SUMMERS COUNTY W.Va. (WVDN) – This week’s piece is about the Inspiration Gallery at Summers County Comprehensive High School. A product of the Summers County Historical Society. This was created as a way of encouraging local students by showcasing residents of Summers County who have accomplished great things by going far and beyond. Therefore, inspiring them by letting them know they can achieve the same thing in life, being from Summers County.
One of the 2025 inductees was Blind Alfred Reed, who was recognized at a ceremony at the high school on April 12, 2025. Alongside the other individuals from our county who are being recognized this year who are; Kenneth Allman, Dr. Ella Atkins, Butch Miles and Christopher Payne.
I will focus on Blind Alfred Reed because one of his grandchildren, who was our guest over that weekend, was Denny Reed. To keep a long story short, we met Denny roughly 13 years ago through our cousin Ginger Snider, whom I have mentioned in one of my previous pieces. Ginger’s sister Jane Kelly Watt, who is an accomplished pianist, joined Denny for his participation in the event.
Students told about the inductees, Blind Alfred Reeds was presented by Sarah Okes. She did such a fantastic job relaying the history of this accomplished man I will just quote her speech for the details of Mr. Reed.
“The life of Blind Alfred Reed is a story of someone who has truly overcome obstacles to make a difference in the world. Reed was born in Floyd, Virginia in 1880 at a time when there were very few services for people with disabilities and no public accommodations to allow them to lead a fully productive life. His family moved to West Virginia, where he grew up and was able to provide for his wife and six children by scraping together a living. He lived in Summers County and later moved to Mercer County.”
“Reed had acquired a violin at a young age and began performing American folk, country,and old-time music at county fairs, in country schoolhouses, for political rallies, and in churches. He gave music lessons and even played on street corners for tips. He wrote the music and lyrics to many of his songs. More than half the songs he wrote and recorded were religious or political. His songs against society’s ills were very unusual for that time period.”
“Reed was discovered by Victor Records in 1927 when recording music was still new. Reed traveled to Bristol, Tennessee and recorded his song about a recent train accident, “The Wreck of the Virginian,” which had already received regional attention. He went on to release 21 sides on the Victor label until his recording career was eventually cut short by the effects of the Great Depression.”
“Reed’s original songs are remarkable in their timelessness. The sentiments expressed in “You’ll Miss Me” could have been written today, while the sly humor of “Black & Blue Blues” and “Woman’s Been After Man Ever Since,” are undeniably clever. Meanwhile, social commentaries like “Money Cravin’ Folks” and his most famous song, “How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live,” remain relevant after nearly eight decades. The latter was written during the depths of the Great Depression and was popular with many people, but in 1937, the City of Hinton passed an ordinance banning blind musicians from playing on street corners.”
“By the 1950s, Alfred Reed’s recordings had been unavailable for more than 20 years, and royalties dwindled to a trickle. Still, Reed kept composing, writing the lyrics out in braille until he passed in 1956 at the age of 76.”
“Reed’s music was all but forgotten until the folk music revival of the 1960s. In 2006, Bruce Springsteen debuted his version of “How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times,” and Blind Alfred Reed was rediscovered. In 2007, he was inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame.”
“At this time we will enjoy several selections of Reed’s old-time music performed by his grandson, Denny Reed, and Tina Hunter. Tina was also our guest for the event and is Blind Alfred’s great-grandchild.”
Being a John Denver fan, one of my favorite parts of the evening was when Denny and Tina sang “Country Roads” and had the audience sing along while Janie played the piano.
Janie played while Denny and Tina sang some of Blind Alfred’s original songs. Denny brought with him Blind Alfred’s fiddle that he had given to him when he was only 8 years old. He must have been able to see something in Denny at that time to have chosen him to give it to. Denny has had quite an exciting life of music himself. The color photo you see is of him holding the fiddle at the ceremony.
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