Interview with Wade Mainer, June 26, 2005

Interview Summary

Notable banjo player Wade Mainer spends the first two hours of the interview singing and performing songs on the banjo. Mainer is accompanied by his wife on the guitar, who sings duets with her husband occasionally in the interview. The impact of the Golden Gate Quartet on Mainer's music is explored. The couple recall a devastating house fire, which destroyed many items from Mainer's music career. Mainer also talks of his banjo playing style. Additionally, Mainer discusses his encounters with the Monroe Brothers in North Carolina during the 1930s. Mainer's issues with retaining the copyright of his songs are discussed. Mainer illustrates his experiences of traveling to play shows in rural one-room schoolhouses during the Great Depression. Mainer considers some of the differences between rural life during his childhood in the 1910s and the typical American lifestyle in the mid-2000s. Mainer shares his experience of meeting First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt at the White House. Mainer discusses playing at a celebration of what would have been Franklin Roosevelt's 100th birthday in 1982. Mainer and his wife recall their travels via airplane over the last few decades. Photographs from Mainer's married life are also mentioned. Mainer articulates how he feels about being viewed as a successful musician. Mainer lists some of the accolades he has won in honor of his music career. Mainer reveals why he decided to decline an offer to play at the Grand Ole Opry. The couple then describe their experiences with religion and Christianity. Mainer details how he obtained a job working on the assembly line at the General Motors plant in Flint, Michigan. Mainer concludes the interview with some final thoughts on music royalties and bluegrass artists Boyden Carpenter, and James Howard Nash (also known as "Panhandle Pete").

Interview Keyword

Bluegrass music Country music Wife Live performances Gospel music Guitars Guitar players Banjos Banjo players Golden Gate Quartet (Artist) Charlie Monroe (Artist) Bill Monroe (Artist) Radio programs Shows Eleanor Roosevelt Franklin D. Roosevelt White House Life Magazine Humble Generous Boyden Carpenter (Artist) James Howard Nash (Artist) Panhandle Pete (Artist) Great Depression

Interview LC Subject

Old-time music Singing Songs Copyright Knoxville (Tenn.) Asheville (N.C.) Weaverville (N.C.) Nineteen thirties Radio stations Rural Washington (D.C.) Airplanes Travel Photographs Success Religion Protestants Christians Christianity Spirituality Flint (Mich.) General Motors Corporation Bluegrass musicians Musical performance Music--Performance. Bluegrass music Depressions--1929--United States

Interview Rights

All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.

Interview Usage

Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.