(bluegrass music) (lazy guitar music) - Welcome to David Holt's State of Music, I'm David Holt.

- And I'm Zeb Holt.

Traditional music is always changing, especially how it's listened to and how it's passed along.

Over my dad's 50 year career, it's gone from listening and learning on front porches, to watching on TV and learning from YouTube.

- But what keeps the music alive and growing, is the personal experience of people playing it together with passion.

♪ Well John Henry was a little baby boy ♪ ♪ Sitting on his daddy's knee ♪ ♪ Well he looked all around saw a little piece of steel ♪ ♪ Said that steel's going to be the death of me Lord Lord ♪ ♪ Steel's gonna be the death of me ♪ ♪ Well that boy grew up to be a steel driving man ♪ ♪ Strongest ever seen ♪ ♪ Swinging 12 pounds from his hips on down ♪ ♪ He could make that old hammer ring Lord Lord ♪ ♪ He could make that old hammer ring let it ring ♪ ♪ Well John Henry loved pretty Polly ♪ ♪ But the captain wanted her too ♪ ♪ So the captain said John, you're going to lose your job ♪ ♪ Because my steam drill is faster than you Lord Lord ♪ ♪ My steam drill is faster than you ♪ ♪ Well John Henry said to the captain ♪ ♪ Oh a man ain't nothing but a man ♪ ♪ And before I let that steam drill beat me down ♪ ♪ I'll die with that hammer in my hand Lord Lord ♪ ♪ Die with that hammer in my hand ♪ ♪ Well the sun was hot and burning ♪ ♪ As the work crew all gathered around ♪ ♪ The captain fired up his new steam drill ♪ ♪ When John Henry brought his hammer down ♪ ♪ Well the steam drill driving on the right side ♪ ♪ John Henry driving on the left ♪ ♪ John Henry beat that old steam drill down ♪ ♪ But he hammered his fool self to death Lord Lord ♪ ♪ He hammered his fool self to death ♪ ♪ Well they took John Henry to the tunnel ♪ ♪ They buried him in the sand ♪ ♪ And every time Polly comes walking by ♪ ♪ She says there lies my steel driving man Lord Lord ♪ ♪ There lies my steel driving man ♪ ♪ There lies my steel driving man Lord Lord ♪ ♪ There lies my steel driving man ♪ - So you started making money-- - Doing community events and schools and I did that for a number of years.

Then I got hired to start the Appalachian Music Program at Warren Wilson College, and that was on of the first in the country of that type program and I did that for six years.

Then I decided, you know what, I really want to perform for a living and I quit that and just decided I could make a living and support the family and still just perform.

Because that's a full time job, getting the gigs, doing the gigs, traveling to the gigs.

- Then traveling got even more intense when you got called to go to South America.

- That's right.

There's a program, there was a program in America called Arts America, and they would send everybody from the Joffrey Ballet to the David Holt Trio to countries all around the world.

And it was just a great program because a lot of these people, even in countries like Columbia and Brazil had never met an American before, and never really heard American music.

And we were playing American folk music and these cultures were much closer in their popular music to their folk music, so they recognized our music and really loved it.

And I'd teach them to do hambone rhythms, you know like, (clapping), or, (clapping).

(both laughing) - Where'd you learn hambone?

- Oh different people around the southern mountains.

Everybody had their own lick and I was just interested in putting them all together and making one kind of hambone drum set out of your body.

(clapping) (all cheering) - One of my favorite photos from your archives is the one where you're wearing a white suit, white hat, and you're playing on the Grand Ole Opry.

- So that was 1980 and I'll tell you the story about that, my friend Anne Romaine said, "If you're going down to audition for the Grand Ole Opry, don't just wear a tee shirt or something, wear what you're going to wear."

And I had a new banjo made, I had a white hat, I had a white suit, man I was ready to go.

And I got down there and he said, "This is good, I like all those instruments," he said, "Come back in two weeks."

This is Hal Durham, manager of the Opry.

So I came back and I was standing backstage wondering what to play, I was gonna play by myself, so I wanted to do something that followed the person in front of me.

So I had my banjo with me and I was ready to play, and Little Jimmy Dickens came out and sang, May The Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose.

Then Billy Walker came out after him and he sang, It Aint Love But It Aint Bad.

Then George Hamilton IV came after him and he sang an old novelty song called, I Am So Miserable With You Gone It's Just Like Having You Here.

I said, "If there ever was a time to play the paper bag, this is it."

So I ran backstage and got myself a bag, you got one too, play with me.

- Oh what do you know?

- And I learned to play this from one of those old folks in that little community of Sodom, North Carolina, and old man named, Morris Norton.

(harmonica music) ♪ Well Lost John went to Bowling Green ♪ ♪ Funniest man you ever seen ♪ ♪ Puts his shirt on over his coat ♪ ♪ Buttons his pants around his throat ♪ ♪ He's long gone ♪ ♪ Long gone what I mean ♪ ♪ He's long gone to Bowling Green ♪ One more time.

(harmonica music) - Sorry I couldn't have been there, I think I was only four.

- You were only four but those were good days.

- So what was the reaction?

- You know what happened?

I called Hartford, John Hartford the next day, I didn't even know John, and I said I really like his music, could I just come over and meet ya?

And I got to the door and he invited me in.

He didn't know I had played the night before on the Opry.

He said, "Man there was this guy on the Opry that played the paper bag last night, I really wanna meet that guy."

- That's cool I don't remember that, that's cool.

- Got to play on the Opry more, that led to playing on Hee Haw.

- How many times did you end up playing on Hee Haw?

- I think around 50 times, something like that, so I was a featured guest it was called.

My job ended up being opening the second half of the show with some song that the whole cast could sing on.

♪ I'm as free little bird as I can be ♪ ♪ I'm as free little bird as I can be ♪ ♪ I'm as free at my age as a bird in a cage ♪ ♪ I'm as free little bird as I can be ♪ It was like one big family, that was a great group of people.

Grandpa Jones and Roy Clark, Roy Acuff, it was great.

- You were a guest, and they kept bringing you back because you were very entertaining and fit with their style, but somebody saw that and said, "This guy's got something more," and that led to Fire On The Mountain.

- Well cable started then, this is the beginning of cable in the early 1980s.

So they didn't know what was going to work on cable, they didn't know if news was gonna make it, or MTV was gonna make it or country.

So TNN was right there up there at the top of all the cable networks.

- The Nashville Network.

- The Nashville Network.

And the show that I was doing was called, Fire On The Mountain and it was a bluegrass and mountain music show.

We had 95 half-hour sessions and everybody you can think of from Bill Monroe to Doc Watson to everybody-- - And you were the host.

- [David] And I was the host, yes.

- You remember that Mom?

- Yeah I sure do.

I remember the joy of just seeing all those different performers and you just fit right in with every single one of them and had some really great moments.

That's an amazing part of musical history, that TV show was.

- Fire On The Mountain was the show where you met Doc Watson for the first time right?

- That's right, it was 1984, he and Merle, one of the early guests, and in the show, at the end of the show I as host would play with each of the acts, and man, Doc and I and Merle just like hit it off rhythmically.

Of course there's no better rhythm guitar player in the world than Doc Watson, but it was just something special.

So shortly after that, we made a recording together called Reel & Rock.

It ended up being the last recording that Merle Watson did before he was killed in a tractor accident, when the tractor rolled over on him.

In making of that record, I said to Doc, "I wanna do your song, The Cuckoo, that's such a great old song."

He said, "Well I've recorded that a bunch of times, why don't you come up with your own version?"

So this is it.

("The Cuckoo" by David Holt) ♪ Gonna build me a log cabin ♪ ♪ On the mountain so high ♪ ♪ So I can ♪ ♪ See the cuckoo as she goes on by ♪ ♪ Whoa the cuckoo ♪ ♪ She's a pretty bird and she warbles as she flies ♪ ♪ And she never ♪ ♪ Hollers cuckoo til the fourth day of July ♪ ♪ There's just one thing ♪ ♪ It's been a puzzle ♪ ♪ Since the day that time began ♪ ♪ Man's love for ♪ ♪ His woman ♪ ♪ And her sweet love for him ♪ ♪ Oh the cuckoo she's a pretty bird ♪ ♪ And she warbles as she flies ♪ ♪ And she never ♪ ♪ Hollers cuckoo til the fourth day of July ♪ ♪ Jack of diamonds ♪ ♪ Jack of diamonds ♪ ♪ I know you of old ♪ ♪ You have robbed my poor pockets ♪ ♪ Of my silver ♪ ♪ And my gold ♪ ♪ Oh the cuckoo she's a pretty bird ♪ ♪ And she warbles as she flies ♪ ♪ And she never hollers cuckoo til the fourth day of July ♪ - How did you relationship evolve after that?

- If I would see him out on the road I would definitely invite him up on the stage to play with me or he would invite me to play with him, and we always really enjoyed it.

So in 1989 I asked him to do a record with me called, Grandfather's Greatest Hits.

It's kinda like all the great old time songs, and he really had a big time on that session.

After that, Sarah Jane died in a car accident, and Doc was one of the first people at the house.

People who have lost children, they become part of a terrible club, but they recognize immediately what the depth of the problem is and they're really the only ones that can understand it.

- It was such a shocking time and I was so stunned, but I have two really clear memories and one is standing halfway between the living room and the kitchen, and seeing ... - Seeing Doc Watson?

- Yeah.

- That's okay.

- Seeing Doc sitting on the couch just very quietly playing his guitar, I'm not even sure if he was singing, but just playing and some people there that had brought him down.

Then I looked over into the kitchen and there was John Hartford standing there and he was with David and helping and had his arm around David, and went to the visitation with us.

That's a very strong and loving memory I have of Doc and of John at a time that I don't remember much else.

- Tough times, tough times.

- Yeah.

♪ I've got to tell you I've been racking my brain ♪ ♪ I've got to find a way out ♪ ♪ I'm getting tired of this continual rain ♪ ♪ A change is coming no doubt ♪ ♪ It's been a too long time ♪ ♪ With no peace of mind ♪ ♪ And I'm ready for the times to get better ♪ ♪ A long lonely time ♪ ♪ With no peace of mind ♪ ♪ And I'm ready for the times to get better ♪ ♪ You try to take from me what I cannot give ♪ ♪ No happiness can I find ♪ ♪ I've got a dream that I am trying to live ♪ ♪ It's burning holes in my mind ♪ ♪ It's been a too long time with no peace of mind ♪ ♪ And I'm ready for the times to get better ♪ ♪ A long lonely time with no peace of mind ♪ ♪ And I'm ready for the times ♪ ♪ To get better ♪ - Did you talk to Doc about losing a child and having that in common?

- I did, and I think that really bound us together as friends and suffering parents.

It changed our relationship to a real deep relationship.

- You guys ended up playing together for a long time after that.

- 14 years we did that, and it was just the greatest thing for me because Doc was my main mentor.

- David let's play Way Downtown what do ya think?

♪ Way downtown fooling around ♪ ♪ Took me to the jail ♪ ♪ Oh me and it's oh my, aint no one to go my bail ♪ ♪ It was late last night when ol' Willie came home ♪ ♪ Heared him a-rapping on the door ♪ ♪ He's a-slipping and a-sliding with them new shoes on ♪ ♪ And she says Willie don't you rap no more ♪ ♪ Way downtown fooling around ♪ ♪ Took me to the jail ♪ ♪ Oh me and it's oh my, aint no one to go my bail ♪ ♪ Pick it David ♪ ♪ One old shirt is about all I've got ♪ ♪ And a dollar is all that I crave ♪ ♪ Brought nothing with me into this old world ♪ ♪ And I'll take nothing to my grave ♪ ♪ Way downtown fooling around ♪ ♪ Took me to the jail ♪ ♪ Oh me and it's oh my aint no one to go my bail ♪ (crowd cheering) - You made lots of TV shows and radio shows, but you also made a lot of great records, and Doc Watson was on a lot of those.

Mama you were the Chief Executive of the record label.

- I sure was.

- Put out all those records.

And as a duo, a recoding duo, how many Grammys have you won?

- Between us we've won five.

- Five.

Congratulations.

- Thank you.

- Thank you.

- That meant a lot to us, has meant a lot to us.

- It's been great being able to work together and to have sort of separate aspects of this insane industry but then collaborate and then have the success of winning the Grammys, it's a wonderful partnership.

Huh?

- I agree, absolutely.

- Traditional music has always been what a lot of your career's been about, but you've also written some really awesome songs.

- Well thank you, I love to write, I've always written, but I just never put that out in front because I didn't want people to see me as a singer songwriter, I want them to see me as a guy opening the door to traditional music for folks.

- Under The Tracks, is one I really love.

- When my brother and I were little growing up in Garland, Texas, my mom would get mad at us because we were always fighting and stuff.

She'd say, "Why don't you boys go out and play on the railroad tracks!"

And she was serious, and the train was about half a mile down Duck Creek, and there was a trestle going across the top.

So my brother and I would play and catch crawdads and tadpoles.

And about 3:15 p.m. we knew the Rock Island Line was coming by.

Now this is special to us because we had the old 78 record, of Lead Belly singing the Rock Island Line, and to know that that train was just coming through almost our backyard, was so exciting to us.

And we'd crawl up under the trestle and we'd lie down on the dirt with our faces close to the bottom of the ties as we could, I mean insane.

- I'm lucky I got here.

- Yeah, you're lucky you got here and you're lucky I can hear anything.

And we would lie down under there and wait for that 3:15 train, and it would roar over the top of us and it'd just shake every bone in your body and it was so exciting.

And we did that until we finally figured out that when people flush a toilet on a train ... - Oops.

- Oops.

("Under The Tracks" by David Holt) ♪ Oh the Rock Island Line had a Texas run ♪ ♪ From the Windy City down to Galveston ♪ ♪ Mama let us play on the railroad tracks ♪ ♪ Waiting for the freight train to come back ♪ ♪ Singing Rock Island Line is a mighty fine line ♪ ♪ The Rock Island Line is the road to ride ♪ ♪ If you wanna gotta ride it, ♪ ♪ Gotta ride it like you find it ♪ ♪ Get your ticket at the station on the Rock Island Line ♪ ♪ Now under the trestle ♪ ♪ On our backs ♪ ♪ Hear the train roaring down the track ♪ ♪ Close my eyes full of dread ♪ ♪ As the Rock Island Line rolls over my head ♪ ♪ Singing Rock Island Line is a mighty fine line ♪ ♪ The Rock Island Line is the road to ride ♪ ♪ If you wanna gotta ride it ♪ ♪ Gotta ride it like you find it ♪ ♪ Get your ticket at the station on the Rock Island Line ♪ ♪ Now we must've been crazy, at least possessed ♪ ♪ To let that train roll over our chest ♪ ♪ But we just loved the rush we'd feel ♪ ♪ To be a few inches from the driver wheel ♪ ♪ Singing Rock Island Line is a might fine line ♪ ♪ The Rock Island Line is the road to ride ♪ ♪ If you wanna gotta ride it ♪ ♪ Gotta ride it like you find it ♪ ♪ Get your ticket at the station on the Rock Island Line ♪ ♪ One more time ♪