Keeping Traditions Alive: The Pressley Girls
Keeping Traditions Alive: The Pressley Girls
Way out in the small mountain community of Brasstown, in the rural depths of greater Clay and Cherokee counties, is a sibling duo aiming to preserve and perpetuate traditional and old-time music in the 21st century.
“We come from a musical family. As children, we were exposed to music often and early,” said Corie Pressley. “It all started with our grandfather Jerry Wilson, ‘Pap,’ who has since passed away. He played guitar while singing harmony with his brother Ray, who sang lead and played guitar and mandolin. They had a band called The Wilson Brothers that toured the Southeast, won many awards, recorded music, and had a large following for over 40 years.”
“We feel like we have a duty to preserve traditional and Appalachian music,” Katie Pressley said. “Some of our fondest memories [growing up] was Pap, Ray and the rest of the band practicing in our basement. We would hop out of bed and press our ears to the floor to listen to the music drifting through the rafters.”
With the musical tradition and heritage of the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains running through their blood and live performance, guitarist Corie and her fiddling sister, Katie, have been making a name for themselves as The Pressley Girls.
“We’ve been singing since we could talk and have been evolving as a band for 10 or 11 years,” Corie said. “As we’ve gotten older, we truly see the value of playing and keeping traditional music alive. We’re so proud and thankful that our family has passed this wonderful talent down to us.”
“And we’re received well in our own old-time community, but we have been amazed by the welcoming we have received by the global community,” Katie said. “It’s been so interesting to connect with people all over the world via Instagram or YouTube, whether they write and play old-time music or just listen to it.”
Since the band’s inception, The Pressley Girls have been invited to the legendary Mountain Folk & Dance Festival in Asheville, as well as having their family story featured on the “Come Hear NC” campaign put forth last year by the North Carolina Arts Council.
From back porch gatherings to community get-togethers, the act rolls through Western North Carolina and across state lines with its unique brand of melodies — one foot in the past, one in the here and now.
“I was raised with this kind of music, so it’s near and dear to my heart — it’s a part of me just as much as a tree’s roots are a part of it,” Corie said. “Personally, I specifically love the importance of lyrical meaning traditional music holds. It feels so deep and relatable. You can really feel the emotion in an old ballad about a man mourning his wife, or the sheer happiness of an old Louvin Brothers song singing praises about Jesus.”
“I think this music is the common man's music. Everyone can relate to it in some way or form. It has not been overproduced. It’s a person and their instrument, and is humble,” Katie said. “It’s important because it tells the story and heritage of the people who live in Appalachia. It’s a part of history and is therefore important that we keep it alive.”
Visit the Pressley Girls website.
From 2020 Down the Road – Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Guide by the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area produced in collaboration with Smoky Mountain News. Story by Garret K. Woodward. Photo by Terri Clark Photography.
