Jesse Wells comes by it honest as he continues a legacy in his family of musicians, artists, and down right good people. Jesse has been attending fiddler’s conventions and festivals since an early age and has been greatly influenced by his father Jaime Wells, who is an old time fiddler. Through his extensive work as an archivist and professor of trad music, Jesse is becoming known as a fine fiddler in his own right and an all around good source for mountain music. He plays fiddle, banjo, guitar, banjo uke, mandolin and sings harmony vocals for the Clack Mountain String Band and does so with great intensity and a feel for how to drive a song into the next realm. He can also play soft fiddle tunes with a high degree of dignity and sweetness. Jesse was reared in Red Bush, KY and lives today in Morehead.

Brett Ratliff is the knock down banjo player of the group and comes from a small coal mining community called Van Lear, KY. Along with banjo, Ratliff also sings, plays guitar, harmonica, “jews” harp, and bones with the group. He is a founding member of the Morehead Old Time Music Association for whom CMSB works alongside in helping give old time mountain music a presence in the Morehead community and beyond. As a banjo player, Ratliff is rapidly becoming seasoned as a student of life and mountain music, and along with the rest of the Clack Mountain String Band, hopes to put his own experiences and emotions into the music in order to relate with whoever is in earshot.

J.T. Cure came to Morehead from Elkhorn City, KY along the Russell Fork of the Big Sandy River. J.T. cut his teeth early on playing bass for a punk band in Elkhorn and this is evident in the energy he brings to any musical ensemble. He has displayed many faces which include jazz upright bassist, Indie rock, and Honky Tonker extraordinaire, all which contribute to his unflinching knowledge of music. But more than just knowledge, J.T. has the ability to feel a tune and can use that in the best interest of the music.

Karly Higgins is the only member of the band originally from Rowan County. She plays rhythm guitar and sings with phrasing and emotion indicative of her roots and adds an aura of whimsy when she performs. Karly morphed with the Clack Mountain String Band in passing as she became increasingly known in the region for her authentic mountain sound. She also bows a cello on occasion as well as writes songs. Karly is country to the bone.

1. Skippin’ & Flyin’
2. John Brown’s Dream
3. Train of the Island
4. Way Up on Clinch Mountain
5. Rose Conley
6. Black Jack Grove
7. Take Me Back Tulsa
8. Sow ‘Em On the Mountain
9. Indian Ate the Woodchuck
10. Trouble in Mind
11. Policeman
12. Roll On, Buddy
13. Brushy Fork of John’s Creek
14. No Letters in the Mail
15. Love Somebody
16. Whoa Mule

Cowan Creek Mountain Music School

Join Brett & Jesse for a week of mountain music!

Appalshop

Appalshop is a multi-disciplinary arts and education center in the heart of Appalachia producing original films, video, theater, music and spoken-word recordings, radio, photography, multimedia, and books.

Traditional Music project

@ Appalshop

Brooks Masten

Banjos. He makes them. Check them out!

Ratcliff Violins

Ratcliff Violin Studio is located in eastern Kentucky and is operated by my father, Steve Ratcliff and his father, Buddy Ratcliff.

Digital Library of Appalachia

The Digital Library of Appalachia provides online access to archival and historical materials related to the culture of the southern and central Appalachian region.

folkstreams.net

A National Preserve of Documentary Films about American Roots Cutltures

Old Time Music

Sugar In The Gourd

Old-Time, All the Time - Listen!

Venerable Music

Dedicated to all genres of music from the 78rpm era, Venerable Radio streams the classics as well as the obscure 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

Dust-to-Digital

Dust-to-Digital plans to continue to release high quality reissues of rare, essential recordings with detailed texts describing the artists and their works. Who said there could be no such thing as a time machine?

E-mail - clackmountain@yahoo.com

Call - 606-356-3315