Oral History Interview with Robert Bailey

Interview Summary

Runs Bailey Enterprises, a publishing company, which covers this area and Harlan County,

Covers blues, mountain, hillbilly, and folk music

Bailey discusses the purpose of the organization.

Says that Ohio County is the center of music in the state

Sent a song to Kentucky State Parks for tourism purposes

Features Alma Randolph, an aspiring professional gospel singer

Discusses strategies to promote the song

Born in Dayton Ohio, very proud of the Irish family name

Family to the U.S. from Ireland

Ancestors came to Harlan prior to 1892, unsure of exact date

Down from the family grandpa played various instruments and made instruments, hand carved at home the porch and played music by ear

Grandfather had perfect pitch and dressed stylishly

Describes music playing abilities of other family members

Grandmother played at barn dances in the Greasy Creek area of Harlan County

Story about how Greasy Creek received its name

Discussion of making instruments

Related to Tom T. Hall on maternal side

Tom T. Hall played string instruments and was a singer

Lot of Uncles on Bailey side played musical instruments rather than singers

Bailey family was very creative and always added their own touches to their music

Born in Ohio, family moved there from Ky. for work.

1959: Bailey wanted to stay with Coy Bush, maternal grandfather was very pro-union

Bailey went back to Kentucky frequently, including on school vacations and weekends

Family moved back to Kentucky when Bailey was ten or eleven

In Ohio, Bailey played guitar and learned several additional instruments when he moved back to Kentucky

Can read music and play by ear, but goes for tone more than reading, thinks that playing by ear is better

Discussion about how bluegrass music started in the Appalachian Mountains

Was rebellious with music during teen years, cousins played rock, Ted Nugent taught him rock

Played other artist’s music for 20 years, then decided to write own music

Played at private parties and oved to Western Ky. when he was seventeen, band was called Midnight Owl

Midnight Owl split up 1982, Bailey then begins to write his own songs

Learning about copyright

Robert Bailey's collection of works went to several publishing companies all over the country

Details of tapes and promotional activities, lists musical organizations

Discusses how Bailey Enterprises received its name

Describes self-image and what music means to him

Discusses his experiences writing poetry and music and sending his music out to professional musicians and record labels

Description of religious beliefs as a Christian

Discussion of Bailey’s creative process