Album Notes

Tidewater Virginians made up the ruling class of early western Virginia. They clashed with hillside farmers in a tug that erupted with the Civil War. Tensions of war and class broke the state in two and founded the new state of West Virginia. Fasten your seatbelt as you hear local people unveil the truth about such little known entities as the Constitutional Union Party. This political party, favored by West Virginia’s ruling elite, supported slavery while remaining tied to the Union for the sake of finances.

The Civil War in most of north central West Virginia was less dramatic than it was incessant, horrifying in its unpredictability as Bushwackers terrorized travelers and residents along the Pike and families and neighbors raged. Towns were taken and retaken by Union and Confederate troops.

With the bitter taste of the Civil War still in the air, the rush to harvest West Virginia’s giant trees was on. River rafters and sawmills turned timber into towns. The oil and gas industry took up where it had left off before the War. Speculators bet everything they had on the oozing black gold. Working men along the Pike wildcatted in newly developing oilfields and risked their lives on high derricks while women cooked and cleaned for boarders. Coal, oil, gas and timbering fueled lively economies in the great river city of Parkersburg and in rollicking small towns along the Pike.

Music
Dusty Miller (Trad.) – Danny Mullen (f), Linda Mullen (g)
Thanksgiving Reel – Written by Danny Mullen, performed by Danny and Linda Mullen
Sunset Waltz (Trad.) – Gerry Milnes (f), Michael Kline (g)
Band of Brothers (Trad.) – R.P. Hale (hammered dulcimer)
Been All Around this World (Trad.) – Gerry Milnes (b)
Lincoln and Liberty (Trad.) R.P. Hale (hammered dulcimer)
Rebel Raid (Trad.) – Andy Fitzgibbon (f), Greta Van Doren (b)
Camp Chase (Trad.) Andy Fitzgibbon (f)
Whistling Rufus (Trad.) Swanagan Ray (g)
Spider Ridge – Composed by Gene Burgy and Becky McClung,
performed by Gene Burgy (b), Becky McClung (f), Eric Chichester (g)
John Henry (Trad.) – Elijah Ray (b), Swanagan Ray (g)
Ruben’s Train (Trad.) – Swanagan Ray (g)
Bonnie Blue Flag (Trad.) – R.P. Hale (hammered dulcimer)
Gold Rush (Trad.) – Swanagan Ray (g)
Long Time Traveling – John Lilly (v,g)
Booze Fighters (Trad.) – Michael and Carrie Kline
Grandpa Was a Gentleman – Written and performed by David Norris
New City Blues – Written by David Norris, performed by The Dixie Ramblers:
David Norris (v, g), Keith Arenson (v, b), Billy Thompson (v, m),
Don Chainey (bass)
Forked Deer (Trad.) – Robbie Carruthers (f), Joe Herrmann (b), Michael Kline (g),
John Lilly (bass)
Who Broke the Lock on the Henhouse Door? (Trad.) – Leonard Stalnaker (v, g),
Jim Stalnaker (g)

Voices
(In order of first hearing)
Ray Swick
Paul Bibbee
David Scott
Mary Garrell
Paul Beckner
Duke Talbott
David Vago
David McKain
Betty Lutz
Richard Cook
Joy Stalnaker
Steve DeBruler
Katherine Brown
Steve Lehew
Noel Tenney
Jane Birdsong
David Scott
John Law
Bob Enoch
Nancy Allman
Jim Haught
Tom Rinehart
Frank Williams
Mary Lee Richards
Ralph Davis
Freda Morris
Anna Lee Stull
James Richards
Gary Jones
Paul Borelli