Special Collections Research Center

Mountain Home Music, Inc. Collection


Mountain Home Music, Inc. is a non-profit corporation with the mission statement: "The mission of Mountain Home Music is to celebrate diverse styles of Appalachian performing arts. Mountain Home Music strives to educate and build community through the arts, providing accessible cross-generational experiences." (taken from its website). It was begun by Joe Shannon in 1994 as "Music in the Mountains", and the first concert featured some of his friends Steve Lewis, Rachel Nelson, Becca Eggers-Gryder, and himself, held at the local downtown Boone, North Carolina delicatessen, Our Daily Bread. After discovering the need to change the name due to a conflict with another organization, he changed the name to Old Time Music in the Mountains in 1996, and shortened it to Mountain Home Music in 1997. Concerts were held in various venues over the years, such as churches, school auditoriums, and the Appalachian State University Student Union. It continues today by following Joe's original reason for beginning it - to honor the musicians, dancers, storytellers, and poets of the Appalachian region. As of 2013, Mountain Home Music had produced over 250 concerts, thirty-plus aired on regional television and forty-plus aired on public radio. Joe Shannon was honored by Governor Pat McCrory by receiving The Order of the Long Leaf Pine Award, for his exemplary service to the state of North Carolina. Joe was diagnosed with cancer in 2012, and stepped down as executive director of Mountain Home Music in 2014. After he moved back to Florida to be with family, the Board of Directors voted unanimously to rename Mountain Home Music to Joe Shannon's Mountain Home Music. Joe passed away on May 13, 2014 at the age of 64.


Select items from the Mountain Home Music, Inc. Collection Collection

Musical performances include the Bluefield Bluegrass Band, Floyd Townsend, Rick Ramsuer, Elisabeth Harmon, Melvin Turnafy, and Becca Eggers Gryder. Joe Shannon is the host.

Guests include Wayne Henderson and Company and Reverend Marion Swann. Joe Shannon is host. Show was held at the Boone United Methodist Church in Boone, North Carolina.

Performances include Skeeter and Skidmarks.

Performances include the bluegrass band Second Wind as well as Glenn Bolick and sing-alongs with Elisabeth Harmon. Show was held in Blowing Rock, North Carolina.

Performers include Elisabeth Harmon, Katie Taylor, and Bessie Eldreth. Show was held in Blowing Rock, North Carolina and hosted by Joe Shannon.

Guests include poet Juanita Tobin; Jackie Bartlett on harp, Mary Umbarger on autoharp, and host Joe Shannon on dulcimer. Elisabeth Harmon leads the sing-alongs.

Show features Galax, Virginia band Skeeter and the Skidmarks whose music is a blend of bluegrass and old-time music. Edwin Lacy on banjo, Williard Gahard on guitar, Sandy Loyd on bass, and Scott Freeman on mandolin and fiddle. Joe Shannon is host.

Concert opens with "Young James Waltz" by The Front Porch Strings and follows with a history of the Carter Family and their music. Joe Shannon is host.

The Wilkes County, North Carolina band the Dixie Dawn Band performs in a Grand Ole Opry style show. Joe Shannon is host.

This show features Hickory, North Carolina singer Judy Pruitt performing folk songs of the 1960s and 1970s. Joe Shannon is host.

This show features various styles of music and dance including Cherokee, Irish, Scottish, and African. Joe Shannon is the host.

This episode pays tribute to Appalachian workers and features Kathy Beaver, Jim Brooks, Hank Weddington, Steve Lewis, Scott Freeman, and Joe Shannon.

This episode features the banjo and includes performances by Steve Lewis, Edwin Lacy, Scott Freeman, and Becca Eggers Gryder. Joe Shannon is the host.

This episode of Mountain Home Music features Puddingstone, David Abernathy, Nancy Abernathy, Greg Knight, Denise Baxter Yoder, Larry Hips, Mike Wills, and Paige Greene. Joe Shannon is the host.

This recording features the Rachel Nelson Tribute Concert held at Appalachian State University with performances by Elisabeth Harmon, Katie Taylor, Dennis Isaacs, Randy Greer, Tony Testerman, Mary Greene, Ricochet, David Johnson, and the Appalachian Acoustic Ensemble.

The show pays tribute to Appalachian workers in the cotton and textile mills.

This recording features Watauga County Week, the Bluefields Bluegrass band, and Flat foot dancer Robert Dotson.

The show pays tribute to Irish music and features poet and storyteller Billy Ritchie from Northern Ireland.

Special Christmas program held in Ashe County, North Carolina.

Performers include Strictly Clean and Decent, Patrick Crouch, Kay Crouch, and Ron Shuffler.

Performances include "Bonaparte's Retreat" and Carter Family tunes as well as performances by fiddle player Ora Watson.

This recording features performances of traditional Appalachian Music by Wayne Henderson on guitar, Helen White on fiddle, Herb Key on bass, Gerald Anderson on mandolin, and Tim Lewis on banjo. The concert was held at Boone United Methodist Church in Boone, North Carolina.

This recording features a Christmas concert by Appalachian Acoustic Ensemble, held at Grace Lutheran Church in Boone, North Carolina.

Ballad singers Katie Taylor, Elisabeth Harmon, and Bessie Eldreth perform.

Skeeter and Skidmarks performs in their first performance at Boone United Methodist Church in the summer of 1995.

This show features performances of Carter Family songs.

Performers include Sally Tiedemann (sp.?), storyteller Diane Hackler, and others. Joe Shannon is host.

Performers include Phil and Gaye Johnson, and Sandy Eagle.

Performers include Dave Johnson and Appalachian Acoustic Ensemble. Joe Shannon is the host.

Performers on this recording include Appalachian Music Ensemble with Sheila Adams. Joe Shannon hosts and plays banjo.

Recording features Jeff Little on piano, Wayne Henderson on guitar, Randy Greer on mandolin. Paige Greene performs as sing-along leader. Recording also features Reverend Mervin Oglethorp and Denise Sanders. Show was recorded at Blowing Rock, North Carolina.

Performances include Puddingstone; harp by Mike Willis, Nancy Abernathy on flute, Larry Hips on guitar, bass, and lute, Greg Knight on keyboard, Denise Baxter Yoder as vocalist.

Performances include Strictly Clean and Decent, David Johnson, and dancers from Ashe County, North Carolina.

Recording includes performances by Taylor Dunn.

This recording features the first half of the show with performances by Alternate Roots. Joe Shannon is host.

In the first part of the show captured in this recording, host Joe Shannon recites a poem about Grandfather Mountain and Doc Watson performs.

This recording features miscellaneous show material including the second part of a show with Doc Watson and grandson Richard Watson. Songs performed include "Souvenirs" and "Amazing Grace." Joe Shannon is host.

This recording features live performances by Cuckanandy and storytelling by Irishmen Billy Ritchie and Ian Coulter. Joe Shannon is the host.

This recording features the second half of the show with performances by Acoustic Soup (Steve Lewis, Randy Greer, Jeff Little). Songs performed include "Alabama Jubilee." Joe Shannon is the host.

This recording features live performances of acoustic music, including flat picking by Steve Lewis.

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