Kyle Creed
Encyclopedia
Kyle Creed was an influential musician and banjo luthier
of 20th century Appalachia
. Along with Tommy Jarrell
, and Fred Cockerham
, he is considered to be one of the originators of the Roundpeak clawhammer
banjo
style that developed in the 1960s and came to shape banjo practices in the Old-time music
tradition.
on September 20, 1912, becoming immersed in the traditional music of the region from an early age. Creed was a multi-instrumentalist but concentrated on clawhammer banjo, playing in various groups such as the Camp Creek Boys and winning the prestigious Galax
, VA Old Fiddler's Convention banjo competition in multiple consecutive years He also operated a music store and built banjos for other players of the style. His work as a luthier
continues to influence preferences and standards in open back banjo construction and sound.
Particularly influential was Creed's novel practice of executing the right hand playing motion over the highest frets of the banjo
fretboard as opposed to the standard method of striking the strings directly above the banjo head. Kyle Creed recorded individually and with the Camp Creek Boys and is included in the Library of Congress
Archive of Folk Culture and the seminal County Records Clawhammer Banjo series.
He died November 26, 1982.
Luthier
A luthier is someone who makes or repairs lutes and other string instruments. In the United States, the term is used interchangeably with a term for the specialty of each maker, such as violinmaker, guitar maker, lute maker, etc...
of 20th century Appalachia
Appalachia
Appalachia is a term used to describe a cultural region in the eastern United States that stretches from the Southern Tier of New York state to northern Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia. While the Appalachian Mountains stretch from Belle Isle in Canada to Cheaha Mountain in the U.S...
. Along with Tommy Jarrell
Tommy Jarrell
Tommy Jarrell was an American fiddler, banjo player, and singer from the Mount Airy region of North Carolina's Appalachian Mountains.-Biography:...
, and Fred Cockerham
Fred Cockerham
Fred Cockerham was a fiddle and banjo player of American folk music.Cockerham was one of the seven children of Elias and Betty Jane Cockerham in North Carolina. He was one of the most accomplished of all the "Round Peak," North Carolina musicians but is most commonly known as the banjo accompanist...
, he is considered to be one of the originators of the Roundpeak clawhammer
Clawhammer
Clawhammer is a highly rhythmic banjo playing style and common component of American old-time music. The principal difference between clawhammer style and other styles is the picking direction...
banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
style that developed in the 1960s and came to shape banjo practices in the Old-time music
Old-time music
Old-time music is a genre of North American folk music, with roots in the folk music of many countries, including England, Scotland, Ireland and countries in Africa. It developed along with various North American folk dances, such as square dance, buck dance, and clogging. The genre also...
tradition.
Biography
He was born in the Round Peak area of Surrey County, North CarolinaNorth Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
on September 20, 1912, becoming immersed in the traditional music of the region from an early age. Creed was a multi-instrumentalist but concentrated on clawhammer banjo, playing in various groups such as the Camp Creek Boys and winning the prestigious Galax
Galax
Galax is a genus in the flowering plant family Diapensiaceae, containing a single species, Galax urceolata...
, VA Old Fiddler's Convention banjo competition in multiple consecutive years He also operated a music store and built banjos for other players of the style. His work as a luthier
Luthier
A luthier is someone who makes or repairs lutes and other string instruments. In the United States, the term is used interchangeably with a term for the specialty of each maker, such as violinmaker, guitar maker, lute maker, etc...
continues to influence preferences and standards in open back banjo construction and sound.
Particularly influential was Creed's novel practice of executing the right hand playing motion over the highest frets of the banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
fretboard as opposed to the standard method of striking the strings directly above the banjo head. Kyle Creed recorded individually and with the Camp Creek Boys and is included in the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
Archive of Folk Culture and the seminal County Records Clawhammer Banjo series.
He died November 26, 1982.