Mountain Swing
Luke and Herold Smathers
Read more about Luke and Herold SmathersLuke and Harold Smathers
Mountain swing musicians
Haywood County, NC
Haywood County brothers Luke and Harold Smathers blended the rhythms of traditional mountain dance music with the improvisations of blues and swing. Luke's creative fiddling and Harold's driving closed-chord guitar playing brought to life a diverse repertory of old-time string band, swing band, and early country music favorites. Their style is best described in their own words as "mountain swing."
Read more about Luke and Harold SmathersStoney Creek Boys
Read more about Stoney Creek BoysStoney Creek Boys
Mountain music band
Buncombe County, NC
For over forty years, the Stoney Creek Boys have been ambassadors of mountain music. Bass player Boyd Black explains that their music is a mixture of "bluegrass, country, western swing, and mountain folk tunes, because people are all different, and we hope to do something that everyone will enjoy."
Read more about Stoney Creek BoysJosh Goforth
Read more about Josh GoforthMack Snoderly
Read more about Mack SnoderlyArvil Freeman
Read more about Arvil FreemanLaura Boosinger
Read more about Laura BoosingerArvil Freeman
Fiddler
Weaverville, NC (Buncombe County)
From the time of his first radio appearance, in 1950 at the age of fourteen, on Bristol's WCYB, Arvil Freeman has been a professional fiddler. He toured for a brief but prestigious stint with Reno and Smiley for six months in the 1960s, and since then has chosen to perform primarily in the Asheville area. Through his performing and teaching, he has made a significant contribution to the flourishing of traditional music in the North Carolina mountains.
Read more about Arvil FreemanMack Snoderly
Fiddler
Clyde, NC (Haywood County)
Dr. Mack Snoderly has been aptly described as a "fiddlers' fiddler." A native of East Tennessee, Mack moved to the North Carolina mountains after graduating from East Tennessee State University. In Mars Hill he pursued his career as a dentist. He also resumed a passion for traditional music.
Read more about Mack Snoderly
