Raw & Real Old Time Bluegrass Fiddler. Lucky Me To Have Filmed Him In 1965

American homegrown bluegrass music. Country music. Mountain music. Old time music. Appalachian music at its best. I can't say enough about it except I love it and have since I was a young filmmaker back a long time ago. In this scene you are watching Lost John- the fiddlin man from Wilkes County, NC
The time was 1965. I was a 23-year-old filmmaker making my first documentary for television. I had never been to the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina but I knew that the music was great from hearing it on the radio where I grew up in Levittown, Long Island. I wrote to 80 year old Bascom Lamar Lunsford after I read an article in Time magazine and asked him if I could come down and make a "movie" with him.
I took my 1st plane ride and rushed to Bascom's home. He and his wife Freda took me around those mountains and introduced me to fantastic musicians, storytellers, singers, and dancers. This is one of the places Bascom first took me. A sweet and beautiful scene developed and I tried to film it all. I spent weeks filming with Bascom and his wife Freda, filming with a 16 mm sound camera and a friend carrying a Nagra audio recorder.
In the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina clog dancing had an important part of social gatherings, community events and local celebrations. It was historically a way for communities to come together, share stories, and pass down traditions through generations.
Clog dancing has deep roots in the region. This energetic and rhythmic dance style is a blend of several European and African-American influences, including English, Scottish, Irish, and African dance forms. Clog dancing typically involves intricate footwork, heel-and-toe tapping, and syncopated rhythms, making it visually and aurally engaging.
My one hour film ran in the primetime in 1965 and got the cover i've TV Guide with a fabulous review. Today it is considered a classic and I am proud that so many subscribers and others have chosen to watch it - many more than once. Thank you Bascom Lamar Lunsford and all those who appeared with him in my film.
Some of my subscribers make the comment that they have heard better. Of course this is a matter of personal taste but to me, great bluegrass country mountain fiddling has to be gritty and raw - just like the way Lost John plays it in this sequence. And, respecting Bascom Lunsford who had spent 60 years going around the mountains looking for the best (and he considered Lost John the best) even if I didn't feel the absolute brilliance in this man, Bascom did.
These days some commentators have also described feeling sad that this era is over. Even if they had never been to the mountains to see it, they saw what this film showed as American at a simpler time with teenagers were decent. They Feel badly that this is all gone. I have written some commentators in my responses, just how active clog dancing and all the elements of bluegrass and mountain and old-time music from Appalachia are these days. There are probably more clog dancers who are young today than were active way back when this film was made.
I loved the people of Appalachia who treated me so kindly when I was a young filmmaker and showed me a bit of their ways. I love their music, their dance, their storytelling, their guitar, banjo, fiddle, ukulele, just as I did back when I first heard it as a 16-year-old on late night Long Island NY radio.
I could not be presenting this and other clips without support from my advertisers and I want to thank each of them. Live music Winston-Salem NC. Music in Brevard NC. Bluegrass music Asheville. Biltmore Village Asheville NC. Biltmore estate Asheville. Biltmore house Asheville. Biltmore Village shops. Lazoom Asheville. Folk Center Asheville. North Carolina Asheville Arboretum. Asheville Arboretum. Bascom. Clogging shoes. Clogging. Shania Twain Asheville. Live music Charlotte. Live music Greensboro. Bascom Lunsford Festival.
David Hoffman Filmmaker

[@DavidHoffmanFilmmaker]

Here is my entire documentary. Worth Watching - kzbin.info/www/bejne/nZXScmOprL5-r6s David Hoffman Filmmaker

[@josefinagarza241]

Nice ❤

[@southerntrendkiller2632]

One of the coolest things you’ll ever see is old folks getting together…not knowing one another…and one says ok boys, key of a, start tapping and then a guitar starts and they all just follow along like the song they are playing was written 100 years ago but it’s all just impromptu jamming. It’s amazing how music can just come together that way.

[@doubletake1238]

I would think this group has known each other literally all their lives and are likely kinsfolk.

[@paulagomes3675]

Or “old folks getting together … not knowing one another… 1 says ok boys key of a” and they all start as if they’ve played together all their lives

[@outbacksteakhouseofficial]

Fellow proud southerner here. Please consider the meaning behind your pfp. That flag stands for wealthy elite upper class traitors and it’s a shame that it’s glorified here in the south. We are so much more than a war our region fought on the wrong side of.

[@southerntrendkiller2632]

@@outbacksteakhouseofficial that’s the thing tho…the music can bring people together, but the thought of telling people what to do and think and feel in America does not. I will not consider it, because it’s not a flag, it’s an image of the late, great, Dimebag Darrell, the greatest metal guitarist to have lived, IMO, and my name, is a play on the name of one my favorite albums, the great southern Trendkill, by his band pantera. See if people noticed anything other than what they feel to be hatred, and examined things with a wider lens, they wouldn’t say foolish things, not say what you said is foolish. We live in America, land of the free, home of the brave. And it’s a beautiful place where people, north,south,east, and west, black, white, Asian, and every other heritage have fought and died to protect the very freedom I have to use whatever image I do choose. And to memorialize my favorite guitarist, that’s the one I’ve chosen, and the more people hate it, the better I like it, because it shows me who really has hate in their hearts for the people mentioned before. See, I feel that if you bend the knee to someone because of their feelings, or because it offends them, then those same men and women who fought and died, died in vain. I appreciate your opinion, and the fact that you didn’t try to attack me over it, which is why I explained what the image actually is. But I won’t change, and it won’t change until I’m ready for it. Have a great day.

[@dj_rare80]

@@southerntrendkiller2632 yea see the thing is nobody believes you because you have an image of the treasonous rebel flag in your pic, doesn't matter if there's a famous guitarist in their too. Nobody that isn't at least somewhat sympathetic to racist imagery is going to use that picture. You just came up with that bullshit about Dimebag and soldiers dying to pretend you're not a proud Johnny Reb

[@quietquitter6103]

Please God let this be the heavenly choir that greets me at your gates.

[@nejisgentlefist42]

Amen to that

[@patricialunsford875]

The second man on the left is Bascom Lamar Lunsford he was a lawyer by profession but his love for pure blue grass music took him all over the apalechian country collecting music from every day people and now they have an anual festival in his honor at Mars Hill University in North Carolina he was a cousin in my husband’s line.

[@Stratfan1969]

Fascinating!

[@LazyIRanch]

Thanks for sharing this about your cousin, he sounds like he was an interesting person, and appreciated.

[@lyricwritertoo]

Great info.

[@lrow5416]

How wonderful that you shared those extra details! Thank you!

[@hetrodoxlysonov-wh9oo]

No arguing where they originate from, Lunsford is in Kent, England, Thomas Lungsford 1610 - 1653 settled in Williamsburg Virginia.

[@pyrografix]

These talented people are a product of a world without the internet, television, cell phones with games on them, etc.

[@nancylangdale5925]

I hope we never lose Bluegrass and Country Music.

[@caligulajodorowsky]

This is great, you can hear the celtic heritage

[@chucklucas8747]

Makes my heart weep for home the blue Ridge mountains

[@bradleybellwether7927]

Back then, schools still taught *all* kids to read music and families would get together after dinner, they'd get their instruments out and play music *...together* It was the popular thing to do, back when fundamental education was a real thing and family was one of the most important things to a person!

[@The11smokey11]

that is some good music

[@theblairbitch1180]

Sweet jesus, that bluegrass sound of the banjo has a special place in my heart. God bless Appalachia💗🌿their accents remind me of my grandparents. I'm proud to still have my family's farm, and friends who love and carry on the culture and traditions.

[@DavidHoffmanFilmmaker]

To still have the family farm is so wonderful. I grew up in blue-collar suburbia and don't have a single object to link back to from that time. It was just the place we were traveling through. I saw so many beautiful family farms in Appalachia. David Hoffman-filmmaker

[@spdkld]

I saw the still picture and knew instantly it was a Hoffman film. Like the clog dancing, a refreshing sequence to take in.

[@76NightProwler]

"Oh play me some Mountain music, like grandmaw and grandpaw used to play..."

[@lyncaho4507]

I was thinking about that same song 😂

[@Johnny.1965]

Mom used to call it "good ole' okie music"...

[@gunners4129]

See that mountain o'er there? Yeah, someday imma climb that mountain 😏

[@antimedia7008]

Man that broke my heart. I wish things were the way they used to be.

[@gailbowman1690]

@@gunners4129 Beautiful memories, haven't heard that song in years!

[@jspyrogram]

Reminds me of my childhood, listening to aunts and uncles

[@shichimenchou9682]

And there's people who tell us that America has no culture of its own

[@avi2578]

Kenji Setou I personally never understood why people say that. Just take a minute to see everything America has to offer and you’d be amazed.

[@AR-ws1gr]

Avi I think people are just angry and divive today. Also it is hard to see it whennits all you have seen

[@sreeshpoudyal807]

@@avi2578 It's just how fish can't see water, or we don't see air. People have so much American culture around them that it just seems normal, but they don't know how different their lives would be without it.

[@dazedconfused2146]

It's a shame really. As a Brit, I can happily agree there's so many uniquely American things which you've brought to the world. Unfortunately though, I think modern America has turned its back on its own culture and heritage. At least that's very much the impression I got while I was visiting the US.

[@charliearnissal113]

I think it might be because geographically speaking, Americans are people who have settled their from all over the world, mainly Europe Correct me if I’m wrong

[@Saffrone221]

Wow 80 years old in 1950. He better had a wonderful life. See you in heaven guys

[@5thcorps]

David, your contribution to preserving and promoting American culture can not be overstated. You are one of my heroes…..

[@alastairmurray5225]

The Ulster Scots influence is strong in this .

[@patrickfitzgerald4189]

There is something amazing about the fact that almost all modern music originates from white folk and black folk playing music in the Appalachian mountains and the deep south. God truly speaks to us in mysterious ways.

[@BushyHairedStranger]

My father worked with the Johnson administration in the war on poverty in college(Friends World College New York) from 1964 on. One project he worked on involved him living with a poor family in Kentucky, a tobacco farmer, share cropper who used mules to plow his fields. They all lived in cluster of outbuildings-cabins all with no running water or electricity. The toilets were outside. They lived up in a ‘Holler’ a beautiful rugged part of Kentucky. Fiddle music was their evening twilight entertainment for centuries. Sad to see any of it lost. Appreciate this video very much. Thank you.

[@karlhermankunz99]

I like this music very much . when i was a boy i liked so much watching the hillbilly bears!!!!!

[@user-lg1cs8ch1f]

My uncle was raised in a rural portion of south east Oklahoma. He lived next door to us my entire life. He died when I was in my early 20s. A banjo was found among his simple belongings. I asked my granny about it ( he was her first born) she told us as a young man he was a very talented musician. She was the only one that new. So sad I would give a lot to hear him play. I understand The Foxfire Museum has reels of this stuff. What a lost art. What a national treasure.

[@teresamellett7758]

Saw that fiddle.True bluegrass music is nothing but pure bluegrass.I come from a foot stomping good time all around music lovers.The fiddle and banjo are all linked to the best music of all time.Good old fashioned foot stomping music.And meth has nothing to do with me and my music I can say proudly.Just some good ole fashioned Bluegrass mucic and I am fine 👍💖❤️♥️👏🎼🎶🎵🎶🎼🎻

[@Archvil1]

KZbin IS GOLD. And person who upload this is NATIONAL TREASURE

[@bigorange000]

Proud to be an Appalachian American.

[@johnnyboync1]

the building of the new highway, I-26, through madison county displaced a lot of old timers, relocated a lot of old cemeteries and took down a lot of old homes. sometimes "progress" just isn't worth it.

[@lucygray6162]

+cruiser I can't even stand to go home to western North Carolina any more, they have moved roads and built and developed to let the tourists have a straight shot from Atlanta to Tennessee, as fast as possible. Little towns are gone, or paved over. But at least we still have the music, thanks to the people who share on here.

[@dianeburnham9336]

you are right!

[@snailtwo]

If we didn't have progress the fiddle would never have been invented.

[@josephrobertson3050]

progress didn't sell out the south, capitalism did. we could use a little bit of real progress down here.

[@billyballard7630]

cruiser to me it's almost criminal

[@catsoandahalf]

Fabulous! That's real down home music!

[@banjoonthelump]

Lost John Ray is legendary up here. Reputed to be the best who ever played in these mountains. I live where he lived (in Wilkes County, NC in the Blue Ridge Mountains) about 60 years ago.

[@DavidHoffmanFilmmaker]

+banjoonthelump Yes for me, I never heard better that Lost John Ray. David Hoffman - filmmaker

[@HickoryJ]

Hey I'm from Deep Gap just over in Watauga County!

[@finnmccool684]

He must be the origin of Charlie Daniels' "The Devil Went Down to Georgia."

[@hilltop521]

As genuine musician as ever nó dramatics just oozing talent

[@rbentrdr]

Can't no fancy book learning teach you how to play like that!!!

[@johnw2026]

True! I'm a musician myself, with a small amount of musical book learning...and if i wanna even TRY to play like that, i gotta forget the book and just feel it!

[@philip6419]

If he went to music school as a boy, the first thing they'd tell him is.. 'You're holding it wrong'. I often wonder how many creative people have been stifled by skoolin?

[@johnw2026]

@@philip6419 yes. From the little bit of formal training I have, I KNOW I play the piano wrong. They say your left hand is to always stay to the left of middle C, and your right hand is to play from middle C up.. I don't care, I play all over! Plus, my posture is all wrong! 😁

[@gxtmfa]

...as a musician, I completely disagree. There are definitely contemporary programs that teach improvisation-based folk musics and things of the sort.

[@fredgarvinMP]

Correct. Only muscle memory acquired through practice, practice, practice can teach you that.

[@yoshewab1639]

I’m proud of my hill people ancestors when it comes to this. Oh man. Very emotional reaction to this. Thanks for yet another upload.

[@freighttrain9667]

Real America at it's finest!!! Love it!

[@tubularguynine]

My dad was a dump truck driver/gunsmith/guitarist/singer who was on a local TV show ‘Alabama Jubilee’ in the ‘60s, and I played with him and three of his second wife’s brothers at family reunions, parties, July 4th celebrations, etc. for almost 20 years. This brings back a lot of memories of those times...thanks!

[@karinatinoco3577]

I lke this king of music ... i am from ecuador . From manabi

[@davekingrey1009]

Music has always been, from the earliest of times, an escape from the harsh realities of life.

[@kiwibushblock2564]

1000th comment! May there be a thousand more .this world is losing the knowledge of true soul and true music

[@NiallMor]

A precious record of a sadly vanished era.

[@Mothman58]

Bro, that’s talent. All of them have it. Bravo!

[@cilantrocircus3942]

I love this so much! I didn't want this to end. Pure, unpretentious, unbridled joy

[@lmf0114]

Speechless.

[@brucecurrier8725]

how lucky to of been able to be born into a family like that, I understand the hardships but that talent in unbelievable

[@dawnnicolas7617]

Beautiful and a look back in time to The good ole days!!! Today's world truly Has nothing on small town American talent and truly genuine People who knew how to have fun without having money.

[@sloanchampion85]

Good ol Southern folks...the best in the world

[@Wrz2e]

Our sisters and brothers 💙

[@jennylee9278]

Those are Appalachian folks; lots different than southern.

[@app4902]

Koley Turner I mean the culture has to be different much less cash crops and plantations. Tennessee was like half confederate

[@app4902]

Koley Turner I’ve been to former union factories in Tennessee. There’s one in Gatlinburg.

[@app4902]

Koley Turner says the one who thinks Virginia culture is the same as Tennessee culture. Someone failed US history

[@sheilabarron4526]

Good days just a sitting in the yard or on the porch just making music Memories Good+fun ones+yes he can play that fiddle ✌💙

[@jamesdunn9714]

Sitting in the yard and playing a tune. Love it !

[@nathanpike1908]

My kind of people and my kind of music. If this world had more old timers like this we wouldn't be in the shape we are now. Honest hard working god fearing people

[@gradenguynn7823]

My people right there and proud of them !!!

[@wavargasmolina]

That is great. Happy people.

[@DavidHoffmanFilmmaker]

Thank you. David Hoffman - filmmaker

[@jimholmes341]

That is incredible David ,that's Bascom Lunsford and his wife on guitar this is the stuff that keeps me playing music!Thank you...Thank you!

[@edwarddeitch8886]

Just pure talent. And probably unknown outside their own community.

[@derbydrifter]

Think I just found something really worth listening to on KZbin. Can't stop smilin' and tappin' my foot.

[@Firekeeper61]

I have family roots in Madison County. I spent alot of wonderful evening's on porches listing to great music. Correct me if I am wrong. "The greatest mountain music ever made was never recorded!!

[@Jleed989]

Gary Justice thank goodness for Alan Jabour and others who made field recordings

[@glennso47]

Gary Justice Probably just as well. The musicians might have gotten the big head and wouldn’t be simple country folks anymore. Then it would be just a big commercial like so much Nashville stuff is these days.

[@ricklanders5645]

Me too...lineage goes back to Madison, NC....and Cherokee Territory....I'm trying to find info on Fiddlin' Buck and the Blue Ridge Mountaineers (Buck was Everett Lundy, son of Emmett Lundy)....

[@lebleb1972]

Sad that these are times of the past. People don't get together likes this anymore or Sunday dinners.

[@shallowaterfishing]

Boy howdy that will put a smile on your face!

[@siggesaltens2663]

this is pure, beautiful life. Salutes from over seas.

[@alexmorris452]

NOW that’s what I call music

[@michaelgoldstein3701]

Great player , and with the best comfortable style to my tastes.

[@QuantumPyrite_88.9]

I bet the fiddle player and the fellow behind him playing banjo are brothers . I'm glad to be an old man and remember jams like these every Saturday night . Girls and women wore dresses and weren't covered in tattoos . Boys were raised to say "yes mam" & "yes sir" . Thanks for the memories David Hoffman .

[@kittykatja5961]

Did most of the mountain people, learn to play an instrument, if so how cool is that, when compared to now. My father was from southern Ireland, he wasn't an educated man, although very sharp and witty, he could play harmonica and accordion, most of my Irish side of the family, could play some sort of instrument or had beautiful folk voices . Went for a holiday in early 2001, it's just a small village in southern Ireland, they had a party in the local pub for us, I think most of the people there were related to us, all of a sudden, two of our cousin's started to play guitar and sing a local Irish song, many others in the pub joined in, one man just drummed away on the pub counter with his hands, but in perfect harmony, it was amazing and the skill and talent took my breath away.

[@osvaldofernandez7932]

True American music.the real stuff!!!!

[@scotishcovenanters]

LOVE THIS!!! I'd like to meet these people. That kind of music comes from happy people.

[@robertbarnes7871]

OMG !!!!! I miss those days 😢😢😢

[@vjohnson2400]

That guy can make his fiddle talk, amazing.

[@josephb4505]

Is the man playing the fiddle blind? Man! Such good stuff. It reminds me of the stories my grandparents told me. Things were a lot different back then. Hard living but simpler.

[@rayoliver7244]

In TENNESSEE we start buckdancin BEFORE we can walk!!

[@claudettesims698]

I think he is blind. Watched the video 2 or 3 times, yes I think he is blind.

[@trevorlahey1956]

What a different time. That slow talking old man at the end. Living in the moment is long gone.

[@HazerBlazer8491]

how beautfiul

[@tonysandoval3799]

This would be an awesome family gathering

[@Dinger154]

Wonderful, just wonderful.

[@harko1962]

That's what music is all bout!!😍

[@itsaguinness]

God bless Appalachia

[@ragsgoshen]

I have family up in the northern part of West Virginia and there was a time when grampa Jones and Minnie Pearl stayed at one of my relatives house when they played at a fair when they were just getting famous..

[@stjohnsriverrat7161]

Excellent video of days gone bye. It must have been great times then.

[@trixier6505]

It was.

[@robertbeaulieu8721]

I love the way you portray the musicians of yesterday, music truly is the one thing that we all have in common on this planet give a listen to one of our great Canadian treasures Mr. Jean Carignan. Please keep up the good work. cheers

[@otfiddler]

Reminds me how my late Alabama fiddler friend Monte Sano Crowder played this tune!

[@deserthighways4095]

These folks are probably dirt poor but they have a joy and they can rest easy with whatever life brings. They have a good life. What do the rest of us have??

[@davidbrown8118]

damn good fiddle player! I would've loved to be there! back when music was music!

[@grrrrr219]

This brings much love 💖💕

[@Luxx24]

I think I recognize some folks from the Best Bluegrass Clog Dancing Video Ever Made! :D Both so wonderful.

[@trixier6505]

Yes! Mr. Lunsford and his wife.

[@stevoschannel4127]

The happiness on that fiddlers face is priceless

[@noless2646]

They aint playing that music they living...

[@larryhagemann5548]

Beautiful people. Thanks, David.

[@VirgilDavis]

Amazing talent....

[@scottyreynolds1494]

That fiddle player is my grandpaw he was the best he died in 1981 I have that fiddle in the video

[@DavidHoffmanFilmmaker]

Interesting. What was his name and where did he live? David Hoffman - filmmaker

[@scottyreynolds1494]

Jessie Radford Ray windy gap nc wilks county

[@randallvandal3000]

Small country towns are disappearing & wonderful people like this I live outside of Knoxville Tennessee & it was farms 20 yrs ago but now it's Wal Marts & other bullshit it's sad

[@skeeterstanley1272]

sad

[@durp2878]

atleast the economy is booming in Tennessee.

[@samirroton7507]

Randall vandal

[@juliaadams2334]

So agree

[@urn1515]

just go to morristown

[@Carla-tz7qw]

We used to get together like this about every 3 or 4 months. Invite friends to bring what they had 2 play All night. Good eats and beer. Just about everyone had to sing, even if they were too embarrassed. Fun times

[@Mandolin1944]

Wonderful view back in time. I consider myself lucky to have seen some of the music played live in 1970 when on leave in the US Army. Amazing videos thanks for your foresight in making these live recordings back in the 1960's!

[@DavidHoffmanFilmmaker]

Thank you sir. I am touched by your comment. david Hoffman - filmmaker

[@claudelavigne174]

Mandolin1944 .

[@francis888ful]

All that talent now gone forever

[@geoffcole6486]

They got more culture than a penicillin factory.

[@mchrysogelos7623]

wow. Not only the fiddler - but ALL the musicians. back in '65, and lots of women playing in the hills longside the men. who says women were 'oppressed'??? Kudos.

[@lennyluzitano8920]

very nice, lots of fun Jamming

[@johannasadventures3467]

I wish i had lived in this era.. Or the 1800's

[@jonduffer4340]

That's how it's done!

[@ladycharsw]

Good old music. My great grandpa played the fiddle around the campfires if the wagon train

[@irlreed3721]

Listen to The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band playing MOUNTAIN WHIPPORWILL. It is about a fiddle player , but it is played by a banjo player on a banjo. You will cry

[@martinderry9045]

.... Happy People Make Happy Music ....

[@mitchmatthews6713]

David, these videos are medicine for me. They totally brighten my day when I'm down. Thanks!

[@irlreed3721]

Pineville, Ky. Mountain Laurel Festival. Moonbow's and Moonshine

[@annieartist3920]

A unique talent!

[@mediamanny53]

Mr. Hoffman love your Americana uploads my friend! Good music all over the heartlands

[@DavidHoffmanFilmmaker]

Thank you Mediamanny. David Hoffman - filmmaker

[@mediamanny53]

David Hoffman thank you