I took this photo of Janette Carter in December 2005 as she sat on the stage at the Carter Family Fold waiting for the evening's show to begin. It isn't the greatest picture ever taken but I feel that it really shows this wonderful woman's personality. I had the privilege of speaking with Janette on several occasions, and although she didn't really know me, she always treated me as if I was her best friend. But then she treated everyone that way.
If you're interested, following the picture I have posted a short summary of a few articles that I have written about Janette over the last couple of years.
When the Carter Family drove to Bristol, TN in July of 1927 to record what is now referred to as "The Bristol Sessions" for the Victor Talking Machine Company (later RCA), they had no idea that they would later be credited with the creation of "Country Music". They were simply responding to ad in the newspaper placed by Ralph Peer, a record executive from New York who was coming to Bristol in an effort to record some traditional Appalachian music.
Their music was simple, yet beautiful and compelling, and their musical style has influenced the development of several musical genres. Virtually everyone who has ever picked up a guitar has played Mother Maybelle's "Wildwood Flower" at one time or another.
A.P., Sara and Maybelle never got rich from their music. Million dollar record deals and $75 concert tickets didn't exist during their day. But their music still lives on, thanks in large part to A.P and Sara's daughter Janette.
Shortly before A.P.'s death in 1960, he tearfully asked Janette to do whatever she could to keep the Carter Family's music and "mountain music" in general alive. She said "I'll try, daddy". To that end, she and her "baby brother" Joe built the Carter Family Fold out of logs dragged down from Clinch Mountain on the Carter homestead in Hiltons, Virginia.
The Fold looks a lot like a large barn on the outside, but inside there is a large stage and comforatable seats for about 1,000 visitors - each of which is almost always used with others standing or sitting in folding chairs during the Saturday evening performances.
With the Carter name and her amazing talent, Janette had many opportunities to go to Nashville where she surely would have become a big star in the modern Country Music world, but she chose instead to stay behind in "Poor Valley" where she could raise her children in a country Christian home and "keep daddy's music alive". She spent her life working in school cafeterias and sewing factories, making a meager living for her family.
Saturday nights were all about the music. For over 30 years, Janette and Joe started each show by singin' and pickin' a couple of old Carter Family tunes. Then Janette would welcome the evening's band onto the stage, but she would sit behind them during the entire show (7-10pm) to ensure that there would be no cussin' and no dancin' to gosple songs.
She had a hard and fast rule against electric instruments on the Carter Fold stage. All instruments must be accoustic in keeping with the old-time traditions. The only two exceptions she ever allowed were when Johnny Cash and Marty Stuart performed benefit concerts at the Fold.
Janette never had her sights set on getting rich from the Carter Fold. In fact, after paying the bands, employees and various expenses she made very little from the weekly shows. At a mere $5 per ticket (just $1 for kids), there was little left over each week after paying the expenses. For Janette, the Carter Fold had just one purpose: to help her keep her promise to her dying father to keep her family's music alive. And she did that faithfully, with grace and dignity for over 30 years.
Janette Carter passed away on January 22 at the age of 82. She was the last surviving member of the original Carter Family. Her daughter Rita Forrester has promised to keep the Fold operating in keeping with Janette's wishes, carrying on her mother's solemn promise to her grandfather.
