Throwback Thursday and D. Ray White
I’ve been watching Ken Burn’s fascinating
series on country music and it made me wonder about dance in the mountains. While
researching I ran across the subject of today’s blog: D. Ray White.
He was born Donald Ray White on April
17, 1927 In Bandytown, Boone County, West Virginia. He became a mountain dancer
and entertainer who mixed tap and clogging and was soon a local celebrity.
He became known as one of the greatest mountain dancers of his time.
D. Ray White has been featured in
several documentaries about the colorful White family. The PBS special Talking Feet: Solo Southern Dance -
Flatfoot, Buck and Tap. His son Jesco White (one of thirteen children) carried
on his style and is known as “The Dancing Outlaw”. Jesco was profiled in a 1991
PBS special The Dancing Outlaw. There
was also a documentary called The Wild
and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia.
In addition, Hank Williams III
did a song titled D. Ray White (see the Quote of the Day below).
On July 2, 1985, after a quarrel between Steve Allen Rowe
and White and his sons, D. Ray White was killed by a shotgun wound to the chest.
He was 60 years old.
From the Big
Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Dance History Secret #289:
“D. Ray White was a well-known Appalachian dancer and
entertainer.”
Link of the Day:
Quote of the Day:
"D
Ray White
Way down
in West Virginia
There are some people who are one of a kind
They don't need nothin' from nobody
'Cause they're already doin' fine…”
There are some people who are one of a kind
They don't need nothin' from nobody
'Cause they're already doin' fine…”
- Hank Williams III
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