Zane Wilson interview with Buna Hicks, Hattie Hicks Presnell, and Joyce Paxson (part two)

The John Burrison Georgia Folklore Archive recordings contains unedited versions of all interviews. Some material may contain descriptions of violence, offensive language, or negative stereotypes reflecting the culture or language of a particular period or place. There are instances of racist language and description, particularly in regards to African Americans. These items are presented as part of the historical record. This project is a repository for the stories, accounts, and memories of those who chose to share their experiences for educational purposes. The viewpoints expressed in this project do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of the Atlanta History Center or any of its officers, agents, employees, or volunteers. The Atlanta History Center makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in the interviews and expressly disclaims any liability therefore. If you believe you are the copyright holder of any of the content published in this collection and do not want it publicly available, please contact the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center at 404-814-4040 or reference@atlantahistorycenter.com. This is the second installment in a four-part interview in which Buna Hicks and Hattie Hicks Presnell sing and discuss the origins of folk songs, play the banjo, and look back on their family. Hicks starts by singing Old Devil, which her sister-in-law learned from Arkansas. Next, she describes the origins of their family in Beech Mountain, North Carolina, her husband, and her name. At 3:35, Hicks sings an untitled folk song she learned from her husbands cousin about love letters. Next at 5:30, Hicks and Presnell talk about where they got their banjos and fiddles and what materials they use to make their picks. They sing songs from the songbook Folk Songs II, which was published by Tennessee State University. At 6:20, Hicks plays an instrumental song on the banjo, followed by Sugar Baby. At 8:20, Hicks and Presnell play another instrumental song called Pretty Girl. Next at 10:00, Hicks and Presnell discuss their birthdates, living in North Carolina their whole lives, and walking to school as children. They then talk about Cherokee Native Americans who lived near their home. At 14:00 Hicks talks about her mother, who lived through the Civil war, and how bears would frequent the area around her mothers home. At 16:10 Hicks says that her husband was a farmer, woodworker, and animal trapper and that her children helped on the farm. Then at 21:00 she discusses her familys move to Spice Creek and later to Watauga, North Carolina. Next at 22:56, Hicks sings Tobaccos Smoker, a popular song she learned from John Calvin Yonce, also known as Lie-Hew Yonce, a famous folk musician and singer. She and Presnell discuss some of Younces songs and recall a story about him. At 25:20, Presnell sings Flying Head and East Virginia Blues. To conclude the interview at 18:18, Hicks sings Sweet Willie and Fire Missy. Buna Hicks (1888-1984) was born in Watauga County, North Carolina, to Andrew James and Jane Eggers Presnell. She married Roby Monrow Hicks (1882-1957) and had nine children; Gordon, Leander, Linzy, Floyd, General, Rosa, Tom, Dewey, and Hattie. Buna Hicks was a popular banjo player and folk musician in the Appalachian region. Hattie Hicks Presnell (1907-1996) was born in Beech Mountain, North Carolina, to Roby Monroe and Buna Hicks (1888-1984). She married Dewey Presnell (1900- 1959) and had two children, Viola Mae (1927-2020) and Freddie Louis (1937-1972). Presnell was a popular folk singer and musician. She is buried in Watauga County, North Carolina. Additional biographical information has not been determined. Joyce Doris Paxson (1924-2009) was born in Summerville, Georgia, to Thomas Waldon Wofford (1886-1969) and Margaret Jane Wofford (1893-1967). She had four siblings; George, William, Jones, and Sarah. She married musician Fate Norris and had one child, Lewis Norris (1945- ). Fate Norris father, Stephen Land Norris (1877-1951), was a folk musician who recorded in New York City and Atlanta. While married to Fate Norris, she lived in Dalton, Georgia, but after they divorced she moved back to Summerville. Joyce Paxson worked as a secretary for Georgia Governor Lester Maddox for over 30 years; in addition, she worked at the Department of Agriculture before going blind. Paxson received her Bachelor of Arts in English from Georgia State University in 1996 when she was 72. A PDF transcript exists for this recording. Please contact an archivist for access. Professor John Burrison founded the Atlanta Folklore Archive Project in 1967 at Georgia State University. He trained undergraduates and graduate students enrolled in his folklore curriculum to conduct oral history interviews. Students interviewed men, women, and children of various demographics in Georgia and across the southeast on crafts, storytelling, music, religion, rural life, and traditions. As archivists, we acknowledge our role as stewards of information, which places us inaposition to choose how individuals and organizations are represented and described in our archives. We are not neutral, andbias isreflected in our descriptions, whichmay not convey the racist or offensive aspects of collection materialsaccurately.Archivists make mistakes and might use poor judgment.We often re-use language used by the former owners and creators, which provides context but also includes bias and prejudices of the time it was created.Additionally,our work to use reparative languagewhereLibrary of Congress subject termsareinaccurate and obsolete isongoing. Kenan Research Center welcomes feedback and questions regarding our archival descriptions. If you encounter harmful, offensive, or insensitive terminology or description please let us know by emailingreference@atlantahistorycenter.com. Your comments are essential to our work to create inclusive and thoughtful description.