In October of 1955, my father, Freeman Harvey took a reel-to-reel recording device over to my grandpa, Noah Pierce's house in the hills just south of Byrdstown, Tennessee. For fun, he recorded my grandpa, his brother Jahu Pierce, a neighbor Bill Looper, and himself - a group they called, “The Ridge Runners” playing some old time/bluegrass music using a format that mimicked musical radio show broadcasts of that time period - complete with music, jokes, and commercials. Luckily, my father saved these original recordings which were rediscovered in his later years and they have now been captured digitally. They are rough, and the sound quality is often poor, but this recording “session” captures a part of my musical heritage and continues to inspire me. I hope it will inspire you also. 

 

(Photo: My mother, and my Grandpa Noah Pierce standing in the doorway of the country store he ran, and where my mother worked and met my father, Freeman Harvey)

0:00/???
  1. 1
    Introductions 0:46
    0:00/0:46
  2. 2
    I Hear a Sweet Voice Calling 2:30
    0:00/2:30
  3. 3
    Leather Britches 2:19
    0:00/2:19
  4. 4
    Old Joe Clark 2:25
    0:00/2:25
  5. 5
    Halloween Joke 0:34
    0:00/0:34
  6. 6
    John Henry 2:09
    0:00/2:09
  7. 7
    Flop Eared Mule 1:21
    0:00/1:21
  8. 8
    Eight More Miles to Louisville 1:33
    0:00/1:33
  9. 9
    Cumberland Gap 1:06
    0:00/1:06
  10. 10
    Harper's Cleaners Commercial 0:33
    0:00/0:33
  11. 11
    Whistlin' Rufus 1:43
    0:00/1:43
  12. 12
    Kiss Me If You Want To 1:45
    0:00/1:45
  13. 13
    Drunks on Railroad Track Joke 0:25
    0:00/0:25
  14. 14
    Paddy on the Turnpike 2:03
    0:00/2:03
  15. 15
    The Yo-Yo 2:00
    0:00/2:00
  16. 16
    I'm Going Down This Road Feeling Bad 1:05
    0:00/1:05
  17. 17
    Ida Red 0:56
    0:00/0:56
  18. 18
    Down Yonder 2:41
    0:00/2:41
  19. 19
    Rock Creek Girl 1:25
    0:00/1:25
  20. 20
    Orange Blossom Special 0:43
    0:00/0:43