D. Ray (1927-1985) and son Jesco (1956 - ) of The Wild Whites in WV

Both father and son being very talented but extemely self-destructive outlaws whose life stories are told and retold. This clip is from Talking Feet by Mike Seeger, a 1987 Smithsonian documentary, see: • Mike Seeger's Talking ...

6/17/2009 - Son Jesco performing at the Mountain Homeplace near Paintsville, KY • Jesco White, Obama Gir...
• Video
The Whites Backstory: • The Wild and Wonderful... (4 minutes)
Diirector Julien Nitzberg with producers Johnny Knoxville and Jeff Tremaine www.viddler.com... (33 minutes)
The lives of dancer Jessco White and the man who inspired him; his father, D. Ray White -- White Lightnin trailer www.traileraddi... As a boy Jesco was in and out of reform school and the insane asylum for taking drugs, stealing lighter fluid and for his wild behaviour. To keep him out of trouble, his daddy D-Ray taught him the art of mountain dancing.
This clip is from: "Talking Feet" documentary - • Video • Video
Also from Talking Feet: • Video
Talking Feet: Solo Southern Dance: Buck, Flatfoot and Tap
Copyright: 1987, 2005, Smithsonian Institution - 87 minutes, Color
www.folkstreams...
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Cleary and Harding - Up and Over It: • Video
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Traffic Maestro Tony Lepore, a dancing cop • Traffic maestro Tony L...
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Appalachian Journey
Copyright: 1991, Association for Cultural Equity
58 minutes, Color
www.folkstreams...
Alan Lomax travels through the Southern Appalachians investigating the songs, dances, and religious rituals of the descendents of the Scotch-Irish frontiers people who have made the mountains their home for centuries. Preachers, fiddlers, moonshiners, cloggers and square dancers recount the good times and the hard times of rural life. Performances by Tommy Jarrell; Janette Carter; Ray and Stanley Hicks; Frank Proffitt, Jr.; Sheila Kay Adams; and Ray Fairchild, the man reputed to be the fastest banjo-picker in the world.
Hank III - The Legend of D. Ray White
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• Video
Live 11/10/09
• Hank III - The Legend ...

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wildandwonderfu...

7/13/2008
www.register-he...
4/22/10
• Trailer: The Wild and ...
6/20/09
• Jesco White, Obama Gir...
1/23/07
• Jesco white - one of t...
8/22/06
• Video

• Video

• Video

• JULIEN NITZBERG: The W...
• Trailer: The Wild and ...

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• JESCOFEST the movie! ...
(7 minutes)
In August of 2006, a diverse tribe of over 40 bands from all over the world descended on the small remote mountain town of Hinton, West Virginia for a 2 day benefit concert to honor the one & only Dancing Outlaw Jesco White.

• Video
• Video

• Jesco White Gives Jail...
• The World According to...
• Jesco White - White Ch...
• Dancing Outlaw Jesco W...

www.dancingoutl...

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The saga of the rebel White family unfolds against this backdrop of corporate corruption, pollution, criminal negligence and disregard for human life that's every bit as dark and dirty as a lump of coal.

As Julien opines, "The Whites represent a part of America the media avidly avoids. Poor and with no ability to buy into the American dream (or interest in buying into mainstream values), they are the part of our country that is too often demonized or stereotyped. They live in a world of rural poverty that has bred a cycle of dependency and criminality. These are people with no options at all but who have taken this lack of hope and stood up to it in the only way they saw as possible-creating a badass outlaw persona that thrives on romanticized self-destructive behavior."

As among urban people with no options, when times get tough (which is most of the time), the women take charge. They have to, in part, because all of the alpha men are busy killing each other.

Not that "The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia" is a tragi-comic, anthropological portrait of an all-American family run by a gang of rebel women... Source: www.examiner.co...

[@Hazewhite81]

I'm the little kid at the end .this is my grandpa. My dad's father. He adopted me when I was 12 days old.

[@chadhall5091]

No one cares

[@chinqupinchatter9485]

His joy and familiarity with the music is evident!!! I feel much the same way when I listen to my favs ( mostly 80’s rock). But the same joy is apparent! Thx for sharing this!

[@erichudnall6841]

Man, Im from a little spot called Holly Grove in the Paint Creek holler in WV, this reminds me of my childhood to the point that I have tears in my eyes. We need to do more to preserve this art form, he was truly an original. I live in Indiana now, and this made me miss my family, Im getting ready to go see em. And, we care man, dont listen to Chad.........no one cares that you dont care CHAD.......***k Chad

[@chadhall5091]

@@erichudnall6841 , Donald White wears Tighty Whiteys and Gives me The Squirts 💩💩

[@benwagoner8306]

You have good blood in you. Hope you dance like you grandaddy wanted. Your grand and Jesco's dancing is captivating. Bless

[@lauracarnes4007]

This man was a national treasure who developed this art form tremendously. New moves and integration of storytelling. Gone too soon. :(

[@Hazewhite81]

@@lauracarnes4007 your absolutely right gone to soon . Great story teller

[@margaretdecker4861]

Love to watch this man dance! Puts his heart and soul into it. Miss him.

[@salsa4everable]

What's rarer than such talent? The authenticity behind it. Thank you D. Ray and Jesco.

[@Hazewhite81]

Author was Mike seeger Bob seegers brother

[@houstontexas459]

THE LEGEND OF D RAY WHITE WILL NEVER DIE LIKE THE REBELS YELL AN OL JESCO'S DANCIN IN HIS DADDY'S SHOES

[@basmiper5281]

Hank 3

[@markpatrick9675]

D ray dancing makes me happy😊❤ be at peace d ray:

[@JohnEdwinentertainment]

What a master ! Total devotion to the music !

[@smike-lz8uf]

Love this beautiful man and his gangly arms!

[@Luke-rt9bx]

I’m Canadian so we don’t have any mountain style dancing here and I don’t live in the country but this here makes me wish I grew up with the whites this is awesome

[@Hazewhite81]

Lol we are one of a kind family. I can say that

[@portcityminis]

Authentic amazing American talent. He dances from the heart.

[@alpinetimes]

D. Ray killing it!

[@stormbringercoming8105]

To quote Jerry Lee Lewis describing himself…”Talent. Pure God given talent!”

[@CadillacL]

I have Talking Feet. Watching D. Ray on there was amazing. :)

[@rogerrabbit58]

THIS IS A TALENT THAT I HAVE NOT SEEN SINCE I WAS A SMALL CHILD ... AROUND THE CAMPFIRE WITH ALL MY COUSINS !!!!!

[@BlooDCoNcReTe]

Talent personified

[@paule799]

THAT'S THE REAL DEAL RIGHT THERE LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!

[@harlembofill4206]

That B's

[@greenbeagle13]

Love this.

[@captainactionman01]

D. Ray White was a genius. Pure & simple. I could watch this man dance all day long.

[@davidirwin1549]

I wish I could find out more about D. Ray and his wife and their generation in Boone County and those that came before them.

[@larryturner2830]

Excellent!!

[@tfries1607]

that is pure and beautiful talent. big time respect.

[@tonyastokes349]

I have looked at this movie about100 times.

[@dbd1353]

+Tonya Stokes me too..

[@SandyzSerious]

@@dbd1353 Me three.

[@missionaries7575]

So good

[@frank61ism]

THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN GOOD TO SHOW AT THE END OF THE MOVIE, 'DELIVERANCE' . NO DISRESPECT . I LIKE THIS DANCING.

[@Hazewhite81]

Well to be honest what you talking about. How would this match up with deliverance?I don't get it

[@Techfree815]

A special Man.

[@davidgenovesemr4012]

Oh hell yeah!

[@jayMaze5]

That was very good. Real Talent!

[@Irishrogue61mak3]

I fucking luuuurve it..!!

[@ramjamfull5]

that man should have been a star

[@PheNom1466]

He got killed right when he was taking off

[@Hazewhite81]

He was on his way to Vancouver canada to do a Levi garrett commercial when he got murdered

[@marycordova-de7bx]

Love every second of D Ray White and his family's outstanding genius yes sir I may be from New Mexico number 1 OUTLAW STATE in the country but D Ray White and Jesco and the entire White Family are my kind of people including Hank 3 love to party with them folks if I am to be so honored. Lemme hear an amen and a loud Rebel yell.

[@FloridasCracker]

That's great !!

[@AliceInChains243]

For the record, that’s Donald White (his grandson) pictured there with him at the end, not Jesco.

[@edwardsexperience6234]

Awesome! Incredible! Just really cool!

[@victormaslo3830]

now I know where Jed Clampett got ALL his dance moves from!

[@wolfewolf339]

The world best it,s a legend.

[@junkboxxxxxx]

The Book inspiration for my tappng today

[@anthonystrother2381]

This right here is exactly what’s missing in America right now.

[@Irishrogue61mak3]

The CPS took her baaaaaaaby. She's cryin.....HER..!!

[@seanthebaptist6757]

Y'all don't have FIESTAS?

[@JeffreySings]

HELLO... WHY'S IT ON YOUR SIGN IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT COULD YOU REPEAT THAT ORDER BACK TO ME (drives off) RENEE rubs belly as RENEE tanner and Chad uncomfortably speak to her thru the window THEY TOOK HER BABY SHE HAD HER BABY CPS....TUK..IT SHE'S CRYING HER.

[@JeffreySings]

While both are high on narcotics on their way to taco bell ... kirk, EVEN THE HOSPITAL SAID THIS WAS UNUSUAL ... Sue Bob THIS JUST AIN'T MAKING NO SENSE TO ME lol

[@Tricey.89]

My FAVORITE part lol

[@wademorgan8464]

“Y’all have mozzarella cheese sticks?”

[@archstantonfart8561]

The best

[@SandyzSerious]

He sure could dance, and he made beautiful children.

[@coreyhall1150]

Uuuuuhhhhhh lmao. I guess. Smh.

[@ericlee419]

lets go back in time

[@aleciastarseeds1557]

Love this

[@riserobert7822]

RIP Mr Happy Feet

[@MENFUSSMIKE]

Gawd Damn. D RAY! AMEN

[@sharonbrewer1956]

My pawpaw could dance like that. R.I.P pawpaw

[@texas3334]

Amazing

[@jackspake1808]

And that my friends is how its done.

[@SivSeran]

Hmm, now I have to watch all videos of him. This is kind of addictive to watch. I never thought these kind of dance could be so entertaining. Anyone got some input regarding other flat foot dancers from the US? Thx

[@Hazewhite81]

This kid is me in 1984 85

[@hellbillykyboy]

i wood love to learn this to pay homage to my hillbilly family. im a hillbilly but they was there during the true times of the South and the Mountain culture i made up my own style but I love this

[@BuddhatheBlackDog]

👍🏻. Been gone done that in Ireland for a century.

[@OG-Ghost33]

D Ray White probably been a helluva basketball player

[@sonofsaloman1940]

Allah bless him i love u ray

[@maconsumner]

1625 was the start of when the biggest amount of Irish came here, as slaves brought by the English when king James II was trying to depopulate Ireland. Point of fact, slavery was not a black thing when it first came to be in the Americas. Granted, we were not yet a nation at that time, but the Irish were treated horrifically by slave holders of the day, who were mostly Spanish and Portuguese. They call it the first Irish migration, but what it was is quite a bit different than what many think

[@ILoveMyOrchids]

maconsumner, there were NO Irish slaves. 1) Irish CHOSE to travel to America (vastly different from being kidnapped from their country). 2) Irish were PAID. Pittance, yes, but they received money for their toil. Their servitude ended within a set period of time. Their children and children's children for multiple generations were not BORN into unpaid toil. That enabled them to eventually BUY property, get an education, prosper etc. It's completely ignorant to compare the Irish indentured servant experience with the black slave experience as if they were somehow equal!

[@NatsumiTakanawa]

Joey King - ok boomer.

[@thehungrylittlenihilist]

Being born Irish did not automatically make one a slave. Most Irish "slaves" were indentured slaves or penal slaves, whose children would be born free even if the parents weren't. It was never illegal to teach the Irish to read, like it was black Americans, nor was there ever an attempt to use theology to justify that God made the Irish to be slaves, which were both reality for Black people. See, various slave laws prohibiting teaching black people to read, with the punishment of hanging them, or the Mississippi Articles of Secession, which claim that God created black people to pick cotton. African slaves also have more to do with the development of clogging and tap dancing than whatever River dance shite you've been watching.

[@cowboy8485]

My great great grandfather Sheamus Left Ireland in 1825 and arrived by boat in liberty city he was stunned I'm mean he'd heard about this magical place with like gold coins and gay unicorns of rainbow and policeman didn't where trousers but instead found a sweat shop and factory .

[@amycorreia4522]

Love

[@matthewbutler6420]

The name of this song is "Reuben" by flatt and scruggs.

[@scallewag1]

awesome footwork sacallewag1

[@joshlittle40]

now i want whiskey and beer , shine chaser

[@donaldwhite91]

This is my grandpa Donald ray white.yes he is Irish and Scottish.I Rember grandma telling me. My Grandpa was one of the best dancers .to ever come out of WV.he was about to make a trip.He was going up to Vancouver.to do a Levi garret commercial.They already sent him a half down payment. He was getting ready to hit it big. Very,very ,Very smart man. ALL TO BE SHOT DOWN IN COLD BLOOD. the dude did 5 years and got out.He shot my grandpa and two of my uncles . Took a life time away from my family,and myself. the man got out of prison .he ended up dieing a few years ago. Cancer, my grandpa was dieing with cancer .when he got murdered.he had the bag on his side . Put I bit none of you wouldn't have new that. I wanted bring that out to the table. its like u got me but what's killing me will kill u in the end . I'm a bad writer no expert here lol thanks

[@wolfenzero70]

thanks for telling this ... i loved the Doc called Talking Feet thats when i took the interest , a Folk Dancing , Possibly Derived from Irish Jig like Dancing, Ive Seen The Wild and Wonderful Whites , as what I heard the producers did not show all of it , the good side , just wild side , and most of the family wasnt pleased beacuse of it , I saw bits and Pieces of in between stories docs of Jesco, and of Course White Lightnin , which sound like they Exploited your Uncle ,, your the Son of who ? if you could tell .. your family is like our family here in North Country of New York , Farm Country, up near canada ,

[@marksnexus]

Donald White respect 🇺🇸

[@raymondmccomas3710]

Donald White ! You are a good man !! From Kentucky

[@stalstonestacy4316]

Your pawpaw was a great dancer. I remember watching him dance when I was a child. My granny and pop would take us around to all the festivals and anywhere there was music and dance going on. They wanted us to know our culture and roots. I didsome clogging in my younger years but time take a toll on some of us and I mostly just square dance now. Arthritis hit me a little early but I will always dance as long as i can walk

[@ashunderwood88]

Dang that's a terrible story. We have so few truly artistic pol in this world. To have his huge personality snuffed out like this is a perfect example of unfair. That's a huge loss. =/

[@DScottWhitaker]

Very talented dancer!

[@jhonnyfoxx5127]

They broke the mold When Lord made him. Though jesco still keeping his legacy alive. Bottoms up Little mountain dew Cheers

[@Gods-bad-boy]

FREEDOM BABY!!!!

[@quotemenot7000]

That was cool af 🤟

[@scottallen8607]

D RAY ... get on with your bad self..

[@NathanWayneMiller93]

D Ray could anticipate where the rhythm was and when/when not to tap with it. Jesco just clip clops around like a drunk.

[@kaylacarpenter272]

I wouldn't go that far. I mean, he IS a drunk, drug addict, but that's not all he is. He obviously is talented. I wouldn't say what he does, is necessarily clip clopping around like a drunk.

[@gabrieladerre2862]

This is the sort of thing that makes me proud to be a Southern boy! I wish that Jesco would take the time and opportunity to teach even just a handful of (younger) people everything that he knows about dancing! It's sad to think that this art, this part of our cultural heritage, is fading!!!

[@coreyhall1150]

Same with moonshiners and musicians too.

[@gettingseriousgettingolder3011]

A gift from God!

[@josecortez5213]

fucking hard!!!

[@maconsumner]

Yup, but us Anglos can still appreciate him.

[@ibtaba]

He had a real talent.

[@2bookworm1953]

I'd call this Tennessee Clogging...only with style! Yehaaaaa!

[@rugger104]

He could dance like that in the CE-ment pond.

[@chestercopperpot9459]

Anytime someone ask me what a double super buzz is, I show them this video

[@metagore08]

Get it

[@born4thstime]

He was pretty good!!

[@davidarneson7682]

Peregrine White was the first child born to the Pilgrims in the New World. His parents, William and Susanna White boarded the Mayflower with their son Resolved. ? Susanna gave birth to Peregrine on November 20, 1620, while the Mayflower was anchored in Provincetown Harbor. Pilgrim Hall in Plymouth, Massachusetts owns and exhibits the cradle of Peregrine White. ? William White died the first winter. Susanna White married fellow Mayflower passenger, Edward Winslow. In 1636, the family moved to the new settlement of Marshfield. ? Peregrine married Sarah Bassett in 1648. He built the Marshfield homestead just before his marriage, and lived there until his death in 1704. Six generations of Whites lived in the homestead. ? The Peregrine White Homestead is located at the former mouth of the river overlooking the Rexhame Dunes.

[@nevertoopoortotour.3033]

What's up cousin

[@acemechanical275]

Jesco is a fine mountain dancer, but he, nor anyone else, comes close to his daddy. That’s not a put down, D Ray was just that good.

[@JediWebSurf]

Where's jesco?

[@CadillacL]

@rhmooney3 Some of the best dancers around. Whenever I'm on youtube, I'm always lookin for clips of folks (all ages) who mtn. dance.

[@Amoeba744]

True talent

[@jessemorgan8455]

Double super buzz

[@Travel_Geek_Channel]

I want to learn this dance properly.

[@RameyRocks]

I wonder if he was a hellraiser like his kids? Just curious. That's some pretty good dancing right there.

[@eddyflo2978]

Sage level

[@oliviamikel5417]

What a talent! And he's so graceful like a dancer. Can't believe those hillbillies up there go around shooting each other. What a waste. RIP D. Ray.

[@gerardomendoza6301]

That's cause they're man enough to have guns unlike you liberal yippies.

[@bobscar327]

So...this is what these folks do...that's it!

[@samanthab1923]

So he supported his family this way? What happened to them after he died or were they always wild?

[@dougrobertson1434]

His shadow has trouble keepn up

[@megaflex48]

i like this video if you watch old sammy davis jr its the same thing.this white man was dancing with soul just like the black tap dancers. we have so much in common why are we still haten???

[@tommytwomommy]

Kj Hammerman old white and black people are so similar. Food,music etc

[@BL-wh2ux]

KJ Hammerman THANK GOD someone else gets it! Rock n Roll, funk, rap, etc all exists because old white music (gospel, bluegrass, and country) and old black music (gospel, blues, and jazz) finally decided to "fuck and get it over with"; and the child was absolute perfection. The GRANDchild however, not so much.

[@rickyabney7650]

All this looks like is he's killing bugs!

[@ldbenj]

This is truly impressive. Unfortunately, the son isn't one-tenth the dancer his father was.

[@seanthebaptist6757]

0:04 I thought he was gonna C Walk for a minute

[@JuanDeSoCal]

Lol @ that

[@mikelong3702]

get down son.

[@laterdudesaint]

My best old pal is rd white. Had a pistol that was dorceys. Whites are musicians - film makers, artists , and many Are far from stereotypical.

[@lukedrey4526]

whats the name of this song?

[@matthewbutler6420]

Reuben by flatt and Scruggs

[@spayspay]

That little boy isn't Jesco. He was probably an adult by then.

[@maconsumner]

That could be, I don’t know his heritage but, it was my understanding that the majority of the traditional mountain people of West Virginia were Scots Irish. It was my understanding that they migrated from the 5 points area of NY in the 1850’s to the mountains because of a number of reasons. Whether that is true of his forbearers or not, I don’t know, but a interesting subject.

[@GenX...MCMLXV]

That would be Scotch-Irish

[@kennethmatthew9638]

I want some white lightning

[@billeemusic]

@clemenza1234 I suppose you watch Jersey Shore though, right?

[@dogtown128]

this man didn't live long ,my grandpa was born 1910 and died 2015

[@user-kl4de9xv4s]

You are right he did not live long, because he was shot in the chest with a shotgun when he was 58. Glad to hear your grandpa lived a long life but its a bit hard to live through a shotgun blast to the chest.

[@cynmurph]

thats how the spounge bob dance originated