Josephine McGill

Kentucky has a rich and unique history with records dating back to the 1670s when the English sent explorers westward from Virginia across the Appalachian Mountains to survey the frontier. As Eastern Kentucky became the starting point for many of the westward migrations, stout pioneers settled into the Appalachian and Cumberland Mountains. Their lives fused with the panoramic mountains creating a wonderful array of culture including language, crafts and music. Early schools such as the Hindman and Pine Mountain Settlement Schools provided education through high school for the mountain children and the schools soon became centers of folklore and folk music. The Kentucky mountaineer had preserved a proud heritage of traditional ballads, and other old Scotch and English folk songs originally brought to America by their colonial ancestors.

Two young women, working independently undertook an adventure of a lifetime. Josephine McGill, in 1914, and Loraine Wyman, in 1917, traveled through the Cumberland Mountains writing down words and tunes to over 200 songs. Josephine’s first published songbook was entitled; Folk-Songs of the Kentucky Mountains and Loraine’s two published books were Lonesome Tunes: Folk-Songs from the Kentucky Mountains, 1917, and Twenty Kentucky Mountain Songs, 1920, both with piano arrangements. It is from these collections that the five folk tunes used in this setting, John Riley, The Lonesome Scenes of Winter, Sourwood Mountain, Frog Went A-Courting, and Loving Hannah were found. The songs were mostly collected in the Eastern Kentucky counties of McGoffin, Knott, Harlan, Estill, and Letcher.

Before beginning the piece my wife and I spent a week in the Eastern Kentucky mountains, mostly in Harlan County, formerly a densely populated coal mining area. We wanted to experience the glorious landscape, the distinct culture, and the determined people first hand. The trip proved to be a valuable inspiration. It was a true labor of love.

SONGS OF OLD KENTUCKY was composed during the fall of 2005 for the Kentucky Music Educators Association District IX All-District Band and premiered January 14, 2006.