LUNSFORD, BASCOM LAMAR
(1882–1973)
LUNSFORD, BASCOM LAMAR (b. Mars Hill, N.C., March 21, 1882–September 4, 1973) Lunsford was one of the few folklorists to come from within the mountain culture. Founder of the Asheville Folk Festival in 1928, he was also a fine BANJO player, singer, and teller of traditional mountain stories. Although he learned to play banjo and FIDDLE as a child, Lunsford did not initially pursue a career in music. His first job was as a rural fruit-tree salesman, and he traveled throughout the Appalachians…