Interview with Frank Wakefield, December 3, 2006
Project: Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum Oral History Project
Interview Summary
Frank Wakefield talks about his childhood in Emory Gap, Tennessee and learning to play the guitar and mandolin. He talks about forming the Wakefield Brothers with his brother Ralph, playing religious revivals, and later joining Red Allen and the Blue Ridge Mountain Boys. He talks about playing with Jimmy Martin, as well as joining the Stanley Brothers for three weeks. Wakefield discusses various recordings throughout his career, including "New Camptown Races," "Frank Wakefield with Country Cooking," and "Pistol Packin' Mama," which was produced by Kerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead. He talks about playing shows and festivals, playing with the New York Philharmonic, and teaching mandolin lessons.Throughout the interview, Wakefield plays various songs on his mandolin and guitar.
Interview Accession
Interviewee Name
Interview Keyword
Religion Allen, Harley “Red” (Artist) Harley “Red” Allen (Artist) Red Allen (Artist) Allen, Red (Artist) Martin, Jimmy (Artist) Jimmy Martin (Artist) The Stanley Brothers and the Clinch Mountain Boys (Artist) Stanley Brothers and the Clinch Mountain Boys, the (Artist) Don McLean (Artist) McLean, Don (Artist) Mandolin players Mandolins Childhood Musical ability in children. The Kentuckians (Artist) Greenbriar Boys (Artist) Caffe Lena (Venue) Garcia, Jerry (Artist) Jerry Garcia (Artist) Pistol Packin' Mama (Album)Interview LC Subject
Bluegrass music. Bluegrass musicians Musical ability. Musical instruments. Musicians Music--Instruction and study. Mandolin music (Bluegrass) Musical performance Music--Performance. Musical families Musical groups. Bands (Music) Music--Economic aspects. Travel. Sound recordings. Sound--Recording and reproducing Records. Bluegrass festivals Music festivals.Interview Rights
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Wakefield, Frank Interview by . Lexington, KY: Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
Wakefield, F. (n.d.). Interview by . Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum Oral History Project. Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries, Lexington.
Wakefield, Frank, interview by . (n.d.), Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum Oral History Project, Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
Persistent Link for this Record: https://kentuckyoralhistory.org/ark:/16417/xt7b8g8fj50p