The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Local News

June 29, 2009

West Virginia Music Hall of Fame eyes permanent home at Tamarack

By Mannix Porterfield

Tamarack is the mecca for home-grown craft folks and authors, so it’s just natural the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame relishes the idea of setting up a permanent home for its native musicians.

In mind is a structure in the open-air “doughnut hole” in the center of the artisans facility, near the Beckley exit of the West Virginia Turnpike.

“I think Tamarack is an incredible facility,” the hall’s director, Michael Tipton, said Monday.

“Even its slogan, ‘The Best of West Virginia,’ I think, certainly fits into what we’re trying to do as well. I think Tamarack wants to attract some additional traffic and visitors. I feel we would help in that regard. Obviously, we’re extremely excited to be a part of Tamarack.”

A step in that direction comes in mid-September when a permanent Hall of Fame exhibit will be set up in a foyer between the main part of Tamarack’s theater.

Three display cases are planned, along with a large wall of hanging items.

From the past will come an old Victrola with 78 rpm records and a jukebox that played 45s. Eventually, the exhibit will feature a standup bass that belonged to Hazel Dickens and the mandolin that once was held by the talented fingers of bluegrass pioneer Everett Lilly of the Lilly Brothers.

Lipton said the hall has been in talks with Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., who is seeking funds for the hall in the current federal budget, and the staff of Gov. Joe Manchin in hopes of seeing a permanent structure on Tamarack’s grounds.

“That’s what we’re pursuing,” the hall director said. “Everyone seems to think it’s a great idea. It’s in the talking and planning stages.

“Funding is the tough part in everything, especially now. But all the participants seem to be in agreement that it is a good idea, and we should move forward.”

For now, the hall functions out of an office in the West Virginia Cultural and History Center at the Capitol. Come Nov. 21, the hall will formally induct seven individuals and acts in its third such ceremony. Among the 2009 inductees is longtime vocalist Nat Reese of Princeton.

At times, the hall goes on the road with a traveling museum, which already has toured four counties, with plans to touch the other 51, beginning in September.

“It’s been an incredible experience,” said the New York-born Lipton, who arrived in West Virginia back in 1973 from Miami.

“I’ve played around West Virginia for 30 years. I thought I knew a lot about music and musicians who have come from this state. I learned more in the last five years than I had in the 25 before that.”

— E-mail: mannix@register-herald.com

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