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Mountain View, AR Bluff
Food booths at bean festival
Loving local performersThe History of Mountain View Folk Music
The preservation of Arkansas rural folk music and craft traditions in Mountain View stems from the efforts of a local highschool teacher who derived some fame in the 1940-60 period under the stage name of Jimmy Driftwood. He had the support of a group of locals (one a Grandpa Jones) who formed a team called the Rackensack Society whom he did minitours with. The Society was joined by enthusiasts and contributors and continues to have pickin-meetings today in various places and oversees aspects of the Festivals and Workshops that continue. Ultimately his efforts resulted in the Federal funding of the Ozark Folk Center in 1973. It is just out of town and is a State Park with a fine restaurant (The Skillet) and good accomodations (Dry Creek Lodge). The organization nurtures such things in its activites as the hammered dulcimer and "Old Time Fiddler" Contests. There are venues in various places around the weekend with professional performances but this is no Branson. During the day (when open) there are demonstration (and of course sales) of folk crafts. In a modest way these are also preserved and the tourism provides a source of income for thr community. Our adult children's performances ( a second son is also singing in with the group).
