Abstract
Appalachian storyteller Ray Hicks was often described metonymically as “the last of his breed.” After Ray's death in 2003, it emerged that several younger extended family members were capable of re-telling his stories. While space exists in the professional storytelling world for next-generation tellers to step into the family storytelling mantle, internal and external factors have resisted this development. The essay explores attitudes toward private and public performance, memory, identity, and honor among the descendants and relatives of a dominant Appalachian tradition-bearer.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 206-220 |
Number of pages | 15 |
Journal | Journal of Appalachian Studies |
Volume | 23 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 30 Oct 2017 |
Keywords
- Storytelling
- Appalachian taletellers
- folklore
- folkloristics
- Jack Tales
- Beech Mountain