At the Park

Concerned that his more than 300 original songs were being forgotten, A. P. Carter built an outdoor stage in the woods behind the store in 1953 and called it the Park, where crowds came for a time to hear his music played by old-time musicians. Leslie Riddle recalled that A. P. would go anywhere if he heard someone had a new song, traveling to follow music he thought would suit the Carter Family's style. A. P.'s songs drew inspiration from his life in Poor Valley and were filled with images of the surrounding mountains. Later, his daughter Janette, who began Saturday night shows in the A. P. Carter Grocery store, carried forward his vision and hope, while the Park structure deteriorated over time.

Virginia · United States