Loyal Jones's engaging collection of biographies brings to life four prominent figures of twentieth-century Appalachian folkways whose names will be familiar to many readers but only distantly. This is a major contribution to the study of America's most distinctive regional culture. - Norm Cohen, author of Long Steel Rail: The Railroad in American Folksong
"The colorful tales, anecdotes, word lore, customs, riddles, and songs that Loyal Jones has chosen bring us into the humor, accents, and often ribald color that marks our first frontier and its inhabitants." - Stephen Wade, author of The Beautiful Music All Around Us: Field Recordings and the American Experience
Publication of this book was supported by a grant from the L. J. and Mary C. Skaggs Folklore Fund.