CLASSIC RED CLAY RAMBLERS ALBUMS REISSUED ON CD: "CHUCKIN' THE FRIZZ" & "HARD TIMES" & "MEETING IN THE AIR - Songs of the Carter Family"

for online purchase, including other Ramblers and Mike Craver CDs

Area teens flock to Carter Family Fold

Some local teenagers might have been a little surprised to see The Carter Family Fold voted Best Place to Hang Out on INK's Year in Review survey this year. But those who frequent the legendary venue say the only surprise is that more Tri-Cities youth don't head over to Hiltons on Saturday nights.

"It's just awesome," said Harlan Jones, 13 and a student at Cedar View Christian School. "I really didn't know what to expect the first time I came. I just thought it was going to be music playing. I didn't know everybody was going to be dancing and everything. It's cool. It really is."

For those who are still wondering, teen patrons at The Carter Fold say it was voted the best place to hang out for a lot of reasons -- ranging from the atmosphere and the history to the music and fun.

"I think it's just like a really interesting environment. There are a lot of interesting people there. You can have fun just watching people," said South sophomore Elizabeth Ball.

"It's one clogging good time," South's Shira Hughes said.

"Of course, you feel kind of overshadowed by all the superb cloggers down there like ‘Crazy Legs.' He dances with the Dr. Pepper can on his head which is very, very cool."

Like a lot of pre-teen and teen patrons, Church Hill's Ben Zook says he got drafted into coming the first time he visited the Carter Fold. He returned the following week, though, because he wanted to be there.

"It was better than I expected," Ben said. "It's fun. I like to get out on the dance floor and I enjoy listening to the bluegrass. It's awesome."

Sydney Hartley watches the show from the carpeted bleacher seats. A seventh-grader at Colonial Heights, she's mainly there because her family wants her to be. "It's kind of something I get dragged to, still," said Sydney. "But it's not as bad as I thought it'd be."

Still, she opts to sit and observe while her dad and older sister, Haley, hit the dance floor.

"It seems like an old-timey kind of thing to do. But it's really fun," said Haley Hartley, a junior at South. "It's really a fun place to come. You can interact with a lot of different people. It's a better place to hang out really because it's not where you'd think of teenagers doing bad things."

Haley, 17, enjoys the old-time music, but, she said, you don't have to like bluegrass or old-time mountain music to enjoy a Saturday night at the Carter Fold.

"I think almost anyone could like it. You don't have to like the music at all," Haley said.

Of course, if you do like bluegrass and old-time mountain music -- there's a healthy mix of it here -- all the better say the teens.

"The music is always really good," said South senior Emily Barry. "I like bluegrass, to start out with, so I think it's really fun."

The lineup varies from week to week, but features some of the best traditional acoustic music the area has to offer. The Carter family, led by Jeanette, opens the show every Saturday -- welcoming guests from Virginia and Tennessee, as well as those who travel from afar for a taste of country music history. Last weekend, guests from California, New York, Texas, Alabama and Michigan turned out to see three members of the original Red Clay Ramblers and a host of others perform.

ETSU student Brian Bowlin says a lot of young adults make their way over from Johnson City every weekend. He says he's fairly certain it's the music that's drawing young people to the historic venue.

"I think the music is growing more popular with young people. I really do," Brian said. "Even before ‘O Brother, Where Art Thou,' country music had really taken off. Now, bluegrass and old-time are catching on too. I think it's great."

The INK Year in Review survey, distributed to local teenagers each December, would seem to support his belief. The survey asks teens to share their opinions on the best in entertainment for the entire year. The late Johnny Cash was nominated in four categories and garnered a significant number of votes for best video and best local concert, for a performance at the Fold. He earned top honors in the Best Song and Best Album categories.

So while the music is appealing, going to the Carter Fold is mostly about good, clean fun.

"It's just a really fun place to go. It's fun to watch the old people who are really good at clogging. Plus, you get to go down there and dance yourself, and act stupid and everyone looks at you. It's just fun," said South senior Emily Barry. "I think maybe it seems like sort of a redneck thing to come to, but it's not. Because there are a lot of old people here, it probably doesn't seem like a cool place to go. But it's really fun."

The Carter Fold presents live music every Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Show admission is $5 for adults and $1 for children. For up to date program information, call (276) 386-9480 or visit the new Carter Family Fold Web site at www.carterfamilyfold.org