(Novello Festival Press)

www.novellopress.org

There's no denying that a lot of great music has come out of the South through the years: Memphis, gave us Stax soul and Elvis Presley; Nashville, a wealth of country music, Gospel, rock and R&B. The Mississippi Delta gave birth to the blues while Muscle Shoals, Alabama fueled the soul train. Atlanta remains a hotbed of rap, and New Orleans - well, the Crescent City has produced everything from blues and jazz to funk, rap and rock. Surprisingly, the Carolinas are seldom mentioned when discussing the South's enormous contributions to popular music.

Making Notes, edited by North Carolina journalist Ann Wicker, is both an informed introduction to, as it is subtitled, the "music of the Carolinas," as well as a collection of historical essays and musical reminiscences by a diverse group of contributors. In the creation of Making Notes, Wicker has rounded up an impressive and knowledgeable mix of music journalists, historians, novelists, deejays, musicians and others, each sharing their own tales, each displaying an obvious pride in, and love for, the region's music.

The story of the music of the Carolinas is one of incredible talent and diversity. For instance, I had no idea that jazz greats John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk and Dizzy Gillespie all had their origins in the Carolinas. Richard Garrison's piece on Coltrane's music and his importance to the area is well-done and informative, while Sam Stephenson's piece on Monk's Carolina ties does a great job of explaining the artist's music relative to his humble beginnings.

Country and bluegrass music, unsurprisingly, have deep roots in the community, and essays on artists like DeWitt "Snuffy" Jenkins, Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson and Charlie Daniels are as entertaining as they are informative. The Carolinas have also yielded a wealth of R&B artists like Ben E. King, Little Eva, Nina Simone and Maurice Williams, as well as bluesmen like Peg Leg Jackson, Richard "Big Boy" Henry and Pink Anderson. All are represented here with fond stories of their individual triumphs and tragedies alike.

Rock music is not unfamiliar in the Carolinas, and aside from those bands that you'd expect - the Marshall Tucker Band, Hootie & the Blowfish, even Southern Culture on the Skids - Making Notes offers doting pieces on lesser-known talents like Hope Nicholls of Fetchin' Bones and the Accelerators. Bland Simpson's travelogue of the Red Clay Ramblers' first trip to the West coast is humorous but insightful, delivering the experience of a band on the road, while Don Dixon's memories of the early recording sessions by future superstars R.E.M. are historically relevant and enlightening. 

Not all of the contributions to Making Notes are academic or detached from their subject; in fact, quite a few are distinctly personal. Peter Holsapple of the dB's shares the influence that Winston-Salem guitarist Sam Moss had on his decision to play music, and Bob Margolin's story of playing alongside blues giant Muddy Waters for The Last Waltz film is simply priceless. Blurt managing editor Fred Mills' sentimental memory of meeting Johnny and June Carter Cash displays the great humility of both artists, while Rev. Billy C. Wirtz's history of "beach music" illuminates a phenomenon little-known outside the Carolina coasts.

One doesn't have to live in, or even come from, North or South Carolina in order to appreciate the depth of musical talent discussed in the pages of Making Notes. Wicker and all of the contributors have put together a wonderful collection that represents the rich musical history that the Carolinas can rightfully boast of, and do so with intelligence, insight, humor and sincerity. REV. KEITH A. GORDON