Topic: Eck Dunford's photography

[TenBrook]

Hi all,
I have a couple different LPs of old time music that include photographs which are credited to Eck Dunford. I've known and enjoyed his recordings for years but did not know that he also took photographs. From what I've seen he was quite skilled at photography and obviously any photos he took would be invaluable documentation of the Galax area and life in the early 1900s.

I did some internet searching but could not find any more info on his photographs. I then thought perhaps I could find an old time music forum where there might be some members who might know more, but, alas, I haven't found anything. I was hoping someone here might know of such a forum and/or know more about Eck's photography.

Thanks so much,
Lew

[Stuart]

Hi Lew:

Thanks for the post and info. Uncle Eck's photography went right by me, so thanks for bringing it to my attention. I did a little searching and didn't find anything, but you might ask Roni Stoneman as Eck Dunford played with the Stoneman family. Kip Lornell and Dick Spottswood might know the details about his photography. In the interest of being patronizing (or just posting what I found), here are some links:

http://www.ronistoneman.com/

https://music.columbian.gwu.edu/kip-lornell

https://bluegrasscountry.org/contact/

[TenBrook]

Stuart,
Thanks for the info and suggestions. I'll try those avenues. I'll also look through my LPs tonight and update this thread with what albums I'm referring to. Maybe I'll even add a scan or two.

Thanks again,
Lew

[TenBrook]

Stuart,
Turns out that photographs taken by Eck Dunford appear on the covers of all three volumes of 'Round the Heart of Old Galax' on County Records. I don't know how this fact escaped me so long as I've had the first two volumes for a year now. When volume 3 arrived last week I caught the photo credit and then coincidentally later opened the Stoneman Family biography 'The Stonemans' by Ivan Tribe and caught another photo (this time a group of musicians, some of them Stonemans) that is credited to Eck Dunford and dated 'about 1910'.

I scanned all 4 of the above mentioned photographs and posted them at darkhollar.tumblr.com. Hopefully I can dig up some more. I'll try reaching out to County Records next week to see if they have any further information.

[Stuart]

Hi Lew:

Thanks for scanning and posting the photographs. I'm no critic, but they look pretty good. When I did the search, some of the snippets mentioned that he was a photographer, an amateur photographer, and a professional photographer. I also found that his first name was given as Alex, Alec or Aleck (from where 'Eck" came from.)

I ran across this book which might be of interest to some:

https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/Products/9780738554105

https://www.amazon.com/Music-Makers-Plateau-Images-America/dp/0738554103

http://tinyurl.com/zmdteud

And: http://tinyurl.com/hnntm7z

Let us know what you hear from County and others. The people we listen to had lives that went beyond the records, so information about other interesting things they did is always welcome. 

[Lignite]

I just got back from a gig in Galax Virginia and saw an exhibit where I was playing (Chestnut Creek Art School) about the history of the Galax Fiddler's Convention. There was a list of the winners from their first year in 1935 which included an Alex Dunford for winner of best folk story. Though I had never known his first name before, I knew that that had to be our Uncle Eck. So besides being an old time musician and photographer he was also an award winning story teller.

[TenBrook]

Stuart,
Thanks for digging up those links. 'Music Makers of the Blue Ridge Plateau' looks interesting and I found a used copy for a good price. It's great to see there is some more information out there on Eck's photography and especially enjoyed learning that he used "a box-style camera and tripod with glass plates to collect much of the early history of Galax."

And Lignite, thanks also for sharing that Eck was an award winning story teller. Now I'm wondering if any recordings of his stories exist. I know that Alan Lomax did some recordings with Eck, one of which is on the Root Hog or Die set that came out recently, it's entitled 'Memories Of The 1940 National Folk Festival / Fisher's Hornpipe' so not necessarily a 'story' of the type that would win awards but presumably Lomax might have also recorded some of those during his time with Eck.

I just reached out to County Records and will update this thread if they are able to provide any more details on Eck's photography.

[Lignite]

I found a good recorded example of Uncle Eck's storytelling. It is "Going Up The Mountain After Corn Liquor pts. 1 & 2" issued as by The Stoneman Family for Victor in 1928. It features Eck telling his story with Ernest V. adding laughter and comments with background banjo  accompaniment by Bolen Frost and was re-issued on the Bear Family box set The Bristol Sessions; The Big Bang Of Country Music.

[Stuart]

Thanks, Lightnin'. Here it is being spun by someone we all know on YouTube:

[TenBrook]

Thanks for digging that info up Lignite and thanks Stuart for finding the video. Watching the record being spun by someone who enjoys it so much is definitely the best way to hear and see it. Also reminds me that Joe often comments on 'Country Classics' on how much he loves to hear Eck talk.