Disillusioned with business at age 50, the author found himself irresistibly drawn to the joy and sense of community that music had first brought to his youth. Inspired by this rediscovered passion, he embarked on a remarkable 12-year odyssey, capturing the stories of artisans, performers and historians of traditional music across North America now preserved in this volume. These interviewees who represent the heart and soul of old-time music include instrument builders Bart Reiter, Patrick "Doc" Huff, Pete Ross, Zachary Hoyt, Bill Rickard, and William Seeders Mosheim; old-time performers Rayna Gellert, David Holt, James "Sparky" Rucker, Clare Milliner, Mac Benford, Sheila Kay Adams, Paul Brown and John McCutcheon; and historians and authors Dwight Diller, Bill Malone, Don Flemons, and Tim Brooks.

Craig R. Evans is a filmmaker, author, and musician documenting today's North American traditional music community. He lives in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Table of Contents


Acknowledgments¿vi

Foreword: Is This Heaven? by Clare Milliner¿1

Preface¿5

Introduction¿9

Part I.¿My Story¿13

1.¿The Early Years¿14

2.¿The Artist's Choice¿26

3.¿College, Career and Crash¿30

4.¿Life Interruptus: My Hero's Journey¿43

Part II.¿Talking ­Old-Time Community¿65

Instrument Builders¿69

5.¿Bart Reiter¿70

6.¿Patrick "Doc" Huff¿77

7.¿Pete Ross¿84

8.¿Zachary Hoyt¿90

9.¿Bill Rickard¿98

10.¿William Seeders Mosheim¿103

Performers and Teachers¿109

11.¿Rayna Gellert¿110

12.¿David Holt¿119

13.¿James "Sparky" Rucker¿129

14.¿Clare Milliner¿140

15.¿Mac Benford¿147

16.¿Sheila Kay Adams¿154

17.¿Paul Brown¿163

18.¿John McCutcheon¿172

Historians and Authors¿181

19.¿Dwight Diller¿182

20.¿Bill Malone¿188

21.¿Dom Flemons¿198

22.¿Tim Brooks¿209

Part III.¿In the Company of Music¿227

23.¿Clifftop¿228

24.¿Why Play ­Old-Time Music?¿250

25.¿How Music Works Magic: A Conversation with Josh Turknett¿259

Epilogue: An Invitation to Join the Fun¿273

Bibliography¿275

Index¿277