Coon Creek Girls
OriginCincinnati, Ohio, United States
GenresAppalachian music
Bluegrass
Folk
Country
Years active1937–1957
Past membersLily May Ledford
Rosie Ledford
Esther Koehler
Evelyn Lange
Minnie Ledford
Norma Mullins

The Coon Creek Girls were a popular all-female "string band" in the Appalachian style of folk music (a precursor of country music) which began in the mid-1930s. Created (and named) by John Lair for his Renfro Valley Barn Dance show, the band originally consisted of sisters Lily May and Rosie Ledford (from Powell County, Kentucky) along with Esther "Violet" Koehler (from Indiana), Evelyn "Daisy" Lange (from Ohio) and Norma Madge Mullins (from Renfro Valley, Kentucky).

On June 8, 1939, when King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visited the White House of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, there were numerous musical acts, including Lawrence Tibbett, Marian Anderson, and Kate Smith.[1] Also included were a troupe of Bascom Lunsford's square dancers and the Coon Creek Girls.[2]

In 1979, John Lair revived the name with the New Coon Creek Girls, a combo which remained popular for several decades, despite numerous changes in line-up.[3] Among the former members are Pamela Gadd and Pam Perry, who later became members of the country band Wild Rose.[4]

In 2013, the original touring group of the New Coon Creek Girls from 1985 to 1987 (Vicki Simmons, Pam Perry Combs, Wanda Barnett, and Pam Gadd) made the decision to reunite in order to fund speech therapy music camp for Simmons who underwent surgery for an aneurysm in 2008. As of 2014, Simmons has made an amazing recovery, and the band was still performing various reunion concerts.

References

  1. ↑ Dave, Tabler. "The Coon Creek Girls play the White House". Appalachian History. Archived from the original on 4 February 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  2. ↑ Lilly, John. "The Coon Creek Girls". Native Ground Books & Music. Native Ground Music. Archived from the original on 2010-05-31. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
  3. ↑ Loftus, Johnny. "New Coon Creek Girls Biography". ARTISTdirect Music. ARTISTdirect. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
  4. ↑ Brennan, Sandra. "Wild Rose biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 2007-09-15.

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