Loose Leaf Notes

What can I say? They’re hippie, hick, old-time, hobo troubadour and a little punk all at once.  They’ve played their Appalachian fiddle tunes, folk songs and jug band blues at the Grand Ole Opry, on Austin City Limits, Late Night with Conan and Prairie Home Companion. They opened for Dolly Parton, were personally invited by Doc Watson to do Merlefest and their song Wagon Wheel recently went gold.

I’m talking about Old Crow Medicine Show, the old-time revivalist string band whose founding members (two of them) played a sold-out show at The Floyd Country Sunday night.  Ketch Secor and Critter Fuqua first began playing together in Harrisonburg Virginia when they were 7^th grade.  The show, which included ballads and reels, comedy and storytelling, heart and soul songwriting on relevant topics and flat-footing on stage was part of a limited celebration reunion tour, since founding member Critter Fuqua had recently rejoined the band.   I can’t remember when I’d been so entertained and so inspired by the revelation of “contemporary traditional” music making.  ~ Story coming in The Floyd Press this week.