Bookmiller Shannon and his granddaughter Debbie on the gymnasium stage at the 1963 Folk Festival.
This Ozark Folk Center 50th Anniversary Legacy Photo is in honor of Pam Setser, who has kept alive the old-time music of people like Bookmiller Shannon.
Sponsored by a friend of old-time music.
Bookmiller Shannon's granddaughter, Debbie, was 4 years old at the time and recalled her experience that night. She said there was a bagpipe player from Lyon College on the program and she was terrified. “Papa Shannon took me backstage and explained that he was only playing his instrument like I was playing mine and there was nothing to be scared of.” Debbie played with her “Papa” until she was about 14 years old. She played with him on the Folk Center Stage, as well as at Silver Dollar City where they played regularly one summer. She remembered others who went on those trips to Branson—Hubert Kendrick and Eddie Walker and his sons, Jim and Tom. Debbie and Bookmiller were featured with Jimmy Driftwood in an ad promoting the 1964 Folk Festival.
Carlos “Bookmiller” Shannon was born on Cow Mountain between Newnata and Mountain View, January 16, 1908. He played the five-string banjo with Jimmie Driftwood and many other local musicians. In October 1959, Shannon recorded several banjo solos for music historian Alan Lomax and was a part of the 1972 recordings by National Geographic. He played many places the country, including a concert at the University of California at Berkeley and was in the delegation of musicians and businessmen who traveled to Washington D. C. to entertain and lobby for the funds for the Folk Center.
Bookmiller was well known as a local musician in Stone County, often playing with Lonnie Avey, Leslie “Boog” Walls, and Seth Mize. When he and Lonnie Avey played together, they would sometimes entertain the crowd by crossing arms and each playing the other person's instrument. Bookmiller played banjo, guitar, mandolin, and fiddle and played for many years at the Ozark Folk Center. He died in 1985.
Leslie "Boog" Walls, Ida Copeland, Bookmiller Shannon, Percy Copeland, and Lonnie Avey.
Pam Setser (left) grew up around all of those ‘old-timers’ and often says that she was fortunate to have known them. One of her memories was watching Bookmiller and Lonnie Avey playing together and she saw them cross arms and play each other's instrument. She also told of riding in the back seat of a car as a young girl, traveling to a performance, and listening to “Aunt Ollie” Gilbert sing one of the many old ballads she knew. Pam learned many of those from her.
From musicians like Bookmiller Shannon, Ollie Gilbert, and others down through performers like Pam Setser, and some young performers today, the traditional music of the Ozarks is alive.
Entry by Janice Sutton with input from Debbie Batten Clark and Pam Simmons Setser.
The Committee of One Hundred Tribute Wall recognizes contributions to the preservation of Ozark folk culture.
If you would like to help preserve the folk culture of the Ozarks, consider a
The Committee is made up entirely of volunteers so, except for transaction fees, all of your donation funds music, craft, or the herb gardens and, as a 501c3 entity
your donation is tax deductible!
I got to see Bookseller and Lonnie Avey playing around 1971. I've forgotten what the event was, but I bout a 45 RPM recording from him--his "merch," It has Bunker Hill on it, which I really like. Lew H.