Roanoke Jug Band

Roanoke Jug Band
General information
Genre (s)	Old-time music
founding	1926
resolution	1933
Founding members
guitar	Ray Bager (1900-1984)
guitar	Mahon B. Overstreet (1905-1992)
banjo	Clyde Dooley (? -1938)
banjo	Walter E. Keith (approx. 1897–1947)
Fiddle	Billy Altizer (? -1939)
Mandolin banjo	Richard Mitchell (1907-ca. 1985)

The Roanoke Jug Band was an American old-time band that played in the Roanoke , Virginia area in the 1920s and 1930s .

Career

The Roanoke Jug Band was formed by six railroad workers in the 1920s. Roanoke was then a center of the railroad and a junction of many connections. All members worked for the American Viscose Company during the week and played together in the area at barn dances or other events on the weekend . The group could also be heard on Roanoke's radio station WDBJ. Despite their name, the Roanoke Jug Band did not use a jug as an instrument, although they always had such an instrument on stage at their performances.

In 1929 the band was invited by OKeh Records to make recordings in Richmond , Virginia . The city, about 50 miles away, was the greatest distance the members had traveled in their lives. The session produced four songs, all of which were released on OKeh. Although the records sold well, no further recordings were made.

The Roanoke Jug Band returned to Roanoke and the musicians continued to work as railroad workers while performing on the weekends. Due to the strong economic situation of Roanoke, the depression hit the region weaker than other parts of the country. The Roanoke Jug Band continued to perform well into the 1930s, but then broke up. In 1971 the Digital Library of Appalachia conducted interviews with guitarist Ray Barger.

In the present there is the New Roanoke Jug Band , which also plays old-time and also draws attention to itself with albums.

Discography

year	title	#	Remarks
OKeh Records
	Johnny Lover / Stone Mountain Rag	OK 45423
	Triangle Blues / Home Brew Rag	OK 45393

Web links

• Sounds of Virginia: Roanoke Jug Band