Riley Baugus
Encyclopedia
Riley Baugus is an American old-time
guitarist, banjo player, fiddler, singer and instrument builder from North Carolina
.
tradition, which gave him a solid foundation in unaccompanied singing. He began playing the fiddle at age 10 and grew up with the fiddler Kirk Sutphin. As a youth, he also had the opportunity to study with such eminent old-time musicians from Surry County, North Carolina
and Grayson County, Virginia
, including Tommy Jarrell
, Robert Sykes, Dix Freeman, Verlin Clifton, and Paul Sutphin. He is influenced particularly by the Round Peak
style of Surry County, North Carolina.
Baugus worked as a welder and blacksmith for 18 years before becoming a professional musician. He has performed throughout the United States, as well as in Canada, Ireland, Scotland, and England. He has played with several old-time string bands, including The Farmer's Daughters, The Konnarock Critters, The Red Hots, Backstep, and the Old Hollow Stringband. He tours regularly with Dirk Powell and Tim O'Brien
, and frequently performs and tours with the dancer Ira Bernstein
, with the duo show Appalachian Roots. He often performs as a guest musician with the Dirk Powell Band and the North Carolina folk band Polecat Creek
. He sang on the soundtrack
to the 2003 film Cold Mountain
. He has recorded with Robert Plant
, Alison Krauss
, Willie Nelson
, Dirk Powell, and Martha Scanlan
. He has taught banjo at the Augusta Heritage Center
's Old Time Week in Elkins, West Virginia
.
He lives in Walkertown, North Carolina
.
Old-time music
Old-time music is a genre of North American folk music, with roots in the folk music of many countries, including England, Scotland, Ireland and countries in Africa. It developed along with various North American folk dances, such as square dance, buck dance, and clogging. The genre also...
guitarist, banjo player, fiddler, singer and instrument builder from North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.
Background and Career
Baugus grew up in the Regular BaptistRegular Baptist
Regular Baptists are a diverse group of Baptists in the United States and Canada. The presence of the modifier "Regular" in their names attests to the strong influence of the early Regular Baptists on the growth of Baptists in North America. Two strains of Baptists emigrated from England to America...
tradition, which gave him a solid foundation in unaccompanied singing. He began playing the fiddle at age 10 and grew up with the fiddler Kirk Sutphin. As a youth, he also had the opportunity to study with such eminent old-time musicians from Surry County, North Carolina
Surry County, North Carolina
Surry County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 73,673. Its county seat is Dobson.- History :The county was formed in 1771 from Rowan County...
and Grayson County, Virginia
Grayson County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,917 people, 7,259 households, and 5,088 families residing in the county. The population density was 40 people per square mile . There were 9,123 housing units at an average density of 21 per square mile...
, including Tommy Jarrell
Tommy Jarrell
Tommy Jarrell was an American fiddler, banjo player, and singer from the Mount Airy region of North Carolina's Appalachian Mountains.-Biography:...
, Robert Sykes, Dix Freeman, Verlin Clifton, and Paul Sutphin. He is influenced particularly by the Round Peak
Round Peak, North Carolina
Round Peak is a small unincorporated community in Surry County, North Carolina, United States, near Mount Airy, North Carolina with an elevation of 1,280 feet...
style of Surry County, North Carolina.
Baugus worked as a welder and blacksmith for 18 years before becoming a professional musician. He has performed throughout the United States, as well as in Canada, Ireland, Scotland, and England. He has played with several old-time string bands, including The Farmer's Daughters, The Konnarock Critters, The Red Hots, Backstep, and the Old Hollow Stringband. He tours regularly with Dirk Powell and Tim O'Brien
Tim O'Brien
Tim O'Brien may refer to:* Tim O'Brien , American author* Timothy O'Brien , Irish professor* Timothy L...
, and frequently performs and tours with the dancer Ira Bernstein
Ira Bernstein
Ira Bernstein is a dancer and teacher in the United States who specializes in traditional American dance forms such as Appalachian-style clogging, flatfoot dancing, tap dance, and step dancing. He is considered an authority on clogging, and the leading figure in this dance style...
, with the duo show Appalachian Roots. He often performs as a guest musician with the Dirk Powell Band and the North Carolina folk band Polecat Creek
Polecat Creek
Polecat Creek is a folk band based in North Carolina. It was formed in the mid-1990s by Kari Sickenberger and Laurelyn Dossett, after they met at a book club in Greensboro, NC. They have released three CDs: Salt Sea Bound , Leaving Eden , and Ordinary Seasons .Polecat Creek won the neo-traditional...
. He sang on the soundtrack
Cold Mountain (soundtrack)
Cold Mountain is the original soundtrack of the 2003 film Cold Mountain starring Jude Law, Nicole Kidman and Renée Zellweger.The album won the BAFTA Award for Best Film Music and the World Soundtrack Award for Best Original Soundtrack of the Year in 2003...
to the 2003 film Cold Mountain
Cold Mountain (film)
Cold Mountain is a 2003 war drama film written and directed by Anthony Minghella. The film is based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Charles Frazier...
. He has recorded with Robert Plant
Robert Plant
Robert Anthony Plant, CBE is an English singer and songwriter best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the iconic rock band Led Zeppelin. He has also had a successful solo career...
, Alison Krauss
Alison Krauss
Alison Maria Krauss is an American bluegrass-country singer, songwriter and fiddler. She entered the music industry at an early age, winning local contests by the age of ten and recording for the first time at fourteen. She signed with Rounder Records in 1985 and released her first solo album in...
, Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
, Dirk Powell, and Martha Scanlan
Martha Scanlan
Martha Scanlan is a bluegrass singer-songwriter. She is originally from Minnesota and has been featured on the Woodsongs Old-Time Radio Hour and the Cold Mountain soundtrack .-External links:* *...
. He has taught banjo at the Augusta Heritage Center
Augusta Heritage Center
Augusta Heritage Center in Elkins, West Virginia, is a non-profit organization which fosters the scholarly study and practice of traditional arts in music, dance, craft, and folklore....
's Old Time Week in Elkins, West Virginia
Elkins, West Virginia
Elkins is a city in Randolph County, West Virginia, United States. The community was incorporated in 1890 and named in honor of Stephen Benton Elkins , a U.S. Senator from West Virginia. The population was 7,032 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Randolph County...
.
He lives in Walkertown, North Carolina
Walkertown, North Carolina
Walkertown is a town in Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Piedmont Triad. The population was 4,009 at the 2000 census.It is named after an early resident.-Geography:Walkertown is located at ....
.
Albums
| Year | Album |
|---|---|
| 2001 | Life Of Riley (Yodel Ay Hee) |
| 2006 | Long Steel Rail (Sugar Hill) |
Collaborations
| Year | Album |
|---|---|
| 2002 | Appalachian Roots with Ira Bernstein Ira Bernstein Ira Bernstein is a dancer and teacher in the United States who specializes in traditional American dance forms such as Appalachian-style clogging, flatfoot dancing, tap dance, and step dancing. He is considered an authority on clogging, and the leading figure in this dance style... (Yodel Ay Hee) |
| 2004 | Going Home Shoes with The Lonesome Sisters (Tin Halo Music) |
| 2010 | Long Time Piedmont Pals with Kirk Sutphin (Old Blue Records) |
Other appearances
| Year | Album |
|---|---|
| 1986 | Old Time Music From North Carolina The Old Hollow String Band (Flyin' Cloud) |
| 1994 | Ready To Roll by The Red Hots (Fire Ant Music) |
| 2001 | Salt Sea Bound by Polecat Creek Polecat Creek Polecat Creek is a folk band based in North Carolina. It was formed in the mid-1990s by Kari Sickenberger and Laurelyn Dossett, after they met at a book club in Greensboro, NC. They have released three CDs: Salt Sea Bound , Leaving Eden , and Ordinary Seasons .Polecat Creek won the neo-traditional... (Yodel Ay Hee) |
| 2002 | Grandpa's Favorites by Kirk Sutphin (Old 97 Wrecords) |
| 2003 | Rare Rags & Stringband Blues by Adam Tanner & The Dirty Rag Mob (Old 97 Wrecords) |
| 2003 | Cold Mountain: Music from the Miramax Motion Picture Cold Mountain (soundtrack) Cold Mountain is the original soundtrack of the 2003 film Cold Mountain starring Jude Law, Nicole Kidman and Renée Zellweger.The album won the BAFTA Award for Best Film Music and the World Soundtrack Award for Best Original Soundtrack of the Year in 2003... (Sony) |
| 2004 | Time Again by Dirk Powell (Rounder Records) |
| 2005 | Come to the Mountain: Old Time Music for Modern Times (Rounder Records) |
| 2005 | Leaving Eden by Polecat Creek Polecat Creek Polecat Creek is a folk band based in North Carolina. It was formed in the mid-1990s by Kari Sickenberger and Laurelyn Dossett, after they met at a book club in Greensboro, NC. They have released three CDs: Salt Sea Bound , Leaving Eden , and Ordinary Seasons .Polecat Creek won the neo-traditional... (Yodel Ay Hee) |
| 2006 | The West Was Burning by Martha Scanlan Martha Scanlan Martha Scanlan is a bluegrass singer-songwriter. She is originally from Minnesota and has been featured on the Woodsongs Old-Time Radio Hour and the Cold Mountain soundtrack .-External links:* *... (Sugar Hill) |
| 2005 | Ordinary Seasons by Polecat Creek Polecat Creek Polecat Creek is a folk band based in North Carolina. It was formed in the mid-1990s by Kari Sickenberger and Laurelyn Dossett, after they met at a book club in Greensboro, NC. They have released three CDs: Salt Sea Bound , Leaving Eden , and Ordinary Seasons .Polecat Creek won the neo-traditional... (Yodel Ay Hee) |
| 2007 | Raising Sand Raising Sand Raising Sand is a collaboration album by rock singer Robert Plant and bluegrass-country singer Alison Krauss. It was released on October 23, 2007 by Rounder Records... by Alison Krauss Alison Krauss Alison Maria Krauss is an American bluegrass-country singer, songwriter and fiddler. She entered the music industry at an early age, winning local contests by the age of ten and recording for the first time at fourteen. She signed with Rounder Records in 1985 and released her first solo album in... and Robert Plant Robert Plant Robert Anthony Plant, CBE is an English singer and songwriter best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the iconic rock band Led Zeppelin. He has also had a successful solo career... (Rounder Records) |
| 2009 | Frolic in Round Peak by Kevin Fore (Round Peak Banjos) |
| 2010 | Country Music Country Music (Willie Nelson album) - Personnel :* Willie Nelson - vocals; gut string acoustic guitar* Jim Lauderdale - vocal harmonies on 1, 2, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15* Buddy Miller - electric guitar; vocal harmonies on 5, 6, 8, 9* Chris Sharp - acoustic guitar; vocal harmonies on 11... by Willie Nelson Willie Nelson Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized... (Rounder Records) |
| 2010 | Live & Lively by the New North Carolina Ramblers (Old Blue Records) |
External links
- Riley Baugus official site
- Riley Baugus MySpace page
- Appalachian Roots
- [ Allmusic entry]
Listening
- "Banjo Master Baugus Looks to Old Times", by Noah AdamsNoah AdamsNoah Adams is an American broadcast journalist and author, known primarily for his more than thirty years of experience on National Public Radio. A former co-host of the daily All Things Considered program, he is currently the senior correspondent at the network's National Desk...
, from Weekend Edition Saturday, September 1, 2007 - "Riley Baugus on Mountain Stage", from Mountain StageMountain StageMountain Stage is a two-hour music radio show, first aired in 1983, produced by WV Public Broadcasting and distributed worldwide by National Public Radio and the Voice of America's satellite radio service. Hosted by Larry Groce, the program showcases diverse music, from the traditional to modern...
, August, 2009