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Life and Times of Joe Thompson




Joe Thompson, accompanid by Bob Carlin, perform at the 2003 Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Photo by Alan Teichman.

Joe Thompson is an 87 year-old old-time traditional black string band musician from Cedar Grove, North Carolina in the Piedmont region near the Virginia border. Joe plays fiddle and sings in his Granddaddy’s style of music that can be traced in America to the 1700’s, and even earlier to origins in Africa. Joe is one of the last of the black musicians of his generation who play this style of music. His music builds community by crossing boundaries of generations, races, and cultures.


Lesson Plan

Objective: Student will develop an understanding of the relationship between the history of Old-time music being both a tradition of blacks and whites in our Southern Appalachian region.

Virginia Standards of Learning:

MS.5-4, MS.8, VS.1c, VS.1e, VS.1g, VS.1h, 6.2b, 6.2e, 6.3d

Materials needed:

  • DVD/VHS, “The Life and Times of Joe Thompson
  • Vocabulary Worksheet
  • Cloze worksheet narrative of the DVD, “The Life and Times of Joe Thompson”.

    • Procedure:

  • Using effective questioning, ask students what they know about the culture of Old-time string band music and how it relates to race and the Southern Appalachian region.
  • Vocabulary worksheet
  • Watch DVD, “The Life and Times of Joe Thompson”
  • Discuss impact string band music as it relates to race, culture, and heritage.
  • Assessment: Cloze Activity relating to the DVD
  • Culminating activity: Attending Joe Thompson live performance at the Paramount Theatre.

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    Below are links to PDF files containing a printable version of the lesson plan, the cloze activity, and vocabulary worksheet to accompany the video "The Life and Times of Joe Thompson".

    For information about obtaining a copy of "The Life and Times of Joe Thompson," please contact Iris Chapman. The Bristol YWCA has a limited supply of videos available to local schools. For more information, please contact Tammy Henkle



    Lesson Plan to Accompany "Life and Time of Joe Thompson"
    Requires Adobe Acorbat Reader



    Cloze Activity for “The Life and Times of Joe Thompson”
    Requires Adobe Acorbat Reader



    Vocabulary Worksheet for "Life and Times of Joe Thompson"
    Requires Adobe Acorbat Reader


    Additional Resources

    You can find additonal information about the African-American roots of country and old-time music using the links below:

    Esssays on the Birthplace of Country Music Alliance website:

  • The African American Music Tradition in Country Music
  • All in the Family Mural

    Biographies of African-American musicians on the Birthplace of Country Music Alliance website:

  • Deford Bailey
  • Leslie Riddle

    Other sites:

  • Liner notes to Violin, Sing The Blues For Me: African-American Fiddlers 1926-1949 at Old Hat Records
  • The Banjo: From Africa to America and Beyond on exhibit at the McClung Museum in Knoxville until April 30, 2006.

    Audio Clips of Joe Thompson performing:


    • Click here to listen to a clip of Joe Thomspon performing "Old Corn Liquor"


    Click here to Listen to a clip of Joe Thompson performing "Molly Put The Kettle On"