Remembering the Reedys: Appalachian Music, Migration, & Memory [blog] by Timi Reedy and Tammy Clemons (review)

Remembering the Reedys: Appalachian Music, Migration, & Memory is a blog site hosted by Timi Reedy and Tammy Clemons that traces their archiving of Frances and John Reedy's musical careers. Reedy and Clemons write that it is "an ongoing and collaborative documentary project about founding Bluegrass musicians Frances and John Reedy originally from Harlan, Kentucky and their impact on their family, Appalachian community and culture, and the contemporary Bluegrass/Rock-a-billy music scene in Dayton, Ohio." In the August 20, 2009, post, "Reedy Documentary is Officially in Production," they explain that they use the blog as "a space for documenting our process of research, planning, production, post-production, and distribution of this story. This will no doubt be a process of self-discovery as well as one of finding unknown, hidden treasures we didn't even know existed." They blog and post various scanned archival materials spanning from August 2009 to the most recent post in March 2020, when they addressed the Appalachian Studies Association Conference's cancellation because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The site acts as an archive for folklorists interested in the development of country, bluegrass, and contemporary music.

John Reedy recorded the album Somebody Touched Me/Driftwood in 1947, which started his and Frances' recording careers, which lasted until the most recent compilation album by Starday Gospel in 2009. The Reedys' migration story is common for most urban Appalachians. When they moved out of Hazard, Kentucky, to find more work in Dayton, Ohio, they brought their distinct genre of music with them. While the link to the biography does not work on the sidebar, a more extensive biography of the family is offered on one of the site's posts, "Reedy Collection Finding Aid & Historical Narrative."

When first opening the site, viewers are brought to the most recent blog posting and can scroll down to see archived posts. There are various links to get to other pages on the site: the blog's Facebook group, video footage, archived pages, blog posts by date, search feature, keywords on the site, email subscription information, and other off-site resources. Through digging deep into the site, viewers learn that the Reedys had a profound influence on bluegrass and country artists. The group played alongside such famous musicians as Dolly Parton, Kitty Wells, Ernest Tubb, Bill Monroe, and Red Foley. In an interview posted to the site, Ralph Stanley admits that he learned the now famous song "Oh, Death" from John Reedy. In their post, "Bob Dylan Covers John Reedy?!," Reedy and Clemons note that Bob Dylan covered the Reedy song "Somebody Touched Me" on the Japanese-issued compilation of unreleased recordings titled Bob Dylan Live 1961–2000: Thirty-Nine Years of Great Performances. These posts demonstrate how the Reedys had and continue to have a profound influence on contemporary music.

The links on the site engage with various folklore methods and methodologies, such as fieldwork, close textual analysis, and archiving. There is a memory map called "Migration, Music & Memory Map" that shows where the Reedys lived, recorded, and their "ongoing influence and recognition as Appalachian songwriters and musicians." While the map serves as a geographical marker, Reedy and Clemons also include links to a discography for the group and a multimedia library where one can listen to the songs and see video recordings of the group. Some of these recordings are from Timi Reedy's own family home videos, providing viewers with an intimate look at the group. In addition, there is a link to "Shop Reedy's Records," where three albums are currently sold.

The "About the Media-Makers" page provides a professional ethos for both authors, explaining the various projects they have done and listing the awards they have won—evidence that they are qualified to construct this archive. The Reedys were Timi's grandparents, so she claims to provide an insider view to her grandparents' musical journey. The inclusion of Reedy's and Clemons...