Gerrard, Alice, 1934-

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From the 1950s through the 1990s, collector, folklorist, and traditional music performer Alice Gerrard recorded interviews and performances of many legendary old-time and bluegrass musicians.

From the description of Alice Gerrard collection, 1954-2000. WorldCat record id: 213374394

Alice Gerrard has devoted her life to playing and preserving traditional music as a musician, collector, and the founding editor of The Old Time Herald .

The daughter and granddaughter of English and German immigrants, Gerrard was born in Seattle, Wash., and grew up in rural Washington and California, as well as in Guadalajara, Mexico. While a student at Antioch College, Gerrard began to teach herself to play the guitar and banjo. It was there as well that she was introduced to the Harry Smith Anthology of Folk Music, a collection that inspired many musicians of the folk revival. While living in the Washington, D.C., area in the 1950s and 1960s, she heard such local luminaries as the Stoneman Family and the Country Gentlemen, and was a regular attendee of country music parks including New River Ranch and Sunset Park, where she was involved in the recording of many important performances by bluegrass and country musicians. During this time, she also formed her own musical partnerships with West Virginia singer and songwriter Hazel Dickens and with collector and musician Mike Seeger. In the 1970s and 1980s, in the mountains of Virginia and North Carolina, she learned from and played with old-time masters Tommy Jarrell, Luther Davis, and Bert Dickens.

Alice Gerrard has recorded and appeared on many solo albums and with Hazel Dickens, Mike Seeger, and Peter Rowan, among others, and she has produced albums by other artists, including the Red Clay Ramblers and Cordelia's Dad. With Cecilia Conway, she co-produced the 1983 documentary Sprout Wings and Fly about fiddler Tommy Jarrell. In 1987, Alice Gerrard founded and began editing The Old Time Herald, which continues to be the leading publication about southern traditional country music. As of 2002, she was a member of the trio Tom, Brad, and Alice with fellow old-time musicians Tom Sauber and Brad Leftwich. She continues to be an important figure in the playing and preservation of traditional southern music.

From the guide to the Alice Gerrard Collection, 1954-2000, (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Folklife Collection.)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Nancy Kalow Collection, 1986-1991 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Folklife Collection.
referencedIn Anne Romaine Papers, 1935-1995 (bulk 1960-1995) University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Folklife Collection.
creatorOf Winter Folk Festival (1976 Jan. 20-24 : University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill). Archive collection 19-29, 31-40, 1976 January 20-24. 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.
creatorOf Alice Gerrard Collection, 1954-2000 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Folklife Collection.
creatorOf Conway, Cecelia. Collection, 1976. 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 Bernhardt, Jack. Jack Bernhardt papers, 1943-1993. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
referencedIn Lothar and Eva Just Film Stills Collection. Harvard Film Archive, Harvard College Library, Harvard University
referencedIn John T. Huddle Collection, 1936-1993 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Folklife Collection.
referencedIn Shigekawa, Joan,. Woman alive! produced by KERA-TV Dallas/Fort Worth and WNET/13 New York; made possible by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting; executive producer, Joan Shigekawa. Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Woman Alive! Videotapes and program books, 1974-1977 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Southern Folklife Collection Artist Name File, 1940-2005 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Folklife Collection.
referencedIn Southern Folklife Collection field notes. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Folklife Collection.
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Ball, E. C. (Estil Cortez), 1913-1978. person
associatedWith Barn Dance Band. corporateBody
associatedWith Bernhardt, Jack. person
associatedWith Boggs, Dock, 1898-1971. person
associatedWith Brewer, Kahle. person
associatedWith Burris, Otis. person
associatedWith Cahan, Andy. person
associatedWith Campbell, Alex. person
associatedWith Conway, Cecelia. person
associatedWith Cotten, Elizabeth. person
associatedWith Davenport, Clyde, 1921- person
associatedWith Davis, Luther, 1887-1986. person
associatedWith Dickens, Bert. person
associatedWith Dickens, Hazel. person
associatedWith Edmonds, Norman. person
associatedWith Emmy, Cousin, 1902-1980. person
associatedWith Fink, Cathy. person
associatedWith Flatt, Lester. person
associatedWith Galax Old time Fiddlers' Convention (Galax, Va.) corporateBody
associatedWith Gillespie, Gail. person
associatedWith Harmony Sisters. corporateBody
associatedWith Huddle, John T., 1933-1996. person
associatedWith Jarrell, Tommy. person
associatedWith Jones, Grandpa, 1913-1998. person
associatedWith Kalow, Nancy. person
associatedWith Lilly Brothers. corporateBody
associatedWith Louvin Brothers. corporateBody
associatedWith Martin, Marcus. person
associatedWith McGee Brothers. corporateBody
associatedWith Monroe, Bill, 1911-1996. person
associatedWith Monroe Brothers. corporateBody
associatedWith Ole Time Fiddler's & Bluegrass Festival (Union Grove, N.C.) corporateBody
associatedWith Osborne Brothers. corporateBody
associatedWith Overton, A. C., musician. person
associatedWith Parish, Leone, 1902- person
associatedWith Parish, Roscoe, 1897-1984. person
associatedWith Reed, Ola Belle. person
associatedWith Reno, Don. person
associatedWith Romaine, Anne. person
associatedWith Rutherford, Enoch. person
associatedWith Scruggs, Earl. person
spouseOf Seeger, Mike, 1933-2009. person
associatedWith Slaughter, Matokie. person
associatedWith Smiley, Red, 1925-1972. person
associatedWith Snow, Kilby, 1905-1980. person
associatedWith Southern Folk Cultural Revival Project, Inc. corporateBody
associatedWith Stanley Brothers. corporateBody
associatedWith Stoneman, Ernest V. person
associatedWith Strange Creek Singers. corporateBody
associatedWith Sutphin, J. C., 1885- person
associatedWith Sykes, Robert. person
associatedWith Tom, Brad & Alice (Musical group) corporateBody
associatedWith Ward, Wade. person
associatedWith Wine, Melvin. person
associatedWith Winter Folk Festival (1976 Jan. 20-24 : University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) corporateBody
associatedWith Wiseman, Mac. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Sunset Park (Pa.)
New River Ranch (Md.)
Southern States
Seattle WA US
North Carolina
Subject
Musicians
Banjo music
Fiddle tunes
Folk festivals
Folklorists
Old-time music
Sound recordings
Occupation
Singers
Activity

Person

Birth 1934-07-08

Female

Americans

Information

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Ark ID: w6204vzv

SNAC ID: 85609526