Gene Carpenter / Ernst Joines on Dag Gone

Gene Carpenter / Ernst Joines

28649  — Roof Boltin' Daddy
28650 — They'll Never Land a Man on the Sun

Gene Carpenter/Grayson Music

Dag Gone Records

(Grayson County, Virginia)

1971

Gene Carpenter (1910-1999) was born in Allegeny County, North Carolina, and lived in Grayson County, Virginia.  He worked as a roof bolter in a West Virginia underground mine.

 

 Carpenter uses miner terminology and an unmasked dialect for he intended this to be heard in his own community among other miners..  This song (Roof Boltin' Daddy) originated close the song's subject matter, Carpenter really did bolt the roof in the mineshafts and had pride, a deep connection to his work.. His songs would have retained deep meaning within the camps and it was not expected to become popular within other demographics'

From "Lusty Air from Ailing Lungs : Coal Mining Songs in Appalachia"

The Digital Library of Appalachia has preserved several Gene Carpenter interviews (and singings). MP3 available HERE.