The Music of the Mountains: An Appalachian Revival
Originally published in University of East Anglia’s Concrete/Venue
Awarded ‘Best Music Article’ of 2023/24
Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, Virginia – Central Appalachia. The music of this region has had a huge influence on American music with its origins spanning way back in the eighteenth-century, from country to bluegrass, rock n’ roll to folk, the music of Appalachia has played a fundamental role in the development of so many distinctly American genres. Typically containing banjos, fiddles and story-focused lyricism, Appalachian music holds elements of European folk music, Cherokee storytelling, and African American spirituals, all combined to create the sound of the mountains themselves.
Country music is rapidly on the rise globally, especially here in the UK, but I think that focus is primarily on the country-pop artists that can be played across radio stations without much dismay. But this means the artists who are keeping the Appalachian Mountain sound alive aren’t getting as much attention as they deserve. Recently, there seems to have been a significant rise in the number of artists that are embracing their Appalachian roots, writing stunningly poetic lyrics, and releasing some phenomenal albums – and a good deal of these are unsigned and self-produced! There’s a new wave of country music on its way that steps back from over-production and values honest songwriting, and Appalachian music is a big part of that. I hope you give these artists a listen, as one of my favourite country radio shows says: ‘leave your boots and your preconceptions at the door’.
Charles Wesley Godwin hails from West Virginia, and he is proud of it. His most recent release is a beautiful embrace of the importance of ‘Family Ties’ (my album of the year!). Godwin has one of the best voices in the country/folk genre right now, and his songwriting is heart-wrenching – some album highlights have to be ‘All Again’, ‘Dance in Rain’ and ‘Skyline Blues’. His cover of John Denver’s classic ‘Take Me Home, Country Roads’ entirely captures his pride for Appalachia, and ‘Miner Imperfections’ pays tribute to his coal mining father – an industry fundamental to the history and survival of Appalachia.
‘Endurance’, from unsigned and self-producer Josiah and the Bonnevilles, is perhaps the most rounded Appalachian album I’ve had the chance to fall in love with. This album perfectly captures what Appalachia is all about – endurance. ‘Another Day at the Factory’ is a blue-collar anthem laced with poetic lyrics about the ups and downs of a life filled with hard-work. I really struggle to pick out a favourite track on this album, I think it has to be listened to in its entirety to properly appreciate its representation of everyday life in Appalachia, but ‘Just One Break’ speaks on the struggles that we’ve all faced, in rural Tennessee or not. ‘Basic Channels’ was a bit of a viral hit, but its place as the closing track on Endurance seems to give it a whole new dimension.
Tyler Childers is one of the bigger names in country/Appalachia music – whilst his music is distinctly different from the sounds we hear on country radio, Childers ensures his music is country – real country. ‘The stuff we used to call ‘good country’ is now getting called Americana. We’ve not fixed the problem of bad country’ he told the Guardian in a 2019 interview. Childers has been releasing music for over a decade now, and his deep Kentucky heritage can be heard in all of his releases. He writes about the good, the bad, and the beautiful that comes with an Appalachian identity - and the beautiful is really captured in his lyrics. Be sure to watch the music video for his latest single ‘In Your Love’ – a stunning love story of two male coalminers in 1950s Appalachia.
I think, with their most recent releases, these three artists are a great place to start with the modern-day Mountain Music that is bringing forgotten Appalachia to the attention of American music lovers. If you’re looking for a few more wonderful modern Appalachian country artists, here are a couple of great Spotify playlists: ‘appalachian country, indie bluegrass’ and ‘homegrown’.
