Joe Mullins - Sites of Ohio's Musical Legacy: WPFB Radio [Behind The Scenes Documentary]

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Joe Mullins - Sites of Ohio's Musical Legacy: WPFB Radio [Behind The Scenes Documentary]

Watch the seventh in a series of videos with Joe Mullins discussing the influential sites of the story behind ‘Industrial Strength Bluegrass: Southwestern Ohio’s Musical Legacy,’ released March 26th on Smithsonian Folkways. Mullins stands in the front yard of what used to be WPFB, a Middletown radio station with a rich history of playing bluegrass music throughout the greater Miami Valley of Ohio. Paul F. Braden bought the old farmhouse property in 1947 and soon after going on air began hosting barn dances, and later, tent shows. Hank Williams, Lefty Frizzell, Red Allen, Jim & Jesse, and The Boys From Indiana are just a few of the influential artists whose live performances were broadcast here. Stream/download/purchase: Smithsonian Folkways: https://folkways.si.edu/industrial-strength-bluegrass Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/5DE2aUvkdQORMc4eoDKPIM?si=4J0NSBHMQC-cHqUvZrvjeg All other platforms: https://orcd.co/industrialstrengthbluegrass During the middle decades of the 20th century, the factories of southwestern Ohio drew hundreds of thousands of migrants from Appalachia, including innumerable musicians. Industrial Strength Bluegrass celebrates the music that these migrants made and loved, and explores a pivotal moment in the history of bluegrass and country music at large. Produced by beloved performer and radio personality Joe Mullins, the collection features many modern legends like Lee Ann Womack and Mo Pitney, plus a stellar lineup of bluegrass stalwarts including Rhonda Vincent, Bobby Osborne, and Mullins himself, taking on tunes that have echoed across Ohio for decades. This group of some of the biggest names in bluegrass today pays tribute to the jubilant highs and lonesome lows of life amongst the factories and warehouses, reflecting the region’s rich culture and resilient people. Smithsonian Folkways: https://folkways.si.edu Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smithsonianfolkwaysrecordings Twitter: https://twitter.com/Folkways Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smithsonianfolkways The content and comments posted here are subject to the Smithsonian Institution copyright and privacy policy (www.si.edu/copyright). Smithsonian reserves the right in its sole discretion to remove any content at any time.

4 min 55 sec

music folk "Woody Guthrie" "Pete Seeger" Smithsonian Folkways old-time non-profit