by Kate Evans
The legendary and treasured Critton Hollow String Band has performed their traditional music all over the Morgan County, the United States, Canada, Scotland, Japan, Ireland and internationally for 50 years at a multitude of folk music venues, festivals and concerts.
Critton Hollow String Band will be performing this Saturday, July 19 on their 50th celebration Saturday Concert in Berkeley Springs State Park at 5:30 p.m. as part of the Morgan Arts Council’s longstanding summer concert series.
Critton Hollow’s music features fiddle, hammered dulcimer, banjo, mandolin, guitar and bass, exquisite three-part harmonies and rich instrumentation. They perform songs that range from traditional Appalachian roots, contemporary folk and tunes of love and loss to lighthearted humor, easy-going stories and foot-tapping rags, fiddle tunes and sprightly dulcimer numbers.
Early days
The first Critton Hollow String Band quartet was Joe Herrmann, Sam Herrmann, Sam’s brother Arnold Kempton and his wife Patti Kempton. They recorded their first album “Poor Boy” in 1979 at the Star Theater. Their second album -”Sweet Home” was also recorded at the Star Theater. By 1981, the Kemptons had moved away. Then Joe Fallon and Pete Gordon joined the band.
The Herrmanns recalled that Dave Adams at Coolfont hired them to play music every Sunday. The band also played family square dances at the Coolfont barn and in the basement at Coolfont at square dances there.
Sam Herrmann said that she and her husband Joe Herrmann met through mutual friends in 1973-1974. Both Sam and Joe had always played music growing up. Sam said that Joe picked up the banjo when he was around 12 years old and grew up in the music scene in Baltimore. Joe had a group and had a lot of music around the house.
All three of them-Joe Fallon too-grew up with music in the community, with friends, family and in school. Sam said she was chosen for the first grade choir in school and was selected to learn oboe. She also learned dulcimer.
Joe Fallon has performed with the Critton Hollow String Band for 45 years since 1981 and also grew up playing music with friends, community and family.
Morgan Arts Council
Sam Herrmann remembered Jeanne Mozier inviting her and her husband Joe Herrmann out to her porch around 1975-1976 to talk about an idea she had about starting an arts council and asked the Herrmanns what they thought.
“It was only a glimmer in Jeanne’s eye at that point.” Sam noted of the idea.
Around two years later Jeanne’s art’s council idea came to fruition and the Morgan Arts Council was on its way. Sam Herrmann recalled that she and Joe helped Jeanne Mozier and Jack Soronen paint the Star Theater for a performance.
Joe Fallon’s wife Linda Fallon was working for the Morgan Arts Council and organized the Summer Concert Series in Berkeley Springs State Park.The Critton Hollow String Band made many appearances there for many years. Jeanne Mozier also had Critton Hollow perform at the Morgan Arts Council’s 40th anniversary. The band also played for around 30 years at the Apple Butter Festival.
The Critton Hollow String Band was named Volunteer of the Year for doing a fundraiser Paw Paw for a family that lost their home in a fire in the early 1980s. The recognition was a major deal and they were very honored to be recognized, Joe Herrmann said..
They were also inducted into Jim McCoy’s Country Hall of Fame in 2010. John Douglas was a big fan and really encouraged their music.
The Critton Hollow String Band also inspired music and a growing string band that was called the Berkeley Springs, said Joe Herrmann. Joe Lillard played fiddle in the Berkeley Strings band.
Occasionally they played Tari’s Cafe and other local venues. Critton Hollow String Band also did school programs with the Morgan Arts Council. Joe said they’ve mainly played out of town, but last year they performed at the Paw Paw Festival. They’ve also opened for Asleep at the Wheel and played at the Star Theater.
Joe Herrmann said 50 years ago that their name on the playbill Galax Fiddler’s Convention was the beginning of the Critton Hollow String Band. The friendships that they have made through the years through their music have been phenomenal, he noted.
Sam Herrmann said that former band member Pete Gordon might sit in on a few numbers with the Critton Hollow String Band at their concert on Saturday if possible. Gordon became a Morgan County Teacher of the Year. Gordon also served as a school board member.
Albums, other venues
The band has seven CDs-”Poor Boy,” “Sweet Home,” “By and By”, “Great Dreams,” “Cowboys and Indians,” “The Dulcimer Collection and “Gather ‘round. Audience long-time favorites include “High on the Mountain,” “Ragged But Right,” “John Henry, ”: By and By and “Brian Boru’s.”
According to their website, the Critton Hollow String Band has also performed at musical venues and concerts such as the Philadelphia Folk Festival, the Kennedy Center, the Birchmere Music Club, the Carter Family Fold and the Upper Potomac Dulcimer Festival.
Radio shows on which they’ve been featured include Mountain Stage, Voices from the Mountains, Live at the Birchmere and the TV Today Show.
Of the passing of 50 years of playing music, Sam Herrmann said “how time flies.”
The music of the Critton Hollow String Band and Joe Herrmann, Sam Herrmann and Joe Fallon will continue to touch and inspire the hearts of all that hear the band’s magic, fun and wonder. They hope that that many will join them in the park for their concert.
