Daniel Whatley

Dr. Kelly Lankford

American History

16 February 2015

How Has Folk Music Survived and Evolved Through Time?

What is your name and age? Herbert Salard. Nickname Buzz. 77 years

old.

Where did you grow up? Southern part of Natchitoches Parish.

Uh...around the Cloutierville/Chopin area, Gorum.

What jobs have you had? Tell me a little bit about each. Well, the only early

part time job was working in the sawmill area down there...local down

there. I graduated from school in 1954 and enlisted in the navy...and went

to Machinists Mate school in Great Lakes, Illinois and then was assigned

to a ship on the east coast. And, um, made several cruises. We made what

you call one mid-shipman cruise, where you took the graduating class to

the naval academy. And, um, we cruised South America, Cuba,

Mediterranian, Red Sea, Suez Canal, it was a training proe=cess for those

mid-shipmen. Made, uh, several cruises over there in the Red Sea and the
Persian Gulf. Uh, all in the mediterranian. Went to Cuba before Castro took

over. And, uh, went as far north as Nova Scotia.

After I was discharged from the navy, I went uh to Northwestern for a short

while, and then I got hired by the City Police in Natchitoches and worked

there a couple of years and, uh, I got hired by the State Police and

spent...uh...oh, I retired from that in 1980. And, uh, just been retired ever

since then.

Who are you married to? How did you meet? Uh, I was in boot camp with a

young man by the name of Doerty, last name Doerty from Massachusettes.

And, uh, we went to school in Great Lakes Training Center for the uh

propulsion system...refrigeration and stuff like that, all came under that

heading. And he was from Massachusettes and he had a sister who was in

nurses training with Janet. And, uh, when before we reported to the ship we

had a few days leave and we went to his home and thats where I met

Janet.

How much do you know about folk music, specifically bluegrass? Ohh...its

mostly what I played for years because uh when we started off, it was

different. There was really no amplification in the music, it was all acoustic,

and uh, usually it was just uh guitar, and fiddle, and stuff of that
nature.bass, upright bass. Just the only entertainment we had. We were

living back in the country and there was nothing going on there. We didnt

get much exposure. We listened to the radio, uh, it was before TV times in

that country! We listened to the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday nights on

battery radio. And everybody listened to the same thing. That was the only

entertainment you had and every once in a whiel youd get to see a movie

or something like that. We were way back in the country.

How do you know so much? What have you done to learn so much

about? Associated with it. Listened to it. Tried to play several

instruments. Uh, I liked the people that was involved in it. Theres, uh, most

of them were upstanding. Just good morals.

When were you inducted into the Louisiana Folk Art Hall of Fame? What

for? In 2007. Uh, I was informed that the reason they wanted to induct me

into that was because of all of the interest that Ive shown in the Folk

Festival and playing music all that many years. THats just about the

reason. Ive been playing with several bands and done some recording and

stuff like that. Uh, I met some of the people like famous musicians like Bill

Monroe and Chubby Wise, uh, Brian Burline, Mack Wiseman. They were all
friendly people. They had time to visit with you. And, uh, its just somebody

youd admire...the people. I just, I just got a bunch of memories, thats all.

How long have you been playing music? Ahh, I started playing when I was,

uh, probably around 8 or 10 uears old, soething like that.

How and why did you learn to play? Well, my, I had a brother-in-law who

was a fiddle player. And, uh, he bought a guitar for me and my brother who

was 2 years older than me. And we just, we were self-taught on that guitar.

And then moved from that to the fiddle, and the mandolin is tuned exactly

like the fiddle and so it...just one led to the other.

Did you personally know or meet any legacies or famous bluegrass

musicians? Have you played music with any? Uh, wed go to these

bluegrass festivals and youd meet a lot of them, all the headliners, the

people that played, the stars. They were all friendly. Theyd meet with you

and talk to you, show you some stuff. And, uh, thats just the way you learn.

You had, uh, Bill Monroe, Chubby Wise the fiddle player, and Mack

Wiseman was a good musician...guitar and good singer. Jim and Jessie

McReynolds. Uh, Don Wiley, a local man from Alexandria. And I played with

him some. I played on a TV show on KALB with him. And, uh, just one, one
thing led to another. Youd get ot moving and playing with a group of pfople

and youd just Ive forgotten a lot of the names. Theres so many of them.

HAve you ever played professionfall y with a banf? Yep, uh, Id been

playing for years just country music with uh the way I got started playing

with a bluegrass band, I was working one night and a station wagon came

through in Clarence and they had the neck of a bass violin sticking out the

back of the station wagon. And I wanted to see who it was, because I like

the music, and I stopped them. And it was the Nugents from down in

Deville. And, uh, I talked to them and I told them that i playedd music some.

They asked what I played and I said I played the fiddle mostly. And, uh,

they said, uh, why dont you come down? We practice on Wednesdays.

And they said, why dont you come down and sit in with us? And I did, I

went down and I brought my fiddle down there and we had met up at the

practice session and they hired me that night.So, I went to work for them.

We did several recording. We played together for several years. We played

in Oklahome, and Mississippi, Georgia, Miossouri, we had a circuit wed

play of Bluegrass Festival.Texas.we had bookings for several years.

They would have bookings on a show and wede go on weekenda and play.
How well known are you within the folk music society? Well its ahard to

asay . i made firemf stieht lots of people i t played with and peopel re

member me. i did 2 recorging s with retured airforce personell from bossier.

w emet his on and di d drecording we playdd in nflorida. People would stay

the weekend

What exactly is bluegrass? What are some key characteristics of it?

supposed to be derived from irish and scoth music. High tenor. Started

when iresh moved to highlands place of aransaasn ahigh tenoe. Derived

from them i dont know how to explein it. Good harmony on the vodcale.

Some tunes were faster.

How does bluegrass differ from other types of folk music like Jazz and

Blues? weell it bluegrass i more of a blues i s kin to that it s kalled bluegras

hahaha jasss is made from the heart justl ike folk music and bluegrass

When did bluegrass begin? like i said a while ago, when the big moirgation

s kame to gftom ireland an d derives tfrom thant

What styles of music have inyeah fluenced bluegrass? Are there elements

of other cultures in bluegrass? hyeah like gospel was a nig i dont know it
just i do know that you can listen to the music its irish jigs you kan hear it

no amplication sthat ey are still butt t=whiht amplophyers

Have you noticed bluegrass changing in your lifetime? If so, in what ways?

we ll it fluctuated like the old time bluegrass was kind of a uninfluenced by

folk and gosel musi. voice @ instrunent

How many instruments can you play? Are there any you have wanted to

play but have never gotten around to learning? uh , guitar, mandolin,

banfjo, filddle , bass, a little bit on any stringed instrument

Any thing besides stringed instruments? no thats all i play

Any wthat you wanted to play but hacent hac a chance? chello. ive always

wanted to play and hope to have the opportunity. its hard to carry one in

your car.

What is your favorite instrument? Are you well known at playing it? fiddle.

Well it uh im not famous but people know me and i know them from all over

the state and south. Pretty kwell known about the meusic ka whaqere

aevert i go oi mete a man i havent seen in years. i pleayed in mt view ark.

Whe did a lot of travelling when i played. Fgroups like All point south. good

harmony in singing i never did sindg i played lead an f backup on fiddle

have you ever played profecialnally in a group what was the last one??/

Most recent was All Point South. We did a lot of teaveling. Southaland s

bluegrass was well known

How many songs do you know how to play? Out of these, which are your

favorites and why? Sherriff fboyt durr player with me for hours and we kept

a list of the tunes o coulf play and when he died it got lost but was at

around 600 I like to play a variety of ten m i play any if i like the tune i will fo

years without playing a byy somewthi gtriggers it i f i never heard one

before i can learn it 1st time i hear us.

Do any of your children play music? Yeio gary plays guitar and fiddle and of

cours m y grandson playes fiddle and guitar and banjo

Whats his name? DAniel Whatley playes the keyboard self tought taght

himself tho play music know s alot more thant i do . yeah im talking about

not many peopel can pick up the kybord and play it like you do.

but no one else Why not? idk they didnt kare about it like i did/
Do you remember when bluegrass was still popular?yeah it polular now but

it would fade and come like it faded into folk music. Of course rap and

bluegrass have nothing in betweeb then m

When you were growing up, was bluegrass one of the most common

genres of music? How different is my generation from yours Ywhen it

comes to the music we listen to? Yes no amplification and we read about

steel guitar came int o play and is like a dobro but a dobro isnt metal

They say it takes 100,000 hours for someone to become a master or

expert. Do you consider yourself a master or expert?

NO.its hard yo blow your own horn like that, i have some stuff on the virge

of that i can listen to something 1ce and pick it up and play it but i knebver

stdied music

How differrent is your genertat in from mins then it comes th o the a music

we listend to /

I like gooc country music wit hgood skill. But i dont listen to rap but dont

care if you do/ Its not a smooth type of music its more or less a sound.
Well whats you opinoon ont h te at? well they can listen to what they want

to but i wont,listen to much of it unless some one can really play with out

dreoqnsinf out isiwth loudmess.

Do you think bluegrass is reaching an end, or do you think it will live on?

Oh its gonna live OOHN

Are enough young people playing bluegrass? we ll you got some planyin g

now and you wsee epreteens playing but i never played in fiddle contests

but young peopel do now.I wander what hapens to the vibrations when they

elvve that jintrument if there still moving aroing.

What do you think about Mountain Views Music Roots program that

teaches folk music to young people in schools? Its good and its good

exposier that builds up on that skill. If you have a teach er tho teach you

without gimmicks, you can use it in any music and adapt it. I wish i would

have had that. mostly thay had quir singing and bands but no indevidual

music and indi, ididnt sutudy it. Thtey whousld be doing it.pepl ecpuld learn

if someone could teach them

And if they talented, they can pick it up and play it if they not, its fine dont

kneed to hear the m anyway i guess

Do you practice any folk arts besides music? Walking stick s and powder

horns i icked it up late in life and wish id have known earlyer. Drawing etc. i

still cant whistle though ( icant either)

hahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahalol

Do you still play music? Has anything hindered your ability to play the

fiddle? Yes but i cut a tendon in my finger it hindered it fo r a while and i can

still play music i want to and its a different style that i may like better.

Do you have any further thoughts or comments about anything at all?i f fi

know a phrase then i willhelp kids and learnedrs learn licks as twe call them

i spent a lot of time with kids to teach them . Eac hfilddle is an indevidual no

two are exactly alike> I try to help people with instruments and am

obligated to whow them what i know because i couldnt learn from sone one

growinfg up i can whatch someone play and pick it up. THE NEck of the

fiddle sets the tone of the music and is almost like a human voice (do you

think its alive) well it is through YOU if you playing it i wil play one phrase

and chang it a little bit contunualy and . i dont aly note for note but palay

differernt eevery time. gotta take a chance.

Do you think osama bin ladin is dead or h=is he acuelalt alive? living in the

mountains or whatever? What?

O osama bin ladin is he stil alive? No. are you sure? i dont believe he is.

i think that they kilt him.