Somewhat strangely, the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame is just now getting around to inducting opera great Eleanor Steber. (Maybe if she'd played a banjo?) Among others inducted this year are Peter Marshall (every bit as adept at singing as game show hosting. . .and then some), the legendary Swan Silvertone Singers (formed in a coal mine), traditional country duo the Goins Brothers, and Ada "Bricktop" Smith! And if you don't know who she is, then you just don't know your 20th Century French cultural history. There's also a couple of latter-day "uptown country" singers whose names elude me for the nonce. And, perhaps. . .forever.
The 2013 Spirit Award will be presented to Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr. He's that vg Sinatra-inspired (but not copycat) singer who won on America's Got Talent a few years ago.
It all happens in my hometown of Charleston on Nov. 16th. Wish I could be there.
Maybe an award some day for all the great record stores in Charleston that kept the music flowing when there was still actual music?, i.e. Galperin's, Londeree's, Haynes' (where I bought my Kiz Harp and Beverly Kennedy LPs in high school), Race Record Shop, etc.
UPDATE: You can catch this 11/16 event on West Virginia PBS streaming site . Impressive presentation right down to mention of my childhood mentor, Hugh McPherson.
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