40th Anniversary of the Pittsburgh Folk Music and Dance Community in the 19

In May 2016, I was part of a committee to host a reunion of this the folk music and dance community in Pittsburgh. Our reunion drew over 200 people to participate and reminisce over a weekend of square dancing, jam sessions, and concerts in the Pittsburgh area. I set up a sound booth and recorded interviews at on the site of the reunion and produced an audio documentary with 14 people who told their stories of being part of the music and dance community. Many bands were active and people learned to call square and contra dances. Even today, many people, both young and old still participate in Pittsburgh jam sessions, concerts and dances weekly.

Recently I was able to arrange to have the documentary archived, at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh and at the Senator John Heinz History Center.

Julie Hanify, Library Services Manager Music, Film & Audio at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh said, “Our goal is to make our oral histories (OHMP) stream-able on our new website. The library new website is a work in progress. When it is ready there will be a link that will be the key to finding the 40th Anniversary in our archives.”

Carly Lough, Acquisitions Archivist at the Senator John Heinz History Center said, “We look forward to making this collection available to the public through our online catalog, and preserve it here in the archives for generations to come. The Detre Library & Archives is very happy to accept your gift.”

Those interviewed and featured in the documentary are Susan Waggoner, Ron Gaydos, Jonathan King, Donna Goyak, Jo Schlesinger, Jerry Wilson, John Carson, Jan Hamilton, Jacqui Woolley, George Balderose Charlie Anderson, Jim Logan, Dorolyn Smith and myself.

Square Dancing at the Pitt Student Union

Jerry Wilson and Jacqui Woolley were Coal Country Cloggers

Jan Hamilton playing with Larry Edelman and George Balderose

I am now working and studying in the Public Media Master’s Program at the Ohio University Media Arts and Studies department in Athens, Ohio.

Here I continue to document my interests in Appalachian music and culture in Southeastern Ohio. I am working on two video documentaries on the Millfield (Ohio) coal mine disaster of 1930 and on the current traditional folk music community in the Athens area.

For more information and/or to request digital files of the audio recording, please contact me through this website.