I Read a Book (it had lots of pictures)

I went to the local public library for a used book sell and found this crazy book about homemade mountain instruments, like ham-can/cigar box mandolins, gourd banjos, and jaw harps.  It is called "Musical Instruments of the Southern Appalachian Mountains" and is by John Rice Irwin.  It was neat to see country bred mountain folk (my heritage, so I ain't knockin em) and how they made do with the
supplies they had to make music.  Even if it is some three chord bluegrass, this book showed some very original thinking inspired by some heavily impoverished situations.



The guy who wrote it worked at the Museum Of Appalachia. in the 70's and 80's.  That site has an in depth virtual exhibit of these homemade and mountain instruments.

Gourd banjo above- COPYRIGHT INFORMATION ~Image courtesy of the Museum-