28. Honaker

In southwestern Virginia, traditional forms of Appalachian culture are celebrated along the Crooked Road, an 333 mile driving route that includes many milestones in the history of American popular music. The designated stops along the Crooked Road include recording studios, birthplaces of famous musicians, and key moments in performances for public audiences. The road also includes sites of musical festivals, including the Redbud festival each spring in Honecker, a town located along route 76. The Crooked Road recognizes music known by various names, including country, folk, bluegrass, traditional, or Appalachian. In 1976, as cyclists rode through the mountains of Virginia during the Bikecentennial, they often observed local musicians playing along the route. This tradition continues, as music remains integral to the identity and beliefs of Appalachian Virginia as well as contributing to the recreational tourism industry. An appreciation of the complex history of this music provides insights into the synthetic nature of Appalachian culture in the past as well as the present. This episode is connected to the town of Honaker, located just over 520 miles from Yorktown, the starting point for the westbound route, and just under 30 miles from the Kentucky border, where eastbound riders enter Virginia.