Skip Navigation

Sign In or Register

West-virginia-encyclopedia-text

Events

Go Back to the Events Page »


SharePrint Archives and History Thursday Lecture: "Rocking the Kanawha"

May 19, 2016

Charleston, Kanawha


On Thursday, May 19, 2016, musician and historian Terry Lowry will present “Rocking the Kanawha: The Golden Age of Music in the Kanawha Valley” in the Archives and History Library of the Culture Center in Charleston. The program will begin at 6:00 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

Long before Mountain Stage, the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame, the Clay Center, or many of the other musical outlets of present-day Charleston and the Kanawha Valley, there was an approximately ten-year period from 1964 to 1974 that has become known as the “Golden Age” of Charleston and the Kanawha Valley music. During that period the area flourished with outstanding local musicians, a wide array of clubs and venues, and a fan base that has never been equaled since. It was these musicians and the environment in which they performed that made them pioneers in opening many doors to future local musicians and paving the way for such stellar projects as Mountain Stage.

Beginning in 1964 with soul bands, such as the original Esquires (with singer Bobby Lanham), the King Sound Interpreters (with Curtis Price), The Barons, The Seven Seas, The Rooks, recording artist Turley Richards, and others, and continuing through the hippie-era bands of the late 1960s and early 1970s, such as Heavy Rain (and their legendary guitarist Randall Wray), Quiet (with Tom Benson), The Bristols, The Mojos, and national recording artists The Mind Garage, the area seethed with musical creativity and diversity. Clubs were continually packed, outdoor festivals (such as the classic ones at Kanawha State Forest and Ona) drew thousands of fans, musical creativity was at an all-time high, and numerous national recording acts played Charleston, including Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin. Lowry will take attendees on a journey through Charleston rock and roll and describe how these musical pioneers set the stage for those who followed.

Terry Lowry is a 50-year veteran guitarist of the Charleston music scene and has performed or jammed with nearly every musician of the “Golden Age” as well as many since. He founded and edited Charleston’s first rock music “fanzine” called “The Kanawha Rocker,” was music critic for the Charleston Gazette from the late 1960s to 1979, and met and interviewed name artists from Hendrix to Canned Heat to Lou Gramm of Foreigner. Lowry has attended over 1,000 concerts and currently performs with Charleston’s Diablo Blues Band. Today, many people know him better as the author of numerous books on the Civil War in West Virginia.

Participants may park behind the Culture Center after 5:00 p.m. on May 19 and enter the building at the back loading dock area. There also is limited handicapped parking available in the new bus turnaround.

For additional information, contact the Archives and History Library at (304) 558-0230.



Related Articles

West Virginia Humanities Council | 1310 Kanawha Blvd E | Charleston, WV 25301 Ph. 304-346-8500 | © 2024 All Rights Reserved

About e-WV | Our Sponsors | Help & Support | Contact Us The essential guide to the Mountain State can be yours today! Click here to order.