Well, you had mentioned--uh--I--I--I think this may have been before you moved up here, but encountering a revival service in Flint...

Segment Synopsis: Mainer recalls a revival service that he attended in Asheville, North Carolina during the 1950s. Mainer explains how this revival changed his life and religious outlook. Mainer also describes his move to Flint, Michigan to work for General Motors on the assembly line.

Keywords: Accepted; Bluegrass music; Civil service; Country music; Early; Employment office; Gone; Gospel music; Government; Guitar players; Guitars; Husband; Job; Left; Moving; No highways; Passed; Prayer meetings; Preacher; Rare; Return; Saved; Searching; Slow; Stayed; Stipulations; Tests; Traveling evangelist; Unable; Visit; Waiting

Subjects: Asheville (N.C.); Children; Christianity; Cold; Flint (Mich.); General Motors Corporation; God; Housing; Morning; Nineteen fifties; North Carolina; Ohio; Old-time music; Parents; Religion; Singing; Sister; Speed limits; Spirituality; Travel; Uncertainty; Winter; Woodfin (N.C.); Work

Partial Transcript: You referred to Boyden Carpenter yesterday and said that he had come to some kind of a tragic end...

Segment Synopsis: Mainer shares his final thoughts on Boyden Carpenter, song royalties, and James Howard Nash (known by his stage name of Panhandle Pete).

Keywords: Ballad singers; Bluegrass music; Boyden Carpenter (Artist); Country music; Demonstration; Hillbilly Lilly; James Howard Nash (Artist); Music company; Musical instruments; Networks; Panhandle Pete (Artist); Pay; Radio programs; Royalty fees; Shows; Stage name; Taken; Taxes; Turned in; Variety; Wife

Subjects: Ballads; Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Bookkeeping; Copyright; Death; Health; Knoxville (Tenn.); Money; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; OId-time music; Programs; Radio; Radio stations; Sick; Songs