OLD MARSHALL JAIL, OLD TIME FOLK SINGING
Last night I joined Susie at the Old Marshall Jail, now a hotel and eatery in Marshall, where we sat outside in an area sheltered by clear plastic walls with propane heaters every ten feet to make it cozy. and We listened to traditional folk singing, mountain ballads and stories. I thought one woman was going to sing, but along wall there were ten people, mostly women, who took turns singing old time Madison County folk songs.
Some of the singers had beautiful voices but the style of singing didn‘t lend itself to modulated voices. The singing was all done solo, without instruments. And the style was slow and wavering and direct, sometimes almost harsh, with the end of every line punctuated. The words were the most important thing, telling a story, all clear and enunciated. It was vocal story telling about painful lost loves and sudden death and sorrowful betrayal. They were Appalachian holler songs, with a Scotch Irish history.
I thought of how during my time in Sicily I rarely felt part of the culture, but tonight in Marshall I felt part of the Madison County past, I was having a real cross cultural experience. I didn‘t see any tourists there, unless I was one. Everyone seemed to be from right around Marshall. It was a wonderful evening.
BILLYBABA’S WANDERING 