From The Silva Herald and Rualite: New CD tells county history through song By Lynn Hotaling Local history has now been set to music. A new CD by Balsam Range member Buddy Melton and Nashville, Tenn., musicians Milan Miller and Mark W. Winchester features songs based on Jackson County personalities, places and events, including Samantha Bumgarner, the 1940 flood, the Jarrett House and the Cowee Tunnel. According to Melton, whose parents are both from Jackson County, the CD is the result of ongoing collaborations between him and musical friends and fellow Tar Heel natives Miller and Winchester. The trio released “Songs From Haywood County” in late 2008 in conjunction with that county’s bicentennial. “The project received an overwhelming response from music lovers, history buffs, and natives,” Melton said. “At the same time, requests began to pour in from Jackson County residents for us to produce a similar set of songs about their heritage and history.” The trio who wrote and recorded “Songs from Jackson County” includes, from left, Nashville musicians Milan Miller, Mark W. Winchester and Haywood County’s Buddy Melton, a member of Balsam Range bluegrass band. The new CD’s songs are based on Jackson County people, places and events. A new CD, “Songs from Jackson County,” offers a musical journey through local history. To hear some of the tunes, visit here. As was the case with the Haywood CD, all 12 songs on the album were written specifically for this project. Each song is presented true to history, and provides a glimpse into Jackson County life, Melton said. In addition to the music, the package includes a 16-page booklet that provides the history behind each song, as well as pictures of the people and places that are part of the stories. The music is hard to describe, Melton said. “People think it’s a bluegrass project, but it’s not,” he said. “We tried to pick the style that’s best for each song. It’s a mixture of country, folk and roots music.” The CD kicks off with “Aunt Samantha,” which chronicles the pioneering career of banjo legend Samantha Biddix Bumgarner, who is believed to be the first Appalachian banjo player ever to cut a country record. Next up is “The Flood of 1940,” which describes the county’s greatest natural disaster. That one’s followed by the up-tempo “Jarrett House Blues,” which features horns and a swinging melody as it describes the culinary delights found at the Dillsboro landmark. “Cowee Tunnel” relates the sad story of the convicts that died while it was being built, and “A Horse Named Cash” recounts one of the stories of how Cashiers got its name. “Jack Lambert’s Letter” takes its chorus from a real letter written by a man who was framed for murder and who was the last man legally hanged in Western North Carolina. “Dave Hall” tells of a man who refused to fight during the Civil War but instead served as a lookout for his neighbors; “Look at my Arm” is the story of Holiness preacher Albert Teaster and the rattlesnake that bit him during church services on Cullowhee Mountain. Outlaw Lewis Redmond, who is said to have lived on Fisher Creek for a time, is the subject of “The Wrong That I’ve Done.” Another “rocking” song explores the mysterious origins of Caney Fork’s Judaculla Rock, while “Curse Kirk’s Army” is a Civil War lament set in southern Jackson County. The final track – “Laney Field Haint” – is a ghost story about scary things experienced by travelers through the Laney Field, a onetime shortcut between the communities of Webster and Savannah. Melton, Miller and Winchester first worked together as part of the Nashville-based quintet Jubal Foster that received critical acclaim for their self-titled album. Melton, who currently lives in Haywood County’s Crabtree area, is the son of Frank and Ann Melton, who founded Melton Funeral Home. All his grandparents lived in Jackson County, and he said he spent most weekends here while he was growing up. He’s plays fiddle and sings as part of Balsam Range. That group’s debut album was released in late 2007 and produced the hit single “The Train’s Ready,” which went to No. 2 on the national bluegrass charts. Their 2009 follow-up album yielded a No. 1 hit with the title track, “Last Train To Kitty Hawk.” Melton sings the lead vocal on both those tunes as he does on close to half of the cuts on “Songs from Jackson County.” Miller grew up in Waynesville but moved to Nashville in 1999. The multi-instrumentalist has performed on national tours and television with a variety of major-label country music acts and has also produced albums and written songs for Americana and bluegrass artists, including such Balsam Range staples as “Burning Georgia Down.” Winchester is a native of Monroe, but has called Nashville home for the past two decades. He’s best known for his ability on the upright bass, which has landed him lengthy tenures with Emmylou Harris’ Nash Ramblers and the Brian Setzer Orchestra. In addition to winning a Grammy for his work with Setzer and writing a Top 40 country hit for Randy Travis, Winchester’s resume includes many TV appearances, including The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Beverly Hills 90210, and Late Night with Conan O’Brien. Several other talented area pickers augment some of the tracks, including Melton’s Balsam Range bandmates Marc Pruett (banjo on “Laney Field Haint”) and Tuckasegee native Darren Nicholson (mandolin on “Aunt Samantha” and “Laney Field Haint”). As a Jackson County native, Nicholson said he’s honored to be a part of a project that has special meaning for him. “I’m so acquainted with the people and stories,” Nicholson said. “For instance the Aunt Samantha song mentioned Harry Cagle, and Harry was a huge musical and personal influence to me. Things like that make it more than just another recording. And I think Buddy, Milan and Mark W. did a great job on the entire production.” Melton credited local Jackson County historians, including his mother’s cousin, Bill Crawford, with helping to make the effort a success. The accompanying booklet lists historical references for all the songs, and these include Herald articles, Gary Carden books and plays, John Parris’ stories and the Jackson County Heritage books compiled and published by the Jackson County Genealogical Society. Melton described the CD as a “neat way to share history.” One reason he, Miller and Winchester wanted to do “Songs from Jackson County” is to offer another way for area residents to learn about their past. “A lot of people who don’t take the time to read books will listen to the songs and read the liner notes to see where that story came from,” Melton said. “Back when I was younger, families got together more and told stories. This is another way to keep those tales alive.” For more information, contact songsfromjc@gmail.com.