I’m writing a book about Kerry Blech, an old-time fiddler who was capable of writing and speaking inventively – and with great depth – about traditional music and musicians.
Well, actually, I’m writing a manuscript about Kerry – it isn’t a book until the publisher puts it between covers . . . sometime next spring.
Why a book about Kerry? My view:
• Kerry built an impressive collection of field recordings beginning in the 1970s.
• He wrote insightful, detailed reviews of old-time music recordings, books, and videos for the Old-Time Herald from 1987 to 2008.
• For close to fifty years, he contributed meaningfully to old-time music projects – liner notes for commercial recordings, presentations to audiences on the music of elder fiddlers, research on tune origins and the derivation of versions and variants of old tunes.
That all combined into a credible reason for trying to get a writing project under way about Kerry Blech.
And this is a request for assistance for the kind citizens of Banjo Hangout and Fiddle Hangout:
Do any of you have any photos of Kerry that I might be able to use for the book?
-- Photos of Kerry alone, or armed with a fiddle, a banjo, a guitar, a mandolin?
-- Action photos of him and friends at Clifftop. Perhaps a photo of Kerry manning the "sales booth" at Clifftop . . .
-- Photos of Kerry with bands of musical partners, jamming friends
I’d be grateful. I’d note your source for the photo, the date and place where the photo was taken, and I’d credit you with the line “Courtesy of XYZ” in the caption.
If the spirit moves you, reach out to me via the Hangout messaging system.
Thanks for your attention.
Make great music.
V/R,
Lew Stern
Durham, NC
Lew, I think this is great. Kerry got forgotten as he got older and fought cancer. He was always a reliable source of tune information and history. Fun to play tunes with too! Sorry I don't have any photos of him.
Edited by - RobBob on 10/30/2024 08:22:10
Bob. Thanks for your note. And you are right about Kerry - he had an encyclopedic approach to old-time fiddle tunes and elder fiddlers. I'm hoping some FHO citizens can dig out some pics from their archives. You take care, make great music.
Lew
