West Virginia's folk heritage is a part of the Appalachian folk music tradition, and includes styles of fiddling, ballad singing, and other styles that draw on Ulster-Scots music.
West Virginia consists of a mostly rural region, although its few relatively urban centers are prominent spots of musical innovation. The Capitol Music Hall, in Wheeling, is the oldest performing place of its kind in the state, and has hosted a wide variety of acts, from national tours to the local Wheeling Symphony Orchestra.
Other music institutions in West Virginia include the Mountaineer Opera House in Milton. The West Virginia Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1939, as the Charleston Civic Orchestra, before becoming the Charleston Symphony Orchestra in 1943. The first conductor was William R. Wiant, followed by the prominent conductor Antonio Modarelli, of the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra.
The town of Glenville has long been home to the annual West Virginia State Folk Festival.
Music history
West Virginia's historical contributions to musical development include WWVA Jamboree, a radio show that began in 1933 and soon became a very prominent regional show, based out of the Capitol Music Hall in Wheeling. WWVA, the radio station that has long broadcast WWVA Jamboree, hosts the Jamboree in the Hills every July in St. Clairsville, Ohio, just across the border from Wheeling.Byron, pgs. 323 - 324
The town of Oak Hill was the site of country legend Hank Williams' death, which is commemorated by a plaque in front of the public library in Oak Hill.Byron, pg. 324
Daniel Johnston, born in California, grew up in New Cumberland.
Music festivals All Good Music Festival, Masontown Appalachian String Band Festival, Clifftop CMC's Food Truck Frenzy & Festival, Princeton Diamond Teeth Mary Music Festival, Huntington Dvorak/Gershwin Black History Month Festival, Charleston Gazette-Mail Kanawha County Majorette and Band Festival, Charleston Elkhenge Music Festival, East Dailey Festivall Charleston, Charleston Gardner Winter Music Festival, Morgantown Heritage Music Blues Fest, WheelingMountain Stage NewSong Festival, Charles Town PattyFest, Morgantown Robin Kessinger Festival & WV State Flatpick Guitar Championship, Gandeeville Stonewall Jackson Heritage Arts & Crafts Jubilee, Weston Upper Potomac Dulcimer Fest, Shepherdstown Vandalia Gathering, Charleston West Virginia State Folk Festival, Glenville West Virginia Independent Music Festival, Logan
Notable musicians
Hasil Adkins, rockabilly musician Elbern Alkire, Hawaiian guitar Cuba Austin, jazz drummer Leon "Chu" Berry, jazz saxophonist Charles Blevins, West Virginia folk music musician Andy Boarman, banjo and autoharp player Byzantine, melodic death metal band Mark Carman, gospel, country Grammy-nominated producer, musician, songwriter Tyler Childers, folk/country/Americana singer Wilma Lee Cooper and Stoney Cooper, country Billy Cox, bassist for Jimi Hendrix George Crumb, composer Hazel Dickens, bluegrass singer from Mercer County Little Jimmy Dickens, country singer Sierra Ferrell, country musician Ed Haley, old-timey fiddler from Logan County Hawkshaw Hawkins, country singer Blind Joe Hill, blues singer, one-man band Frank Hutchison, country blues and Piedmont blues musician and songwriter Johnnie Johnson, piano player and blues musician Daniel Johnston, indie musician from Hancock County Dick Justice, blues and folk musician Musa Kaleem, jazz saxophonist and flautist Karma to Burn, progressive alternative-metal band The Lilly Brothers, bluegrass musicians The Love Coats, acoustic rock/pop Kathy Mattea, country singer Mind Garage, psychedelic rock Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr., jazz singer John & Emery McClung Brothers & old-time musicians ca. 1930 Tex McGuire, old-time musician Tim O'Brien, bluegrass musician Mollie O'Brien, bluegrass, Americana Molly O'Day, pioneering country vocalist Brad Paisley, country singer and songwriter from Wheeling. Has had 5 #2 albums on the Billboard 200 from 2005 to 2014. Don Redman, jazz arranger and clarinetist Blind Alfred Reed, fiddler & composer Carl Rutherford, blues guitarist and singer from War, West Virginia Jim Savarino, singer/songwriter Art Simmons, jazz pianist Michael W. Smith, contemporary Christian music star Red Sovine, country Johnny Staats, bluegrass mandolin Eleanor Steber, operatic soprano Steve Whiteman, lead singer of Kix The Williamson Brothers, folk Garland Wilson, jazz pianist Melvin Wine, recipient of a National Heritage Fellowship Bill Withers, R&B musician, had a #1 Billboard Hot 100 hit with "Lean on Me" in 1972. Frankie Yankovic, polka musician Zao, metalcore band
See also List of songs about West Virginia
References
West Virginia Music Hall of Fame Brandon E. Davis
Notes