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Welcome to
the Augusta Store!
If you know which item(s) you wish
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We started producing the Augusta Heritage Recordings in
1982 as an effort to document West Virginia’s traditional music.
We now document traditional music and crafts of other cultures, as
well as West Virginia folklore.
From the first solo fiddle
recording of John Johnson to the latest video documentary on the
Civilian Conservation Corps, Augusta Heritage Center recordings
are unique, authentic, and respectful. Our goal is to capture
traditional culture in its many expressive forms and make it
available to a wider audience.
While on campus, you’re always
welcome to visit the Augusta Heritage Center Store. The
store features various productions of traditional music CDs and
cassettes, VHS videos and DVDs, books and prints. Our caps,
clothing, and other apparel also make wonderful gifts for the
entire family.
|
NOW available on DVD
Signs, Cures & Witchery
German Appalachian Folklore
A fascinating glimpse of some
little-known Appalachian beliefs and practices among descendents
of early German pioneers. This hour-long documentary traces
Germanic belief systems from Europe to West Virginia, from the fifteenth century to present practitioners.
Signs, Cures and Witchery opens a window into our ancient past,
revealing the courage, resourcefulness and humor of people whose
survival depended on their ability to "read signs," cure their own
ills, and find explanations for life's mysteries. Local
community practices in West Virginia such as witch doctoring, "belsnickling,"
shanghai," and folk healing are connected to their medieval
counterparts in woodcuts and other works of art. In tracing
immigration to remote mountain communities, we learn how
expressions of folk art and occult belief survive. This work
specifically examines aspects of Appalachian oral tradition and
folklore that draw from German culture. This informative,
entertaining film is an invaluable aid to all who have interest in
religion, psychology, folklore, metaphysical, regional, gender,
and ethnic studies. Produced
by Gerald Milnes.
This film is no longer available in VHS. It
has been
digitally remastered and is now available in DVD.
DVD
–
60 minutes
– $20
Click
HERE
for Dirty Linen review.
NEW -
AUGUSTA MASTER
SERIES DVD
Icy Mountain
The Quirky Fiddling of Leland Hall
Solo Fiddling from
Central West Virginia. Leland Hall plays tunes
and comments on his sources and inspirations
through a 36-minute film. Ten tunes are also
presented in slow motion, standard pitch, for
learning purposes. Produced by Gerald Milnes.
2007.
DVD – $20
NEW - AUGUSTA MASTER
SERIES DVD
Music
of Heaven
Old-Time Music from Coal River Country
The
Music of William Sherman "Junior" Holstein
with Gary Wayne Jordan
Music of Heaven:
Old-time Music from the Coal River Country
features the extraordinary talents of William
Sherman “Junior” Holstein. His nephew and
apprentice, Gary Wayne Jordan, introduces us
to Junior who plays some rare and beautiful
old-time fiddle tunes. He sings several old
songs, words to fiddle tunes, and one original
song to his own musical accompaniment. Junior
visits with other traditional musicians in the
area, describes old-time methods of making
moonshine, and leads us through some of his
own trials and tribulations as he battles
personal demons. The title tune, “Music of
Heaven,” a soulful instrumental, aptly relates
to Junior’s fixation on his prospects for the
afterlife.
DVD
–
60 minutes
– $20
NEW - A production of Augusta Heritage
Center
The 'CC Boys: A West
Virginia Legacy
A documentary film by Robert C. Whetsell
"We cannot
always build the future for our youth, but we
can build our youth for the future."
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
The Civilian Conservation
Corps (CCC) reforested federal and state lands
decimated by forest fires, built fire watch
towers and strung miles of communication lines
between them, helped fight forest fires, built
state park facilities and roads. It gave
employment to thousands of young men in a time
of rampant unemployment, and sent money home
to their families. Many young men were given
the opportunity to learn reading, writing, and
arithmetic, as well as skills such as typing
and woodworking.
"The 'CC Boys left a legacy
that can still be enjoyed all over West
Virginia in the forests they planted and parks
they helped to build. The skills the 'boys in
green' learned cannot be measured, but they
are still evident in the public facilities
they left for posterity; neither can the pride
and teamwork, but both were displayed in their
patriotic commitment during World War II. The
Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) legacy
reminds us of the capacity for good that can
come from an enlightened government policy,
which invests in the development of human
resources and protects the environment.
"This excellent documentary
records the beneficial, and often
unappreciated impact of the CCC on the lives
of West Virginians not only in that time of
economic need but ever since - an uplifting
story well told." - Ronald L. Lewis, Ph.D.,
West Virginia University
Co-produced by Robert C.
Whetsell and Gerald Milnes. Feature film (30
minutes) plus Bonus Features. Color
DVD - $25
NEW
- AUGUSTA MASTER SERIES DVD
That Old-Time Sound
Old-Time Music and Old-Time Ways of Central
West Virginia
Featuring Lester & Linda
McCumbers
Central West Virginia – particularly the
four-county area of Braxton, Clay, Calhoun and
Gilmer – has always been known as a hot-bed of
traditional music and traditions. It has
produced numerous
 outstanding musicians of
note, including French and Ernie Carpenter,
Ward Jarvis, Harvey Sampson, Melvin Wine,
Emory Bailey, Phoeba Parsons, and dozens more.
Lester McCumbers, from Nicut, West Virginia,
is one of the last fiddlers to have had direct
contact with that older generation of
legendary players.
Some rare film shot at the
West Virginia State Folk Festival at Glenville
in 1973 adds an historical glimpse of some of
the film’s older musical performers. Linda McCumbers sings on stage at Glenville and at
recent visits to the Augusta Heritage
Workshops and Concerts. Neighbor Homer Sampson
(filmed by Augusta in 1996) contributes an
Old-World gem of a ballad. A portion of the
film intertwines the music with the strong
tradition of fox chasing and coon hunting,
adding context to the lives of people who are
otherwise known solely for their musical
accomplishments.
From public dancing in the
street at Glenville to music played and sung
on porches and in kitchens, this film presents
folk traditions within a rich cultural
context. Production and DVD authoring by
Gerald Milnes for Augusta Heritage Center.
Cover photo by Dave Savage; cover design by
Sam Linkous.
DVD - 60 minutes.
$20.
The
Cliff-Scaling Soldiers of West Virginia
A Documentary Film by Robert C. Whetsell
In August 1943, while
American and Allied Forces were embroiled in a
titanic struggle against Axis
 powers
in Europe and the Pacific, thousands of US
Army troops began converging upon northeastern
West Virginia's Allegheny and Potomac
Highlands. The backbone of the Appalachian
Mountains, this expansive untamed area, noted
for its savage beauty and rich traditional
culture, unwittingly played host to the US
Army's most unique World War II training
ground until July 1944 - the West Virginia
Maneuver Area.
Set
amidst the backdrop of West Virginia's most
visited scenic recreation areas, The
Cliff-Scaling Soldiers uses rare
photographs, film footage, letters, and
firsthand accounts from participants to
recount this forgotten chapter in the nation's
history. Witness the brutal conditions and
unforgiving hardships endured by Maneuver
soldiers
as they scale the dizzying heights and sheer
rock walls of Seneca and Champe Rocks, ford
the raging waters of Blackwater Canyon, and
negotiate treacherous mountain roadways.
Experience their triumph and tragedy, humorous
and colorful insight, and impacts on the
landscape, people, and folklore of the region.
Edited by Robert C. Whetsell and Gerald
Milnes. Photography by Gerald Milnes. Music by
Jesse Milnes, Gerald Milnes, and Woody
Simmons. 20 minutes, Color DVD -
$20
"One More Time"
The Life and Music of Melvin Wine
Melvin
Wine was never without a song to sing, a story
to tell, or a tune to play, and his familiar
"one more time" still rings in our hearts. He
was born in 1909 at the mouth of Stouts Hollow
in Braxton County, West Virginia. Melvin's
chiseled smile was a very familiar sight
around many West Virginia music
 events
for the 40 years leading up to his death in
2003. How appropriate that he was laid to rest
on the first day of spring just a stone's
throw from his birthplace.
Hundreds
of fiddlers have learned about playing tunes
and living life from Melvin, and through this
project, many more will have opportunities to
continue learning from him.
The
interactive CD-ROM
contains many tunes, stories, and photos, plus
biographical information from Melvin's
remarkable life. A tune can be slowed down or
stopped to allow you to study his playing, his
bowing techniques, or simply to catch the
melody. The DVD
contains four films from periods of Melvin's
life: "Melvin Wine: Old Time Music Maker;" a
film made on his porch at home; a Copen
Community Center jam and dance; and Melvin's
last Augusta concert.
Melvin
Wine won many distinctive awards and honors
and traveled widely because of his music to
events in Washington, Illinois, New Mexico,
New York, and many other places. It wasn't the
places he remembered; it was the people he
met. They, and we, will always remember him.
Finally in 1991, he was honored as a National
Heritage Fellow. The awards weren't as
important to Melvin, as were his many friends.
We're sure he's still humming "In a Land Where
We'll Never Grow Old." In memory of Melvin
Wine: 1909-2003. Executive Producers:
Margo Blevin and Gerald Milnes. Produced by
Jimmy Triplett and Marilyn Palmer Richards
with assistance from many.
DVD and
CD-ROM, 2-disc set $30.
(CD-ROM
is available for
Windows only)
AUGUSTA MASTER SERIES DVD
Fiddlin’
Leo Herron
Leo Herron,
a native of Barbour County, made his mark in
West Virginia’s early country music scene
through playing fiddle and guitar with various
bands on live radio. These shows were produced
at
 WMMN in Fairmont during the early 1940s.
Leo accepted an offer to perform at the
Augusta Heritage Center’s Old-Time Fiddlers
Reunion, and later at Augusta’s Old-Time Week
in 1997. The film from this performance is the
only visual documentation of his considerable
talent. That performance is presented here
along with some audio tunes recorded at Leo’s
home, plus photographs and biographical
information.
Not long before Leo succumbed to cancer in
1998, he accepted an apprentice through
Augusta’s Folk Art Apprenticeship Program.
Chris Haddox made a half dozen or so treks to
Leo’s home before Leo’s death, learning his
style and as many of Leo’s tunes as possible.
Chris plays three of Leo’s tunes on this DVD.
He is perhaps the only person to have learned
some of Leo’s musical secrets.
Augusta hopes that this DVD will add to that
legacy by giving others access to one of West
Virginia’s true master players. Production and DVD authoring by Gerald Milnes
for Augusta Heritage Center. Cover photo and design by Sam L. Linkous.
- 60 minutes, plus music audio clips.
DVD - $15
INSPIRED
FOLK - Outsider
Artists Of West Virginia
This
hour-long film and interactive DVD examines the lifelong work often
exceptional West Virginia artists — their motivations, inspirations,
obsessions and their world view — artists whose work is so unique that
it makes us question all the ways we define art. To find answers the
film takes the viewer deep into the artists' creative spaces and their
minds.
The ten
artists were found in such unlikely places as prisons, senior centers,
remote West Virginia hollows, and the streets of Baltimore. The
art includes the work of a "lifer" in prison, a paranoid schizophrenic, a
reclusive chair maker, expressive wood carvers, an obsessive-compulsive collector, a race-car driver/artist, a junk sculptor, a believer in
faith-healing and more.
A nationally
recognized authority on the subject helps put the work into the context
of folk art in general and specifically outsider art. The resulting film
is a fascinating glimpse into motivations unlike any in the generally
accepted genres of artistic expression.
Co-produced 2004 by Gerald Milnes and Mary Rayme.
57 minutes.
DVD
- $25
Helvetia: The Swiss of West Virginia
From the making of Helvetia cheese to Fasnacht and the
burning of Old Man Winter - experience the Old-World Swiss
traditions as they thrive today in the remote mountain community
of Helvetia, West Virginia.
Descendents of
nineteenth-century Swiss immigrants share and discuss their
music, dance, yodeling, foodways, crafts, customs and
celebrations. Produced by Gerald Milnes. 60
minutes - color. DVD - $25
VHS Videotapes
Fiddles, Snakes, and Dog Days
Old-Time Music and Lore in West Virginia
"They say the fiddle is the devil's music instrument..."
Fiddle music weaves through a fabric of tales, beliefs, and seasonal observances handed down from generation to generation. This film, first in a series of three, offers a glimpse into the living folk culture of West Virginia, presented in its natural setting.
The video features the wisdom and artistry of more than 30 of West Virginia's "state treasures" -- fiddlers, ballad singers, flatfoot dancers, and artisans. Included are both established and previously-undocumented artists, filmed amid the haunting beauty of the Appalachian terrain.
Produced by Gerald Milnes. 60 minutes - color.
VHS -
$25
Click
HERE for Dirty Linen review.
Old-Time
Music Maker
Melvin Wine
Discover the life and
music of master fiddler, master teacher, and
National Heritage Award Winner...Melvin
Wine. Visit him at his home in the majestic
Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia.
Enter another world as you listen to his
compelling stories of "times-gone-by." Tap
your feet to his joyful sounds as they weave
their way throughout this insightful
program. Rejoice with others as you watch
how Melvin's unique fiddling style and
philosophy of life are passed down from
generation to generation. Discover the Old
Time Music Maker...Melvin Wine.
27 minutes - color.
VHS - $25 (only a
limited quantity available).
Twisted
Laurel -
Click
HERE for details
Folk Art, Folklore & Music from the West Virginia Woods Twisted Laurel captures the relationship between the land and the people to whom a rare legacy of art and lore has been passed down. Tales and beliefs, folk art and functional objects, nature's own remedies, and the natural beauty of wood are all woven together like an oak basket, held tightly by a strong thread of ballads and banjo tunes.
Produced by Gerald Milnes. 30 minutes, color.
VHS -
$20
The West
Virginia Hills: A Tribute to the Mountain Dulcimer
In
the early 1990s, the Augusta Heritage Center documented many
older West Virginia dulcimer players and makers at their homes.
The film traces the old world German roots of the instrument
through the collections of Patty Looman and Jim Costa. It
includes footage of traditional players, old dulcimers, and
discussion about the origins of the instrument. It ends
with cameo performances by some of the best players in the
country who have graced the Augusta stage, including Margaret
MacArthur, Lorraine Lee Hammond, and David Schnaufer.
Produced by Gerry Milnes for
Augusta Heritage Recordings
50 minutes. NO
LONGER AVAILABLE IN VHS.
Coming soon on DVD.
NEW!
Double Geared
Lightning
The Story of Legendary West Virginia Fiddler
Wood Simmons
 This
60 minute audio documentary brings you the
life and music of one of West Virginia's
most celebrated mountain fiddlers. Woody
Simmons played music - and played it
superlatively well - from the time he first
took up the banjo at the age of eight until
a few weeks before his death at age 93 in
June 2005. You'll hear from Woody - and more
than twenty other musicians whose lives he
touched. Although he was almost universally
acknowledged by those who heard him as a
genius on the fiddle, he never sought fame
and fortune, preferring to live out his life
in the rural area where he was born. As his
old friend and admirer Buddy Griffin put it:
"Woody may not have wanted to be famous. If
you're famous, everybody knows you, knows
what you do. But if you're legendary, it's
just hearsay, but they know it's true. It's
better for people to say, 'you ever heard of
this fiddler?', and if they never heard of
him, you can tell them things that's not
true. But Woody actually lived up to those
things. Few legendary fiddlers do."
CD
-
$15
OUT OF STOCK
The Simmons Sampler - An Heirloom Collection
 Woody Simmons (1911-2005) was literally a
legend in his own time.
Born in the hills near Becky's Creek in
Randolph County, as a child he began playing
music on a banjo made for him by his
father. By 13, Woody had
saved enough
money to buy a fiddle, and he never looked
back. Music dominated his activities for the
rest of his life. He
fiddled with some of the best, including a
stint on the radio playing with Clayton
McMitchen, and he probably won more fiddle
and banjo contests than anyone in the state.
Woody lived through the period when old-time
music went through a great transformation.
Major innovations occurred in the late
forties, and Woody kept up with these
trends. He never abandoned his old-time
music, though, and could play old tunes in
old styles and tunings on the fiddle right
up until his death. The Augusta
Heritage Center's 2004 Old-Time Fiddler's
Reunion was dedicated to honor Woody's
lifetime of musical accomplishments, and he
performed admirably.
CD
-
$12
20 Years of Irish Music at Augusta - 1983 to 2002
Irish Week concerts recorded live at Augusta Heritage Center
Irish Week at Augusta started in 1982. It was a modest beginning, just three instructors. Liz Carroll,
Billy
 McComiskey and Mick Moloney
taught about 40 students the rudiments of style on fiddle, accordion, mandolin and
tenor banjo. It ended up being so
popular that Irish Week became an integral
part of the Augusta program, and has grown
to become a major institution in the world
of Irish traditional culture in the United
States, attracting enthusiasts from
all over the nation. The tunes on this
double CD were all selected from 20 years of
concert recordings housed in Augusta's
archives in the Booth Library of Davis and
Elkins College. Please consider this
as just a sampler - a taste of Augusta that
offers a glimpse into the delightful musical
evenings that have been enjoyed by thousands
over the years.
Produced by Flawn Williams, original recordings by Flawn Williams and Bill Dudley. Mick Moloney, Consultant. Margo Blevin, Executive Producer.
2-disc set
- $25
Foggy Valley
Traditional Fiddling of Randolph
County, WV (From Field
Recordings)
Click here to read all of the liner notes and credits.
Randolph County fiddling embraces a style and
repertoire commonly found in the southern Appalachians with some
traces of a more localized, West Virginia Style. Several tunes
presented here
 have
old-world sources. Some are from family repertoires that
probably date to the frontier era. Some are more widely known,
regional pieces from the golden age of early country music on
the radio.
Continuing for over two hundred years, dancing
to live music gives purpose and necessity to Randolph County
fiddling traditions. Over the years it took many fiddlers to
fill the bill demanded by active dancing communities.
This anthology presents the current state of
traditional, old-time fiddling in Randolph County. Whether they
are hoe-down tunes, waltzes, hymns, or song melodies, these
tunes celebrate life and commemorate valued subjects in
different ways.
Produced by
Gerald Milnes from field recordings made 1994-1997, with
production assistance from Rachel Nash Law and Susan Rudisill.
Mastering by Flawn Williams. Cover photo by Gerald Milnes.
Graphic design by Mary Rayme. Margo Blevin, Executive Producer.
CD
- $15
Israel Welch - Tearin' Down the Laurel
 Click
HERE for Dirty Linen Magazine review.
A journey up dry run in rural Mineral County, West Virginia, leads to an unpaved road up a hollow, eventually topping up at an old-time mountain farm. Electric power and telephone lines have never made the trip, but many a fiddle player and old-time musician find the hilltop farm enticing. Thousands of fiddle tunes have drifted into the area from the old log homestead that has been home and hearth to the Welch family since the 1830's.
Israel Welch, born in
1912, currently holds dominion over the farm and survives as the
last of several fiddling brothers. Israel's strong bowing
style with clear, delicate, noting complements his amazing
repertoire of reels, hoedowns, waltzes, hornpipes, clogs,
swings, and jigs. These tunes exemplify music he has
performed at hundreds, perhaps thousands of old-time dances in
the upper Potomac Valley. Production and guitar backup by
Gerry Milnes. Field recording and mastering by Flawn
Williams.
CD - $15
BANJO LEGACY- Traditional Music of West Virginia
 For
more than two centuries West Virginia
musicians have quietly passed on their music
and traditions to the coming generations.
This album represents only a moment in that
process. The banjo arrived in what is
now West Virginia before the Civil War,
brought by touring minstrel shows and the
slave trade. While derived from
African ancestors, the five-string American
banjo was truly a new instrument. In
the hills, its arrival brought about a
virtual musical revolution. Listen and
enjoy. That, after all, is what West
Virginia's banjo legacy is all about.
- Produced by Larry Rader and Doug
Hill, originally issued on LP in 1989.
CD reissued 2001
- $15
Melvin Wine - Hannah
at the Springhouse 
Melvin Wine is was born on April 20, 1909 in Braxton County, West Virginia. His
great uncle, Jack Wine, is remembered by county musicians as a top notch fiddler, and Bob wine, his father, was a respected fiddler and is the source of a large part of Melvin's repertoire. Melvin says that most of his older, unusual tunes have come down from his great grandfather, Smitty Wine. Originally produced by Larry McBride and Gerry Milnes, Executive Producer Margo Blevin. Recorded at Copen, West Virginia in 1989 by Larry McBride. Ron Mullennex, banjo and Gerry Milnes, guitar, and banjo on tracks 2, 14, 19. This recording was originally issued by Marimac Recordings in 1989. This reissue is made possible through the courtesy of Marimac Recordings.
-
CD - $15
FOLK MUSIC & LORE OF
THE CIVIL WAR
 Great numbers of popular sentimental,
maudlin, and romanticized songs and
verses
were composed after the Civil War. But this
collection of folk music exhibits the rough
edges of real life. It captures the
disposition of soldiers, the true brutality
of the conflict, and the wry humor of the
subjects. The people who have contributed
their songs, tunes, and stories to this
project represent the folk culture of the
West Virginia region. They have dept this
material in their memories because of their
connection to the people and events in the
stories, songs, and tunes. The affection for
the people from whom they learned the songs
adds endearment and meaning. Field
recordings of songs, tunes, and stories
featuring Melvin Wine, Maggie Hammons, Mose Coffman, and others. -
CD - $15
CASSETTES
 VO
MINE BARGE, Music of Helvetia
Augusta Heritage Recordings continues the tradition of preserving music of the past with the release of From My Mountains - The Music of Helvetia. Helvetia is a small Swiss-American community, first settled in 1869 deep in the mountains of central West Virginia. The people of Helvetia have sustained many of their traditional folkways along with a simple agricultural lifestyle and keen sense of heritage.
From My Mountains features songs that are a part of Helvetia's rich heritage. The cassette is packaged with an illustrated booklet that offers a continuing look at the history and folklore of Helvetia.
-
Cassette $3
SAY OLD MAN
22 fiddle tunes by Glen Smith, from his repertoire of West Virginia and Virginia pieces. With Dwight Diller on banjo and Gerry Milnes on guitar.
-
Cassette
- $3
FOLKSONGS AND BALLADS, Volumes 1 - 4
This anthology runs from the Child ballads with ancient mythological themes from Europe, all the way to Primitive Baptist hymns and topical songs of the 20th century, as sung in the central Appalachian region.
-
Volume 1
Everett White sings 16 unaccompanied songs from family and community sources.
-
Cassette - $3
-
Volume 2
Phyllis Marks presents 25 songs, ditties, recitations, and poems which highlight the wit, humor, and family repertoire of this Gilmer County singer.
- Cassette
- $3
-
Volume 3
16 ballads and folksongs by singers Holly Hundley, Wavie Chappell, Homer Sampson, Hazel Stover.
-
Cassette
- $3
-
Volume 4
Bonnie McKinney, William May, Jim Knicely, Clyde Case present 15 traditional songs.
-
Cassette
- $3
WEST VIRGINIA HILLS -
TRADITIONAL DULCIMER MUSIC
From
dance tunes to hymns, 20 tunes by West
Virginia mountain dulcimer masters Walter
Miller, Reva Fincham, Carl Davis, Freeman
McKinney, and Dena Knicely. -
Cassette
- $3
DELBERT HUGHES: THE HOME
RECORDINGS
24 rare solo
performances from one of the late masters of
the unaccompanied Appalachian fiddle style.
-
Cassette
- $3
FIDDLING OF BURL
HAMMONS: THE DILLER COLLECTION, VOL.1
The first in a series of recordings presenting
old-time music from Pocahontas County, West
Virginia. This series is selected from
recordings made over 25 years ago by Dwight
Diller and includes songs, stories, and
instrumental music. -
Cassette
- $3
OUT OF STOCK
Three of Augusta's original LP recordings
are still available on cassette. The
following cassette tapes are reissued from
LPs, produced by Augusta Heritage Recordings
during the 1980s from studio recordings. A
limited number of these historic titles in
LP format are still available at a special
price while supplies last.
FIDDLIN' JOHN
featuring solo fiddle recordings by
John Johnson of Clay County, West Virginia.
-
Cassette
- $3
BACK
MEMORIES
virtuoso fingerstyle guitar by
Randolph County guitarist Blackie Cool.
-
Cassette
- $3
JUST A DREAM
by blues singer and guitarist Nat
Reese, with Ralph Gordon and Howard
Armstrong on bass & fiddle.
-
Cassette
- $3
LIMITED EDITION PRINT
 "PASSING
IT ON"
|
