Learn Why Appalachian Folk Music is Still Being Played in the Smokies

No matter where you go in the Smoky Mountains, you are sure to hear someone playing Appalachian folk music. It might be coming from one of the many bars, clubs, restaurants, venues, or even on the street corners. What’s funny about this particular genre of music is that no matter what your personal preference in music might be, you can’t help but stop to listen to the banjo and fiddle combinations (along with a vocalist in some instances). Before long, you will likely find your foot tapping along with the tune as the music swells in your soul.
Multiple Influences
The music favored for decades in Appalachia is thought to have its roots in English, Irish, and Scottish ballads and hymns, and later in African-American blues. Over time, this unique blend of vocals, fiddles, and banjos led to the development of other forms of music, including blues and country. Along with the fiddles and banjos, you might also find guitars and the fretted dulcimer being played.
Among the many well-known artists who are known to have been influenced by or played Appalachian music are country stars like Earl Scruggs, Dolly Parton, and Loretta Lynn. But country music artists are not the only ones to be influenced by this form of music. Legends like Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, The Statler Brothers, even Jerry Garcia (The Grateful Dead) have all play songs from Appalachian music or have rewritten them to suit their musical style.
Appalachian Music Will Never Die
There is an old saying that goes “Rock and roll will never die,” but the same can be said of Appalachian music. With a history dating back centuries, instead of waning in popularity, this beautiful music seems to be growing in popularity. Maybe this simply represents a change in tastes, or perhaps more people have become interested in the roots of the music they prefer and suddenly find themselves lost in the sound of the banjo and fiddle together.
Like many other popular forms of “old-school” music, there are numerous Appalachian music festivals all along the Appalachian mountain range from the Appalachian String Band Music Festival held annually in Clifftop, WV to the Museum of Appalachia’s Tennessee Fall Homecoming that takes place in Clinton, TN every year.
Why do people still love this form of music? There are millions of reasons, but for many, it is the simplicity of the music, the stories told, and the ability to sit back and relax while you take in the melodies. For others, listening to Appalachian music is a great way to get back to the roots of so many different varieties of music being played today.
In the early days, Appalachian folk music was considered to be a great way to bring the entire community together. People would sit on the front porch or stoop, in the town square, or around a big fire just to listen to the music, dance to it, and enjoy the spirit of camaraderie that came with it. Today, it has a similar effect on anyone listening to it; they want to get together to celebrate the music with others, share in the stories, and be washed clean of their normal lives, if only for a few minutes.
 
Take a few minutes out of your busy day to stop and listen to the many wonderful local musicians on “The Peaceful Side of the Smokies,” in Blount County, who truly love the music they play.