Asyoucanseefrommyhair, thefilmyou'reabouttoseeortheclipBlueRidgeMountainBluesis a momentin 1965 when I wentsouthtofilmtheAppalachianMountains, NorthCarolinaBascomLamarLansford, thegreatoldmanofthemountainswhowascollectingsongsforhisfestival.
I was 23 yearsold.
I readaboutitinTimemagazine.
I wrotehim a letter.
I pickedup a 16 millimetercamera, which I barelyknowhowtouse, and I shotthisscene.
There's somethingaboutitthatgives a feelingforthesewonderfulpeople.
It's knownforwellforyourgunBoothRichmountainsbluesand I standrightupandsayThegripispackedfortraveland I'm scratchinggraveldothatBlueRidgeFarway I knowwhatday I returnedBeshindigintheboneThefolksfrombrowsearoundwiththerebesomefiddlersinthestone I gottheboothblueand I standrightupandsayMygripitBankfortravelandonscratchingdoubleforthebooth.
I wentdowntoAsheville, NorthCarolina, areatorecordthissongandsomanyothersonmychannelbecause I justlovethismusic.
I camefromLongIsland, andas a kidweusedtoheartheGrandOleOpryonSaturdaynightonradioandwe'd stepforwardinWhatkindofmusicisthis?
It's sogreat.
Mountainmusic, somecountry, someoldtimey.
I justcouldnotbelieveit.
Sowhen I gotthechanceat 23 yearsold, I wentdownthere.