Linthead Stomp: The Creation of Country Music in the Piedmont South [Hardcover]

Patrick Huber (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 6, 2008

Contrary to popular belief, the roots of American country music do not lie solely on southern farms or in mountain hollows. Rather, much of this music recorded before World War II emerged from the bustling cities and towns of the Piedmont South. No group contributed more to the commercialization of early country music than southern factory workers. Huber explores the origins and development of this music in the Piedmont's mill villages and offers vivid portraits of a colorful cast of Piedmont millhand musicians, including Fiddlin' John Carson, Charlie Poole, Dave McCarn, and the Dixon Brothers.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Historian Huber may surprise music fans by tracing the roots of country music and some of the most popular pre-WWII American sounds to city slickers, rather than hayseeds, living in the boomtowns of the American South's Piedmont region. At the turn of the century, textile companies dominated the South, employing thousands and, in some cases, effectively running the small cities that sprang up around them-complete with music programs for workers. What was known derisively as "hillbilly music" found its legs and growing popularity in these mill towns, and most "old time" musicians lived and recorded in cities like Atlanta, Charlotte and Greensboro. Huber traces the growth of the sound through four artists who personified it: Fiddlin' John Carson, a marginally talented but media-savvy violinist; hard-drinking banjo player Charlie Poole; guitarist Dave McCarn, whose luckily-recorded track "Cotton Mill Colic" made his legacy; and the Dixon Brothers, who devoted their songs to tragedy and the decline of Christian morals. Not surprisingly, happy endings are few; bad business deals, alcohol and drug addiction, obscurity and poverty threaten practically all involved. With respect and passion, Huber puts these pioneering artists in well-deserved perspective, gracefully illuminating the birth of an American art form.
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Review

"Compelling. . . . An excellent first foray into an important but often overlooked chapter in the history of American popular music."
-Studies in American Culture

"[A] splendid book . . . one of its principle achievements, due to its author's subtle but insistent writing, is to encourage the seeking out of [the performers'] work. Huber provides a very useful discography, rightly flagging up the sterling work done by labels such as Document, County and Bear Family in the dissemination of early country music recordings."
--Journal of Popular Music

"Paints a picture of a vibrant time in southern piedmont. . . . Should appeal to those interested in early country music."
--Journal of Southern History

"Well-researched, carefully argued, and beautifully written. . . . An impressive contribution to our understanding that country music was not born in some pristine corner of America, untouched by the winds of change. . . . A splendid account of [country music's] development in the vital crucible of the Piedmont South."
--American Historical Review

"Well-researched and truly enlightening. . . . Huber's biographical approach makes for fast-paced, enjoyable reading, and scholars of country music and southern culture will immediately recognize the importance of this work."
--Technology and Culture

"A careful exploration of the significance of regional variations in the music. . . . A remarkable and helpful summary."
-The Journal of American History

"A new, canny take on Old, Weird America, this colorful, contrarian book does much to dispel a spate of antediluvian tropes, musical and otherwise."
-The Atlantic Monthly

"Huber's reverential and enlightening descriptions of country music's pioneers leave readers yearning for their actual recordings. Fortunately, an appended discography and directory of other early hillbilly musicians direct readers to more foot-stomping tunes.."
-Our State

"In this groundbreaking study of the derivation of hillbilly music . . . Huber comprehensively explores the working-class origins and early development of the idiom. . . . Four colorful biographical chapters . . . form the meat of the book. . . . A fascinating glimpse into some hitherto unexplored territory."
-Sing Out!

"Huber is to be commended for his passionate, detailed research in a rarely explored area of American music history. . . . Well-conceived narrative and vivid portrayals. . . . Anyone interested in the roots of modern American popular music will find this book to be a valuable addition to their personal library."
-South Carolina Historical Magazine

"A very well researched and written history. . . . The first book-length study of the musical culture of Southern millhands. . . . A valuable addition to America's story of Country Music."
-BC: Blogcritics Books

"A fascinating history of Piedmont textile workers and their role in the development of country music. . . . Opens a window on a new view of country music. Recommended."
-Choice

"Should be a part of any book collection, particularly for Huber's focus on the Southern industrial relations that made the music possible."
-West Virginia History

"For lovers of music and its history--especially our homegrown Southern sound--the more we know, the more we want to know. . . . An enthralling tuneful journey into the birth and influence of a heretofore undervalued contribution to the genre. Guaranteed to set readers' toes tapping and then tramping out to track down the recordings included in the Linthead Stomp discography."
-Tennessee Advocate

"With respect and passion, Huber puts . . . pioneering artists in well-deserved perspective, gracefully illuminating the birth of an American art form."
-Publishers Weekly, starred review

Contrary to popular belief, the roots of American country music do not lie solely on southern farms or in mountain hollows. Rather, much of this music recorded before World War II emerged from the bustling cities and towns of the Piedmont South. No group contributed more to the commercialization of early country music than southern factory workers. In Linthead Stomp, Patrick Huber explores the origins and development of this music in the Piedmont's mill villages.

Huber offers vivid portraits of a colorful cast of Piedmont millhand musicians, including Fiddlin' John Carson, Charlie Poole, Dave McCarn, and the Dixon Brothers, and considers the impact that urban living, industrial work, and mass culture had on their lives and music. Drawing on a broad range of sources, including rare 78-rpm recordings and unpublished interviews, Huber reveals how the country music recorded between 1922 and 1942 was just as modern as the jazz music of the same era. Linthead Stomp celebrates the Piedmont millhand fiddlers, guitarists, and banjo pickers who combined the collective memories of the rural countryside with the upheavals of urban-industrial life to create a distinctive American music that spoke to the changing realities of the twentieth-century South.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 440 pages
• Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press (October 6, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807832251
• ISBN-13: 978-0807832257
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #586,380 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Celebration of Lintheads, January 9, 2010

By 

Ted Whisnant "Ted" (South Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Linthead Stomp: The Creation of Country Music in the Piedmont South (Kindle Edition)

As the son of a linthead mill worker, I was raised in the North Carolina Piedmont area. My father worked in Belmont for over 40 years and was a fiddler for a relatively unknown square dance band. Obviously, Huber's Linthead Stomp attracted my immediate interest. This book provides a rare and overlooked review of the influence of the Piedmont music of the South. I had heard of Dave McCarn but knew little or nothing of him. Huber's ability to tie the cotton mill era to the culture of the music and people gives us a three dimensional view of the "real" people of that era. I was called a linthead many times during my childhood, and the label was not meant as a compliment. It's a pleasure to be able to take some pride now in knowing the full contribution of these people who carved out a meager living but kept alive their love of music and as well as their personal dignity.

Ted Whisnant

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent history of country music!!, August 1, 2009

By 

Ronald Cohen "[e-mail]" (Gary, Indiana) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Linthead Stomp: The Creation of Country Music in the Piedmont South (Hardcover)

I would highly recommend this study for anyone interested in the history of country music in the U.S. The author has done his homework, but goes beyond the general histories of country music to give details and a nuanced treatment of the topic. Very highly recommended!!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, June 21, 2009

By 

Jim Linderman "Jack Vernack" (USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Linthead Stomp: The Creation of Country Music in the Piedmont South (Hardcover)

The most interesting "old time music" book I have read in quite some time. The author manages to place several icons of early country music into a cultural context not done before... the millhands of the Southeast United States. Another reason to lament the loss of the cotton mills. I was also introduced to Dave McCarn, a hard living and seldom heard artist. A wonderful study, and I have added "linthead" to my vocabulary.

Jim Linderman "Dull Tool Dim Bulb" Take Me to the Water: Immersion Baptism in Vintage Music and Photography 1890-1950