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This Clay County native learned to play banjo as a child from her brother, Jenes Cottrell, using the old-time "clawhammer" style. Though Jenes became more famous through his appearances at fairs and festivals, she was a talented musician in her own right.
They lived simply on Deadfall Mountain without electricity or running water. She stayed there until her 80s. She loved the mountain life and often shared stories and poems about it. Local musicians would gather at her home for music and food.
In the 1960s, during a folk music revival, she became a crowd favorite. She was filmed by the BBC in 1982 and received West Virginia’s top folklife honor, the Vandalia Award, in 1989.
This Exhibit has 8 Sections
This Exhibit has 21 Sections
