Ledford, Lily May, 1917-1985
Variant namesLily May Ledford brought tradional banjo and fiddle tunes to a mainstream audience through years of radio performance.
Lily May Ledford grew up learning ballads and hymns from her mother and fiddle tunes and popular songs from her father. In her teens she performed for community dances and tourists visiting the Red River Gorge area near her home. Lily May and sisters Rosie and Minnie were the key members of the Coon Creek Girls, probably the first all-female string band. From 1937 into the 1950s they were among the most popular performers on John Lair's radio programs on Cincinnati's WLW and Louisville's WHAS. In the 1960s Ledford resumed performing, playing at folk festivals in Newport, RI; Washington, DC; and Montreal, Canada. She was Berea College's Artist-in-Residence 1979-1980. In 1985 she received a NEA Heritage Fellowship Award for her legacy of traditional tunes and banjo picking techniques. Traditional songs particularly identified with her include "Banjo Pickin' Girl," "How Many Biscuits Can You Eat?" and "John Henry."
From the description of Lily May Ledford collection. 1936-1985. (Berea College). WorldCat record id: 58794243
Role | Title | Holding Repository | |
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creatorOf | Ledford, Lily May, 1917-1985. Lily May Ledford collection. 1936-1985. | Berea College, Hutchins Library | |
referencedIn | National Public Radio (U.S.). Collection, 1975-1984. | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | |
referencedIn | Southern Folk Cultural Revival Project Collection, 1965-1989 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Folklife Collection. | |
referencedIn | Mike Seeger Collection, circa 1950s-2008, (bulk 1955-2002) | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Folklife Collection. | |
referencedIn | John T. Huddle Collection, 1936-1993 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Folklife Collection. | |
referencedIn | Southern Folk Cultural Revival Project Collection, 1965-1989 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Folklife Collection. |
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Relation | Name | |
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associatedWith | Coon Creek Girls (Musical group) | corporateBody |
associatedWith | Huddle, John T. | person |
associatedWith | Lair, John. | person |
associatedWith | National Public Radio (U.S.) | corporateBody |
associatedWith | Renfro Valley Barn Dance (Radio program) | corporateBody |
associatedWith | Seeger, Mike, 1933-2009. | person |
associatedWith | Southern Folk Cultural Revival Project, Inc. | corporateBody |
Place Name | Admin Code | Country | |
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Kentucky |
Subject |
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Banjoists |
Radio programs |
Women country musicians |
Occupation |
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Activity |
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Person
Birth 1917-03-17
Death 1985-07-14