Riley Baugus

Dirty Linen

This is an excerpt from the print edition of Dirty Linen #127 (December 2006/January 2007).
The full article is in the magazine, available on newsstands, by subscription, and at the Dirty Linen webstore.

Riley Baugus

Old-Time Banjoman

by Philip Van Vleck

Anyone who saw the film Cold Mountain also took in a pure dose of the music of the Southern Appalachians. And whether viewers knew it or not, they were also listening to the singing voice of North Carolina's Riley Baugus, who sang the role of the banjo player, Pangle.

Baugus is one of the latest in the imposing lineage of North Carolina banjo pickers. He's a dedicated practitioner of the mountain music he grew up listening to in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, west of Winston-Salem. In August of this year, Baugus released his solo debut for Sugar Hill Records. Titled Long Steel Rail, the album was produced by Dirk Powell and Tim O'Brien and offers 14 tunes, all of which fit quite comfortably under the banner of old-time music.

Long Steel Rail is an uncomplicated project that yields a beautiful listening experience. Baugus plays banjo, fiddle, and guitar on the album, and receives stellar instrumental support from Powell, O'Brien, Joe Thrift, and Tony Davoren. Baugus handles the vocals as well, and his voice is as real and as true as the music he sings.

Baugus' musical odyssey began when he was a youngster. His parents were dyed-in-the-wool music lovers, and Baugus grew up with mountain music and blues in his head. "My dad loved to listen to music," Baugus explained, "so he'd get all kinds of recordings, and we'd go to live music events. We also had family friends who played music.

[cover #127]