Emmett Lundy

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Emmett Lundy (born May 9, 1864 in Grayson County , Virginia , † 1953 ) was an American old-time musician .

Life

Emmett Lundy was born near Galax , Virginia, as one of nine children to farmers Churchwell and Caroline Ward Lundy. Lundy's ancestors came from England and emigrated to the United States in 1687, where they settled in Pennsylvania . It wasn't until 1787 that Lundy's great-grandfather, John Lundy, moved to Grayson County, south of Galax. Lundy herself grew up in rural Grayson County and worked to support the family from the age of 14. Although none of his relatives showed any particular musical talent, Lundy learned to play the fiddle as a child . He was significantly influenced by an old musician from Old Town, Greenberry "Green" Leonard, who taught him most of the pieces.

For Lundy, however, music was never more than a hobby. Although he played at local events and with befriended musicians such as Isom and Fielden Rector, the Bogtrotters and Uncle Eck Dunford , he had a regular job. He ventured his only step into the professional music business in 1925. Ernest Stoneman , the best-known old-time musician from Grayson County, invited Lundy to a recording session in New York City . It is unlikely, however, that the two maintained closer contact; rather, Stoneman chose Lundy because of his reputation as a fiddler for the session. On May 27, 1925 Lundy (fiddle) and Stoneman ( autoharp / harmonica ) played the pieces Piney Woods Girl and The Long Eared Mule for OKeh Records . Although Lundy's family was enthusiastic about the recordings, in his opinion his fiddle could not be heard clearly and he therefore declined to make further recordings.

It was not until August 1941 that Lundy agreed to make further recordings, which, however, were not commercially exploited. The folklorist Alan Lomax left Lundy a number of pieces for the Library of Congress import. There was also an interview among them. Emmett Lundy died in 1953.

Discography

See Ernest Stoneman for a discography.

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Lundy, Emmett
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American old-time musician
DATE OF BIRTH May 9, 1864
PLACE OF BIRTH Grayson County , Virginia
DATE OF DEATH 1953