Alabama Folk

William Lee has been fixing typewriters in central Alabama for over 50 years, drawing on a naturally inquisitive mind and mechanical aptitude, as well as the perseverance and self-reliance embedded in his family and community in Lowndes County. William recalls men fixing cars, his grandmother delivering babies, his parents fighting for voting rights, and his neighbors helping each other out of Tent City as prototypes of the practicality, solidarity, mutual help, and independence that grounded the rural Black community of his childhood.

Steeped in fiddle music from her earliest days, Sharon Bounds is a champion fiddler. She takes us inside the world of contest fiddling to hear breakdowns, waltzes, and rags, the importance of improvisation, and the camaraderie of playing around the circle. And the fiddle has carried Sharon well beyond competition, to playing in the back of the family station wagon, in church and in a bluegrass band, alongside her dad and granddad on Sunday evenings, with Alabama’s million dollar marching band, and even to newborns in the nursery.

Orran Scruggs makes spoons that reflect the rural life and African heritage passed down by the elder women in his family. He takes us through the process from salvaging off-cuts to following the grain to let each spoon emerge organically to the moment its true color pops. As an artist, Orran prizes moving at his own pace, self-expression, immersion, and exploration. He also uses spoons to collaborate with fellow artists across mediums and to seed human connection and unity.

Above all, Mari Juarez and Jesse Gonzalez wanted the first Día de los Muertos celebration in downtown Decatur to be authentic: street vendors selling mole and elotes, Mexican music and dance, papel picado, and the altar with its essentials: certain colors, salt, water, fruit, marigolds, Pan de Muerto, and copal. Mari and Jesse explain the meaning of Day of the Dead, and how it showcased Latino culture and pride, generated healing, and fostered unity for the Decatur community.

Mike Baker, raised on a dairy farm in Hale County, grew up hunting for food. His first experience with dove hunting was gathering the birds shot by the landowner for a nickel a piece. As an adult, Mike introduced the sport to his wife, Nikki, who describes its thrills: the speed of the birds and the shot, the rush of competition, and the pride of bagging 15, especially as a woman. Yet Nikki and Mike measure the hunt not in numbers, but in fresh air and nature, challenge and camaraderie.

Gina Locklear grew up in Fort Payne when it was known as the Sock Capital of the World. Then, as mills began to close, she reinvented the family business to thrive in a changed economy. Rooted in tradition, zkano socks is also creative, adaptive, sustainable, and American-made. Gina walks us through her mill history, from jumping in bins of socks as a kid to a deep appreciation for color and design, self-direction, and her parents’ perseverance.

Kendrick Hall was raised by men who prized ingenuity, self-reliance, and persistence, all qualities he used in learning to ride, break, and train horses. He leads us into the world of horse clubs in rural Macon County, which reflect strong bonds with family, community, and the horses themselves, and seed a love of riding in the next generation. Trail rides are a mix of camaraderie and competition, joy and speed, but above all, riding brings Kendrick serenity.

Bridge Hill Kennedy was hooked on Sacred Harp music the first time he heard it from the center of the hollow square. Over 20 years later, he takes us into the striking, singular sound and experience of Sacred Harp: a living tradition that unites singers from all walks of life in a community like no other. Bridge also walks us through a typical day at a Sacred Harp singing, including the memorial lesson, dinner on the ground, and those ineffable moments of communion.

Descended from slaveowners and from enslaved people, Judge Susan Walker and Reverend Dale Braxton walked very different paths to Hopewell Baptist Church. Yet through their willingness to trust each other and tell the truth about the past, the two built a quilting project to honor enslaved people that brings Alabamians together to remember, grieve, sing, heal, and build something new.

Jay Herring and Doug Baloy designed and built elaborate runway costumes for Mardi Gras balls in Alabama for over twenty years. Each one-of-a-kind piece grew from creativity, ingenuity, and thinking big, and came to life with their combined skills in costume and set design. Jay and Doug reflect on the artistic process, freedom of expression, the LGBTQ community, and the magic of Mardi Gras.