DESCRIPTION:
In 1964, I was making my first documentary for television, Bluegrass Roots – a one hour special for the forerunner of PBS called National Educational Television – NET. I was 23 years old and I was headed to the mountains of North Carolina, to Asheville, to meet with and film 82 year old Bascom Lamar Lunsford who I had written a letter to, asking if I could accompany him as he sought talent for his great music and clog dance festival. I spent three weeks shooting this film, my first with a 16 mm camera that recorded sound. He told me about inviting a clog dance troop to his house for a dance demonstration. He said he would pick up the rug so you could hear the feet as they clacked on the wooden floor. And so this scene happened and I absolutely loved filming it. Although my camera rig was 49 pounds with a battery, I danced with the dancers with glee and recorded one of the best scenes that I have ever filmed. Clog dancing at its best. Local folk. Just having fun. And the musicians? The best in bluegrass or mountain if you want to call it that or old timey if you want to call it that. The musicians Included Obray Ramsey and Bascom's relative Ray Lunsford. In one moment you can see me in the mirror filming the scene. After all these years I still love Mountain music and dance. I have been in touch with several of the performers and some are still alive and some are still dancing in the mountains of North Carolina – the Appalachian mountains – THE center as far as I'm concerned, of spectacular bluegrass and country music. The film ran in the primetime in 1965 and got the cover i've TV Guide with a fabulous review. Today it is considered a classic and I am proud that so many subscribers and others have chosen to watch it – many more than once. Thank you Bascom Lamar Lunsford and all those who appeared with him in my film.