Many of us who live in Appalachia have lived here all our lives. So have our parents. So have our grandparents and our great-grandparents. What we learned from them became a part of who we are and what we will pass on to those who follow us.

Early in the 18th century, great-grandfather William Collins and his wife, Sarah, brought their family to Johns Creek in a wagon. It was there that my grandfather, Frank Collins, was born.

After Poppy met and married Pricy Smith, who was the daughter of John “Pocket” Smith, he and Ma raised their family at Canada, Ky. My mother, Mary, was born to them in 1914. Mama married my dad, Henry Baldwin, in 1930 and I grew up within spittin’ distance of Ma and Poppy.

Daddy’s father was “Charlie” Baldwin, who came to Big Creek with his parents when he was a young man. They moved from North Carolina to settle here in Eastern Kentucky. Grandpa married Lena Smith and settled into married life at the start of the 18th century.

Both my father’s side of the family and my mother’s side are mostly of English-Scottish descent, with a smidgen of Cherokee Indian that came through Daddy’s great-great-grandmother.

Each family bought with them values of faith in God and the strength and unity of family, which our parents and grandparents instilled in us.

They also passed on to me and my siblings teachings that have helped to strengthen and guide us all through our lives ... valuable lessons about being honest, independent, good neighbors and the necessity and value of work.

Our grandparents, great-grandparents and our ancestors before them brought with them a rich heritage which has been and is ours to enjoy, and from which to learn.

When my ancestors came and cleared new ground for crops, they carved a home and a living out of these rugged mountains. They also brought not only priceless moral and spiritual values with them, they also gave us a rich musical heritage.

One of the things I have loved and appreciated the most has been the passing on to us the love of what I call “Mountain Music.” I call it “Mountain Music” because the people who love it and play it are home-grown mountain folks who are so talented.

Genuine mountain music has its roots in England, Scotland and Ireland from whence our Appalachian ancestors first came. Bluegrass, gospel and country music was born in the living rooms, on front porches and under the shade trees of hundreds of homes from one end of these Appalachian Mountains to the other.

One of the most precious memories of my youth is the memory of so many Saturday afternoons spent with Grandma and Grandpa Baldwin. When the weather was warm, we gathered outside. When it was cold, we congregated in Grandma’s living room.

When parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins had all gathered, out came the musical instruments. A few of he women folks played guitars, but mostly the men played them.

The first thing the “pickers” did was tune their instruments. Grandpa’s banjo, Grandma’s guitar, Uncle Walter’s fiddle, other aunts and uncles with guitars, a mandolin and a harmonica joined in the hodgepodge of sing-song sounds from the strings of the instruments until they all blended into one smooth, harmonious sound.

No one ever seemed to get tired. At the time, I was so young, I couldn’t really appreciate what was going on around me. But as I grew, I came to realize what a rich heritage we have in so many things and in so many ways.

These hill folks ... these mountain music-makers ... these crafters of instruments and songs ... their love for God, family, country and music makes them a special breed of people.

The tradition continues today. Families all across Appalachia still sing and play on front porches, under shade trees, in living rooms. While so much has changed in the world of music, “Mountain Music” remains much the same.

The love for the music is still there. Folks are still self-taught, with no formal training. The “gift” is passed down from generation to generation ... and hearts are still warmed and spirits still lifted when the musicians tune their instruments and start to play our “Mountain Music.”

Before radio, before TV, our entertainment was music. It was a family affair. It was a social gathering for neighbors. When we sang gospel songs, it was a spiritual experience.

It’s the same today. These hills I love ... these people I love have a song in their hearts in spite of many hardships and they will continue to make “Mountain Music” echo through these Appalachian Mountains we call home.

God bless!