On Stage with The Lincoln Theatre

Tim White Introduces the Song of the Mountains

• Bob Watkins • Episode 8

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Meet Tim White, Executive Coordinator of the Song of The Mountains

Embark on a musical journey through the heart of Appalachian traditions with our special guest, Tim White, executive coordinator of the renowned series, Song of the Mountains. Discover how a fortuitous 2004 encounter at the charming Lincoln Theatre in Marion, Virginia, sparked the creation of this iconic showcase. Tim reveals his deep-seated passion for bluegrass and Americana music and shares insights into the unique formula of matching prominent headliners with rising stars, offering them a spotlight on national TV. Listen as Tim recounts unforgettable moments, including Tom T. Hall’s memorable return to the stage, underlining the series' profound influence on the bluegrass and Americana scenes.

In the next chapter, we turn our focus to the vital role of supporting local arts. Together with Bob Watkins, executive director of The Lincoln Theatre, we unpack the dedication required to nurture Marion's vibrant cultural landscape. Their shared commitment is inspiring, emphasizing the importance of community engagement in sustaining this creative hub. Whether you join us in person or online, we invite you to play a part in preserving the rich legacy of Appalachian music. Tune in as we celebrate the symbiotic relationship between music, community, and the enduring spirit of the arts.

To learn more about The Lincoln Theatre visit:
https://www.TheLincoln.org/
The Lincoln Theatre
117 E. Main Street
Marion, Virginia 24354
276-783-6092

Speaker 1:

Welcome to On Stage with the Lincoln Theater, where history and entertainment steal the show Dive into the rich legacy of this iconic Mayan revival theater, from its 1929 debut to its starring role in Marion, Virginia's entertainment scene. Guiding us through this journey is the man in the spotlight, our executive director, Bob Watkins.

Speaker 2:

Dive into the heart of Appalachian culture as we meet Tim White, executive coordinator of the Song of the Mountains, learn how this monthly musical showcase at the historic Lincoln Theater is preserving and celebrating the rich heritage of bluegrass country and Americana music. Tim shares the passion and purpose behind the show and why it's a must-see for music lovers of all ages. Welcome back everybody. Skip Monaghan here. Co-host slash producer, back in the studio with Bob Watkins. Bob, how's it going?

Speaker 3:

Good.

Speaker 2:

Skip how you doing. Doing just fine, doing just fine. And I see that we have a special guest with us here today. Would you like the honors of introducing him?

Speaker 3:

Absolutely. We are extremely happy to have Tim White here, Executive Coordinator and host of the Song of the Mountains that airs on PBS and is recorded here monthly at the Lincoln Theater. How you doing.

Speaker 2:

Hey, tim, good to see you again. Actually, we've seen you on the Good Neighbor. Glad to have you back.

Speaker 4:

Good to see you, Skip. Thanks for having me.

Speaker 2:

So let's go ahead and get cracking, tim, if you don't mind. Tim and Bob. What inspired the creation of the Song of the Mountains and how has the show evolved over the years?

Speaker 4:

Well, I was approached back in 2004. I played a show here at the Lincoln Theater shortly after it had reopened after the renovation and I was here with Wayne Henderson and a band called Fescue, with my band, the VW Boys, and we came in. I was just struck by the beauty of this historic theater and during intermission I was out in the lobby in a. A fellow I had never met before came up and he introduced himself as Joe Ellis. We had a common denominator. We had the same doctor, dr Doug Pope, in Glade Spring area of Virginia.

Speaker 4:

Doug had told Joe Ellis about me and told me about Joe Ellis. So we shook hands and he told me about this idea he had, he and Sam Russell, about doing a TV show from this beautiful theater, wondered if I'd be interested in helping out and I said, well, sure, I love to play music, bluegrass and old time and Americana music. I'd be glad to be involved. So he had already made contact with the folks in Roanoke, virginia, at Blue Ridge PBS, jack Neal and the folks. He scheduled us a meeting a couple of weeks later and we came and brainstormed the idea of doing this music television show on public TV PBS affiliates. We started out in June and July of 2005, did our first tapings, and now we're, 20 plus years later, and still going strong.

Speaker 2:

Wow, so pushing 20 years next year.

Speaker 4:

We start season 21 on January the 11th, here at the theater.

Speaker 2:

Oh wow. Well, congratulations. That's unbelievable man 20 years. So, Bob, I know you do a lot of work recruiting artists for the theater. Is that something that you and Tim collaborate on? The Song of the Mountains or, Tim, is that totally your gig?

Speaker 3:

Well, I primarily focus on a lot of performances for strictly the theater. And then Tim works with the board as well. For the Song of the Mountains, he generally puts together the list for the calendar for the Song of the Mountains. He generally puts together the list for the calendar for the Song of the Mountains show, but we just work together on the venue set and everything like that Gotcha.

Speaker 2:

Gotcha For Song of the Mountains. Tim, what do you look for as far as talent goes?

Speaker 4:

Generally I try to get a headliner name, a big name, to be the anchor for the show and then I put one or two not so big names around it. That doesn't always work out, but I try to make that happen as much as possible. Then that way the big name draws in the crowd and then the audience discovers these wonderful bands that are supporting and just up and comers or new names in the business. And it gives those new named bands and many of them have been around for years but it gives them the opportunity to be on national TV and open for a big name act. And that's what I try to do. So far, so good. It works.

Speaker 2:

Wow. Well, I think that's just wonderful, because it's tough to make it out there with new bands and local folks. And have the opportunity to be on a national television show and get that exposure is amazing.

Speaker 4:

One appearance on our show reaches millions of people once it airs, and a band that comes on and does our show will reach more people doing our television show than their whole career will probably reach doing live performances in theaters. Now, I'm not against live performances, but as far as reaching millions of people, this is a way to do it for one night investment of your time.

Speaker 2:

Absolutely. Have you had anybody that was an unknown that you had backing up or going ahead of a big name act, and then they hit it after the show?

Speaker 4:

Well, in the bluegrass world, which is relatively a small world but it's still, I would say, a couple million people at least I have never had anybody to do the show that says we don't want to do it again. Once it airs on TV and they see the positive fallout from it, they want to come back. I only had, actually I had, one person that said I don't want to do the show again and that was Tom T Hall. And Tom T Hall, miss Dixie, his wife. I called her and talked her into it. He had already retired and he came in and did our show, thanks to Miss Dixie, his lovely wife. And I called Tom a couple years later and I said Tom, you want to come back and do Song of the Mountains? And he said not in this lifetime Because he was retired and he came out of retirement to do us a favor. But after that, and his last show was song in the mountains, his last show.

Speaker 4:

So I was always grateful that he came out and did it, but I couldn't talk him into coming back.

Speaker 2:

Coming to do it again. Wow, wow, good old Tom. Yeah Well what? And this is a question for both of you. Yeah Well what? And this is a question for both of you what impact do you think the Song of the Mountains has on preserving Appalachian music tradition and heritage?

Speaker 3:

I think it's a huge impact both nationally and locally here, especially just given our area and the history with that music in our area. It just keeps that alive and known, going on day to day here. And then with the connection with PBS it just has the national broadcast there that shares the history of our area to the country. So I just think it's a major impact for the industry and for that type of entertainment as well. The partnership between the Lincoln Theater and the Song of the Mountains I think is phenomenal for our area and for both of our industries and organizations. So it's just been a really great opportunity to work together and expand on what we're providing.

Speaker 2:

Very good. Well, if you could, tim, if you could bring back one historical musician, meaning living or not, to headline Song of the Mountains. Who would that be?

Speaker 4:

One of my favorite episodes we ever did was with Doc Watson, and Doc passed away about a year after he did our show. But Doc was one of my favorites because I knew him personally Such a wonderful soul, a charming man, great talent, and he played music up until he was almost 90 years of age. And I want to thank Gerald and Jeff Little Jeff Little, the piano picker, and his dad, gerald, until he was almost 90 years of age. And I want to thank gerald and jeff little, jeff little, the piano picker, and his dad, gerald. I had asked doc many times to come and do the show and I couldn't talk him into it. But jeff little and gerald, his daddy, one night, said why don't you get doc on the show? I said I can't talk him into it.

Speaker 2:

they said we'll talk him into it and they did and that was a him into it and they did and that was a wonderful evening to have doc watson on no I. I can't imagine now his son, uh, performs as well as he has ever been on the show well, his son has passed away too, and his grand yeah, his grandson

Speaker 4:

and his son passed away many years ago I did not.

Speaker 2:

I was not aware of that well that would be a great one if you could bring it back.

Speaker 4:

That would be oh yeah you know that's one thing I always say about song of the mountains skip is uh. You know we're a very entertaining show six camera shoot, high definition, professional light and sound in this beautiful lincoln theater. But in addition to being a wonderful, entertaining show, we have created a fantastic archive of the music of this region, and part of that archive is many folks have gone on on the other side now They've left us, and so we have created quite an archive that some kid 50 years from now can be watching the show and really learn from it and say, oh, that's what Doc Watson was really like or that's what Dr Ralph Stanley was like, in the flesh there on the stage of the Lincoln Theater. And there are so many that have passed away since our first episode back in 2005.

Speaker 2:

Well, again, that goes back to what you're doing with Song of the Mountains for Appalachian heritage and music, I mean, you're keeping it alive. And for those of us that are big fans of bluegrass and Americana, thank you, and country too. Thank you so much.

Speaker 4:

Thank you for all the support that everybody has given us for 21 years, or 20 years now, absolutely.

Speaker 2:

We'll try to keep them coming no-transcript.

Speaker 4:

And that's the way it is with any non-profit. A lot of folks think that PBS funds Song of the Mountains. That's not the case. We have to raise our own dollars. When you see our show and you see those underwriters at the beginning and the end, they make it possible, along with the ticket buyers. So don't be fooled that PBS. We have a big pot full of money to pull from PBS. We're glad, so glad, pbs airs our show, but we're always fundraising and we need financial support. So if you get a chance, go to thelincolnorg or songofthemountainsorg and make a tax deductible contribution, because we have to stand on our own two legs.

Speaker 2:

Absolutely, and we'd love to encourage our, our listeners, to do just that, to support you guys You're doing. What you're doing is great, both you guys, bob and Tim. Again thanks for being here. Bob, we'll catch you in the next episode, and Tim, hopefully again we'll have you back in another show.

Speaker 3:

Appreciate your help great.

Speaker 1:

Take care, skid, yes, sir thanks for tuning in to on stage with the lincoln theater. Want more of mary and virginia's entertainment scene? Visit us online at the lincolnorg yes, that's the lincolnorg, yes, that's thelincolnorg. Or drop by our theater at 117 East Main Street. Let's keep the arts alive and kicking together.