Ever Since We’ve Known It: Uncovered Recrodings of Lena Bare Turbyfill

Ever Since We’ve Known It: More North Carolina Mountain Singing

Folklorist Derek Piotr continues to excavate North Carolina mountain songs, presenting an assortment of archival recordings taking in Child Ballads, bawdy songs, play-party tunes, and old-time family singing–with a familiar focus on overlooked star Mrs. Lena Bare Turbyfill, of Elk Park, NC.

Derek says, “Ever Since We’ve Known It serves as a companion piece to the album Last Wisps of the Old Ways but also was an effort to put fuller focus on Lena’s remarkable singing. Lena is as fine a singer as you’ll likely ever hear: her warmth, character, clarity, presence of mind and assuredness all serve to imbue these ballads with some of the finest performances I’ve yet come across.”

The majority of these recordings were made over two sessions in Western North Carolina in 1939. Another was recorded in 1979. Derek has curated these recordings to give Lena’s voice and the songs of her family and community a current-day audience.

Check out the recording Ever Since We’ve Known It: More North Carolina Mountain Singing, here.

Photograph of Mrs. Lena Bare Turbyfill courtesy of Elizabeth Gwyn.