Participation Type
Panel
Presentation #1 Title
A glimpse into the ballad tradition of the Hicks' family from Beech Mountain, NC
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
My presentation would focus on the preservation of the balladry tradition in Western North Carolina, specifically Beech Mountain. I will explore the diversity within the ballad tradition through the lens of the Hicks’ family. By tracing the lineage of two of Roby and Buna Hick’s children, the evidence demonstrates that one child preserved the ballad tradition, while another let the tradition fade. Roby and Buna’s children all followed different paths and some preserved the tradition better than others. Dewey Hicks, Buna’s youngest son, was attracted to new modernizations such as the car and country-western music. He allowed for the tradition to mostly fade from his family. Buna’s daughter, Hattie Hicks Presnell, publicly performed ballads and played a key role in their preservation by singing for ballad collectors. She effectively passed on the tradition in her family. Roby and Buna’s family provides a microscopic view into the balladry tradition of Appalachia and its state of preservation in Western North Carolina.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Madison Moss is a resident of Hendersonville, North Carolina, is a senior history major at Mars Hill University and an active Bonner Scholar.
A glimpse into the ballad tradition of the Hicks' family from Beech Mountain, NC
My presentation would focus on the preservation of the balladry tradition in Western North Carolina, specifically Beech Mountain. I will explore the diversity within the ballad tradition through the lens of the Hicks’ family. By tracing the lineage of two of Roby and Buna Hick’s children, the evidence demonstrates that one child preserved the ballad tradition, while another let the tradition fade. Roby and Buna’s children all followed different paths and some preserved the tradition better than others. Dewey Hicks, Buna’s youngest son, was attracted to new modernizations such as the car and country-western music. He allowed for the tradition to mostly fade from his family. Buna’s daughter, Hattie Hicks Presnell, publicly performed ballads and played a key role in their preservation by singing for ballad collectors. She effectively passed on the tradition in her family. Roby and Buna’s family provides a microscopic view into the balladry tradition of Appalachia and its state of preservation in Western North Carolina.
