Salt Shaker Press: ARTS & HERITAGE
The Living Breath of the Mountains: Pocahontas County’s "High Lonesome" Heritage
MARLINTON, WV — In the deep folds of the Allegheny Mountains, where the wind whistles through the spruce as often as any flute, the music of Pocahontas County is not merely a pastime; it is an ancestral language. From the ancient fiddle tunes of the Hammons family to the "high lonesome" harmonies of the Black Mountain Bluegrass Boys, the county's sonic landscape serves as a living archive of the American frontier.
The Hammons Dynasty: Curators of the Ancient Sound
For over a century, the Hammons family has stood as the "Cultural Guides" of the region. Inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame in 2020, members like Edden, Burl, and Maggie Hammons preserved a repertoire of songs and stories that predated the American Revolution.
Folklorists from the Library of Congress flocked to the county in the 1970s to record what they called a "striking cultural synthesis." Their music—characterized by intricate, off-beat "syncopated" rhythms—carried echoes of the British Isles, West Africa, and even the indigenous tribes of the mountains. "When Maggie Parker sang a ballad, she wasn't just performing," says a local historian. "She was summoning the voices of three generations."
The Opera House: A Cultural Heartbeat Restored
At the center of this musical revival is the Pocahontas County Opera House in Marlinton. Built in 1910 by timber businessman J.G. Tilton, the building has survived lives as a roller rink and a car dealership before being restored to its former glory in 1999.
Today, the Opera House serves as a lighthouse for Appalachian culture. While it hosts international acts ranging from Cuban boleros to classical jazz, its soul remains firmly rooted in local tradition. It is here that the Black Mountain Bluegrass Boys, the state's longest-running bluegrass band, still draws crowds that rattle the original chestnut accents of the balcony.
A Crossroads of Tradition
New research into the county’s musical roots has highlighted a hidden history: the interracial exchange that helped define "Old-Time" music. Legend tells of Grafton Lacy, a Black fiddler and railroad worker in the logging town of Cass, who mentored Burl Hammons in a unique three-fingered guitar style and shared tunes like "Darky's Dream."
This blending of styles—the European fiddle paired with the African-originated banjo—is what created the distinct Appalachian sound that continues to evolve today.
The Torchbearers: Jake Krack and Beyond
The tradition is far from static. Young virtuosos like Jake Krack, an award-winning fiddler mentored by the legends of the previous generation, ensure the "mountain music" isn't a museum piece. Along the Mountain Music Trail (Route 219), the sound of the clawhammer banjo still echoes from the porches of Hillsboro to the stages of Green Bank.
"You can’t separate the music from the timber, the rivers, or the solitude," notes one local musician. "As long as these mountains stand, someone’s going to be picking a tune to match the rhythm of the woods."
Would you like me to research a specific musical family from the county or perhaps find a schedule of upcoming jams at the Opera House?
This video provides a deep look into the Mountain Music Trail and the legendary musicians like the Hammons family who shaped the cultural identity of Pocahontas County.
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