Momma Rhodes

https://www.thegreyeagle.com/event/old-marshall-jail-ballad-swap-2/special-events-at-the-grey-eagle-music-hall/asheville-north-carolina/?fbclid=IwY2xjawOJhX1leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFEbDhISTNseUJ6TnlucEJFc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHgCS51SXRKB-cW44_oYsIkdL6dmBVLjHdyiOzR_jNhAg2jWirPIZcJXmYGE8_aem_NUMKOsuUMjI3GYyBuXkYXg

Tonight! Y'all come here us sing!

Old Marshall Jail Ballad Swap | The Grey Eagle ALL AGES SEATED SHOW   Old Marshall Jail Ballad Swap  A night of traditional Appalachian ballads, stories and music. The tradition of Appalachian ballad singing is a vital part of the cultural identity of the Appalachian people.  Originating from the Irish and British folk ballads of early settl...

Momma Rhodes has had occupants off and on this year who have been connected with local clean up efforts. It is hard to believe what our area has been through and what we still have to do here. Thank you so much to all who have cared.

Currently, Momma Rhodes has occupants until the end of June.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/preserve-appalachian-ballads-support-a-musicians-quest

A LOT of singing has happened on Grandma's front porch over the years. Since time began on both of my grandmother's porches there were many tales to be told and many songs to be sung. Well, that is my main thing with music these days so check this out for me and for us. Thank you!

Donate to Preserve Appalachian Ballads: Support a Musician's Quest, organized by Judy A Rhodes All my life I have been a musician from Appalachia, 7th generat… Judy A Rhodes needs your support for Preserve Appalachian Ballads: Support a Musician's Quest

I love the happy colors inside Momma Rhodes!

YES!!!! Come stay at Momma Rhodes for a month or longer this summer and enjoy the mountains. Send me a message.

Momma Rhodes is open for a month or longer rental. Presently it is still furnished. Let me know if you want to rent a place for a few months. Great little farm house with some land.

Send a message to learn more

Come on out and hear some old mountain songs that our families have sung through the ages. Hope to see yawl.

Old Marshall Jail Ballad Swap Tour continues, making its way to Carrboro, NC!

Sunday, March 30
Doors: 6:30pm : Show: 7pm

Cat’s Cradle Back Room
This is a seated show.
Tix at catscradle.com

The Old Marshall Jail Ballad Swap, hosted by eighth-generation ballad singer Donna Ray Norton, celebrates Appalachian heritage. This informal gathering offers a glimpse into an age-old practice, bringing together singers from across the region to share stories and songs passed down through generations. Madison County’s rich ballad legacy led English folk song collector Cecil Sharp to describe it as a “nest of singing birds” in 1916. This unique custom, spanning more than nine generations, represents one of the oldest unbroken oral traditions in the U.S. Following Hurricane Helene’s devastation of their hometown, the Nest of Singing Birds has been traveling their regular ballad swap at the Old Marshall Jail to raise awareness of the practice’s fragility and the region it depends on.

Heart Garden,
May 21, 2009 by Judy Rhodes
place me in the heart garden
the rocks, the weeds, the seeds
where forgotten bulbs lie
in the back of the home where
grandma and granddaddy
loved, lived, and raised
heroes of wars,
and singers of songs,
talented and beautiful youngsters
just let me grow in the dirt they walked on
grasping, I missed
let me forget
and turn under in the rich
black, brown, red earth under
the homeland pine
where children ran
chickens balked
wild cats stalked
where Grandma hung her clothes
let me rest there
and dream of better times
under her clothes line
where life’s sorrows
were placed in
a canning jar
and buried there
under an Indian fire
a Scots-Irish desire
of buffalo nickels
and chicken wire