By Harry Rice
Title: Nora Carpenter Traditional Music Collection, 1920-1960
Primary Creator: Carpenter, Nora.
Extent: 3.0 MS boxes
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged in the following series:
Series 1: Biographical Material and Photographs
Series 2: Manuscript Song and Poetry Texts
Series 3: Clippings and Other Published Material
Series 4: Home Disc and Reel-to-Reel Audio Recordings
Date Acquired: 10/01/2007
Languages: English
Nora Owens Carpenter (1888-1975) was a formidable presence for many years in the Salyersville - Magoffin County area of eastern Kentucky. Married to Morgan Green Carpenter in 1907, she was a mother of five, businesswoman, and onetime postmaster.
However for many in her home community, she is best remembered as a talented, traditional musician (banjo and harmonica) and topical song writer. She and her string band, “Big Mamma and the Half Mountain Hotshots,” had a strong following on Paintsville radio station, WSIP during the 1940s and early 1950s. Despite this local appreciation, she seems to have been overlooked by the many folklore scholars who traveled through Kentucky at various times during the 1900s.
This collection consists of song lyrics, poems, and sound recordings authored or collected by Nora E. Carpenter of Magoffin County, Kentucky, mostly during the period 1920- 1960. It also includes numerous clippings of song lyrics, poetry, and community history from a wide variety of print sources, both loose leaf and pasted in a scrap book. There are also a few song books published by regional country music radio performers during the 1940s and 1950s.
Follow Links in The Series 4 Box List To Listen to Recordings and Read Related Play Lists
Repository: Berea College Special Collections and Archives Catalog
Access Restrictions: Records can be accessed through the Reading Room, Berea College Special Collections and Archives, Hutchins Library, Berea College.
Use Restrictions: Federal copyright regulations apply to all other materials.
Acquisition Source: The collection was given to Berea College in October, 2007 by Nora Carpenter’s daughters, Charlotte Thompson and Carolyn Cravens of Lexington, Kentucky.
Related Materials: Leonard Roberts Collection
Related Publications: "Written adn Composed by Nora E. Carpenter" by Emily Hilliard in Southern Cultures.
Preferred Citation: [Object identification], Nora Carpenter Traditional Music Collection, Berea College Special Collections & Archives, Berea, KY.
Processing Information: The collection was processed by Harry Rice, Sound Archivist.
Finding Aid Revision History: The finding aid was updated in August 2018.
Other Note: BCA 0108 SAA 108
Aint Goin' Honkey-Tonken'
Adieu To My Friends
Alone and Blue
Angels Get My Mansions Ready
Angels Get My Mansions Ready
Answer to: Don't Forget Me Little Darling
Answer To: You Are My Sunshine
Answer To: You Are My Sunshine
As I Walked Out on the Streets in Laredo
As You Go Though Life
Battle Hymn of Cross
Blue Skies in Your Eyes
Blind Child
Bonaparte's Retreat
A Broken Hearted Ralphman
A Broken Hearted Ralphman
Broken Hearted Wife
Brother Green
Build Me a Cabin
Bury Me Beneath the Willow
C and O Wreck
Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy
Chocolate Ice Cream Cone
Cleorita MY Cleorita
Cleorita MY Cleorita
Cottage By the Sea
Cottage By the Sea
Court Ship
Courtship and Marriage of California Joe
Crying Holy Unto the Lord
Darling Nellie Gray
Darling You Have Broken My Heart
Dear Mother (11-24-50)
Death of Brother Owens
"Don't Cry, Little Girl, Don't Cry"
Ellan Smith
End of the World
End of the World
End of the World
Farewell? Mother? I am Dying
Farther Along
Father's Letters
Father's Letters
"Floyd County School Bus, The Disastrous Wreck of"
Hallelujah! We Shall Rise
Handsome Girl
The Harvest is Over
The Harvest is Over
Have I Told You Lately
Have You Any Time for Jesus
Have You Any Time for Jesus
Have You Some-one In Heaven Awaiting
Have You Some-one In Heaven Awaiting
Haven of Rest
Hawkin's Story
Hawkin's Story
He is Coming to us Dead
Honey in the Rock
"Hospital Blues, The"
I Ain't Gonna' Work Tomorrow
I Ain't Gonna' Work Tomorrow
I am a Prilgrim
I Cried Again
I Feel Like Going On
I Have but One Goal
I Have Heart Aches
I Have No Mother Now
I Have No Mother Now
I Just Don't Like This Kind on Livin'
I Know What it Means to be Lonely
I Know What it Means to be Lonely
I Love You Because
I Will Never Marry
I Remember
I Saw the Light
I Want to be Loved
I Want to be Loved But Only by You
If it Ain't One Thing it's Another
If Teardrops Were Pennies
If We Never Meet Again
If We Never Meet Again
I'll Be All Smiles Tonight
I'll Be All Smiles Tonight
I'll Be All Smiles Tonight
I'll Be Listening
I'll Be There Anyway
I'll Be There Anyway
I'll Have a New Life
I'll Have a New Life
I'm Alone In This World
I'm Going to Make Heaven My Home
I'm Going to Make Heaven My Home
I'm Traveling On and On
In the Mountains
It's A Sin
It's Nevers To Late
I've Always Been A Rambler
I've Got My One Way Ticket to the Sky
I've Got My One Way Ticket to the Sky
I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine
Jack And Nell
Jack O' Diamonds
Jackie Fresher
Jacobs Vison
Jesse James
John III:16
Just As The Sun Went Down
Just As The Sun Went Down
Just As The Sun Went Down
Lady Gay
"Last Good By, The"
Mansion's For Me
Mansion's For Me
Mansion's For Me
Mathew Twenty Four
Mathew Twenty Four
Me Mudder
Medium-Rare
Memories Of Love
"Merchant Boy, A"
New Birmingham Jail, The
No Room In My Heart
Old Churchyard, The
"Old Country Church, The"
Pale Horse and His Rider
"Pearl Bryan, The Murder Of"
Rambling Boy
Rank Strangers
Red River Valley
Rowan County Crew
Rowan County Crew
Salty Tears
Salty Tears
Seven Are We
Seven Are We
Seven Are We
Shall We Gather At The River
She Was Reared In Old Kentucky
Sing While You Drive
Singing Waterfall
Sinner You Must Die
"Soldier's Bride, A"
Talking Blues
[I was Waltzin' With my Darlin']
Tennessee Waltz
Tennessee Waltz
This World Can't Stand Long
These Lonely Tombs
These Lonely Tombs
These Lonely Tombs
Till the End of the World
Too Little- To Late
The Joy Heart
Trouble On My Mind
Trouble On My Mind
Trouble On My Mind
Try and Make the Best of Everything
The Tumble Down Shack
Turn Your Radio On
The Gals Go Wild Over Me
Turn Your Radio On
Turn Your Radio On
Wexford Girl
[We Shall Sleep But Not Forever]
We Two forever
Weary Weary Walking Blues
Wedding Bells
Wedding Bells #2
Wedding Bells #2
What Difference Does it Make
What Difference Does it Make
What Difference Does it Make
What Is Home Without Love
What Is Home Without Love
When He Reached Down His Hand For Me
When He Reached Down His Hand For Me
When I Get to The End of the Way
When My Dream Boat Comes Home
When the Roses Bloom Again
When the War is Over in Korea
When the War is Over in Korea
"When the War is Over, Over There"
You Are My Sunshine
You Going Change or I'm Going Leave
Nora E. "Big Mama" Carpenter - songs and poems recorded 7/8/1972 by her granddaughters Karen and Sue. [NOTES on original reel: "Big Mamma 7/8/72 - Recorded to Blue Tape"]
Nora E. "Big Mama" Carpenter - traditional and original songs, n.d. [paper insert with song listing]
Nora E. "Big Mama" Carpenter - songs and poem recorded 3/6/1961 ["Mother 1961" label on original reel / paper insert with song listing]
Nora E. "Big Mama" Carpenter - traditional and original songs, recorded 6/9/1961, [label on original reel "Aunt Mousie and Mother - etc"]
Nora E. "Big Mama" Carpenter - original and traditional songs, recorded 7/7/1972 [Note on original reel: "7/7/72 Recorded Mother #1"]
Nora E. "Big Mama" Carpenter, traditional and original songs, recorded 7/7/1972, [NOTE on original reel: "2nd part by July 7 1972 Big Mama / Big Mama, Chester Miller, Garland Salyer, George Bailey" / paper insert of songs]
Hatler Johnson - n.d. - radio broadcast with tribute to Nora E. "Big Mama" Carpenter
Nora E. "Big Mama" Carpenter - "Mountain Dew."
Listen To Side A: At The End Of [The] World - C.A. Miller and N.E. Carpenter - 03/06/1950
Listen To Side B: Maple On [The] Hill - C.A. Miller & N.E.C. - 03/06/1950
Listen To Side A: You Broke My Heart - N.E.C. - 03/06/1950
Listen To Side B: Salty Tear Drops - N.E.C. - 03/06/1950
Listen To Side A: Honey In The Rock - N.E.C. - 03/14/1950
Listen To Side B: [Jesus Has Washed Me Whiter Than Snow] - [Nora E. Carpenter] - n.d.
Listen To Side A: Pain In My Heart - Lee Bailey - n.d.
Listen To Side B: [Gathering Flowers for the] Master's Bouquet - Lee Bailey & Fred___ - n.d.
Listen To Side A: What Difference Does It Make - Chester Miller - n.d.
Listen To Side B: Green Mountain Breakdown - Licking River Boys - n.d.
Listen To Side A: Darling I Miss You - Nora Carpenter - n.d.
Listen To Side B: [Banjo Piece] - Nora Carpenter - n.d.
Listen To Side A: Going Across The Ocean [Going Around The World]- Chester & Nora - n.d.
Listen To Side B: Stay All Night - Chester Miller - n.d.
Listen To Side A: Little Willie / Rock Julia - Nora Carpenter - 10/15/1949 [partial transfer]
Listen To Side B: Lonely Babe - composed by Nora Carpenter - 10/15/1949 [partial transfer]
Listen To Side A: Someday We'll Meet Again Sweetheart / Bill Cheatham - Eda Bailey & Marvin, Lee Bailey on fiddle - 03/17/1950
Listen To Side B: Vacant Spot In My Heart / "one of my own compositions" - Eda & Marvin, Lee on fiddle - 03/17/1950
Listen To Side A: Old Joe Clark - [unidentified fiddler] - 07/09/1952
Listen To Side B: Prince of Peace - [Nora E. Carpenter] - 07/09/1952
Listen To Side A: Old Church Yard - [unidentified female] - n.d.
Listen To Side B: I'm Now A Widow - [Nora E. Carpenter] - n.d.
Listen To Side A: The Waxford Girl - Nora E. Carpenter - 04/13/1950
Listen To Side B: Cleorita My Cleorita - Nora E. Carpenter - 04/14/1950
Listen To Side A: Old Dan Tucker - Jasper Miller, Walter Mullins - 03/20/1949
Listen To Side B: [unidentified dance call (Radio dub?) / Fragment Maple on the Hill - [unidentified] - n.d.
Listen To Side A: No Place To Call Home - Chester & Nora - n.d.
Listen To Side B: Mathew [sic] 24 - Chester & Nora - n.d.
Listen To Side A: True Life Blues - B. B. Summey [& Jean Summey] - n.d.
Listen To Side B: At The End [of the] World - Chester Miller and B.B. Summey - n.d.
Listen To Side A: Foggie [sic] Mountain Top - Chester [Miller] & B.B. Summey - n.d.
Listen To Side B: True Life Blues - B.B. Summey [and sister Jean] - n.d.
Listen To Side A: Those Lonley [sic] Tombs [Lonely Tombs] - by Chester Miller - 04/15/190
Listen To Side B: Ellen Smith [Poor Ellen Smith] - by Chester Miller & Nora Carpenter- n.d.
Listen To Side A: The Blind Child - by Chester Miller - 04/13/1950
Listen To Side B: My War Fair is Ended [Warfare] - Chester [Miller] & Nora [Carpenter] - 04/13/1950
Listen To Side A: Where Could I Go (But To The Lord) - Half Mountain Hot Shots - 03/17/1950
Listen To Side B: First Fall of Snow - Eda Bailey - 03/17/1950
Listen To Side A: Little Rosewood Casket - Nora E. Carpenter - 04/12/1950
Listen To Side B: O'er Death Sea - Nora E. Carpenter - 04/13/1950
Listen To Side A: [Death of] Muriel Baldridge - Nora E. Carpenter - 10/15/1949
Listen To Side B: Little Mohee - Nora E. Carpenter - 10/15/1949 (Speed Issue?)
Listen To Side A: Going Downtown - Jasper Mullins, Walter Miller - 03/20/1949
Listen To Side B: Sourwood Mountain - Jasper Mullins, Walter Miller - 03/20/1949
Listen To Side A: Sinner You Must Die - Nora E. Carpenter - 04/13/1950
Listen To Side B: Death Raging In Land - N.E. Carpenter [Nora E.] - 04/13/1950
Listen To Side A: The End [of the] World - Chester Miller - n.d.
Listen To Side B: What You Going To Do With The Baby-O - Walter Miller and Jasper Mullins - n.d
Listen To Side A: What Difference Does It Make - Chester Miller - n.d
Listen To Side B: Matthew 24 - Molly O'Day - n.d. [dub of commercial recording, partial transfer - jb
Listen To Side A: I Want Some Candy (Dub of Commercial) / [Where Could I Go But To The Lord] - [unidentified] - n.d
Listen To Side B: Standing On The Mountain (Dub of Commercial) / [I'll Have A New Body (I'll Have A New Life)] - [unidentified] - n.d.
Listen To Side A: [Under The Double Eagle] [unidentified harmonica and guitar] - n.d.
Listen To Side B: [John Hardy?] - [Nora E. Carpenter, banjo/vocal] - n.d.
Listen To Side A: [John Henry] [Nora E. Carpenter, harmonica] - n.d.
Listen To Side B: Fragment [Honky Tonk Blues] - [unidentified female vocal] - n.d
INTERVIEW Valarie Patrick, Nora Carpenter's grandaughter recorded by Emily Hilliard July 16, 2014 in connection with her Sound Archives Fellowship research project.
Listen To Interview
INTERVIEW Cleonita Carpenter Arnett Nora Carpenter's daughter recorded by Emily Hilliard July 16, 2014 in connection with her Sound Archives Fellowship research project.
Listen To Interview
INTERVIEW John and Selma Carpenter, Nora Carpenter's granddaughter, and Jonna Carpenter, John and Selma's daughter recorded by Emily Hilliard July 29, 2014 in connection with her Sound Archives Fellowship project.
Listen To Interview