the time I was five until I was about 13. When
my aunt opened a clothing store, I went to work
for her, and I thought I had 'made it' because I
was out of those tobacco fields. Mama worked
as a receptionist; she liked to dress to impress as
she is beautiful. Everybody loves my mama; she
has a heart of gold! Mama’s family includes the
Ross, Ring, Frye, and Campbell families who live
in Moore County.”
Attending the Lee County schools, Carol
graduated from Lee County High School. It
was during this time that her boyfriend, John
Holly, who played the banjo, introduced Carol
to bluegrass music. With two sons of her own,
Carol’s son Jacob plays banjo and guitar and
also is in charge of maintaining the grounds at
Jordan Lake State Park. Daniel serves with the
10th Group Special Forces in Colorado and as a
Marine, he guarded President Obama during his
presidency.
Working hard comes natural, and the hours
behind the video camera provide pure joy! Since
Carol can film longer than the musicians can
play, the all-night jamming sessions become
unforgettable moments. Such times are shared
at MerleFest, the most prestigious place to which
Carol has ever received a press pass. Honoring
Doc Watson’s son Merle, MerleFest hosts
85,000 people annually, sometimes even more.
Preferring to stay on the event grounds to film
the many all-night jams, Carol loves to capture
it all! “Whenever one watches my videos, I want
them to experience what it feels like to be there.
Whether it’s a noisy venue or a quiet venue, I
want viewers to get the feel of what it is like.”
From staying in campgrounds to hotels and
sometimes even welcomed into local homes,
Carol will stay up all night filming the musicians
who love to play. Carol remembers, “One time
I sat down with Zac Brown at MerleFest and
took a picture of his tattoo which said, ‘You get
what you give.’ I liked the saying, and he just
grinned—that was his next CD coming out. Zac
Brown jammed all night long in the campground
with local musicians as he grew up going to
MerleFest.”
Filming is way more than recording music;
filming is recording memories—life memories.
Regrettably, many people have passed away
since Carol first started filming. Carol tells,
“One time I went to film a senior fiddler who
was sick and near death for his birthday. Right
after I filmed him, the 32-year-old friend who
played bass that day was killed in a car wreck!
You need to film everybody because everybody
is important! It’s the same at the festivals—if I
miss somebody, then it drives me crazy! I don’t
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Carol remembers, “I decided to feature the
video online, so I started a YouTube channel
called Lovin’ Bluegrass by Carol McDuffie; I
figured maybe 200 people max might watch the
video.” She laughs, “With over 30,000 subscribers
today and over 20,000 videos posted online—I
can’t believe it! I have one video with over 5
million views! The Gospel Plowboys’ song ‘What
A Day That Will Be’ got noticed by Mountain
Fever Records, and they signed a record deal.
Somebody had a bigger plan for me!”
With no prior training, no video experience,
and nothing but a desire to help—Carol became
the woman for the moment. Living the dream
and loving bluegrass, Carol pretty much defines
the industry she videos. Carol explains, “I love
these people! They’re just like family, sometimes
even better. You meet people from all over the
world, and you get to watch the kids grow up. It’s
such love! Even if you don’t like the music, then
you’ll be hooked once you attend a bluegrass
festival because you’ll love the feeling that
you get when you are there. It’s a culture, a big
family, and every single bluegrass event is like a
family reunion.”
As interest in her video work grew, Carol
increased her skills through immersion behind
the camera and in reading a book entitled Shut
Up and Shoot which is written in a very natural
manner like a conversation. Soon enough, her
opportunities expanded into full-time work
offering new venues almost every night of the
week. When her father’s health declined, Carol
slowed down to offer care. Maintaining her
commitment to family and to bluegrass, Carol
chose to limit engagements more central to her
home base and to focus on her favorite venues.
Two events remain top in her list of favorites.
Chantilly Farms in Floyd, VA, and HoustonFest
in Galax, Virginia. Carol tells, “Chantilly Farms is
situated in the quaintest little town you will ever
see; the campground is gorgeous spread across
the rolling hills of Virginia. Jason Gallimore
who manages the fest is the sweetest thing in
the world. HoustonFest, named for Caldwell
Houston who was killed in a motorcycle wreck
at 19 years old, raises scholarship money to
provide lessons so that the kids will continue
our musical heritage. Houston’s mother started
the festival in her son’s honor. Since then, it
has blossomed into a huge event featuring a
children’s stage, a dance stage, and the main
stage. I filmed Marty Stuart, who was married
to Johnny Cash’s daughter, now married to the
legendary Connie Smith, on the main stage. Carl
Jackson, who played with Glen Campbell, whom
she met at HoustonFest is a big supporter of
young musicians. We want the venues to thrive
because we want the youth to thrive!”
Another great program helping the youth
is the JAM (Junior Appalachian Musician)
program, started by a counselor in the school
system, which now serves over 1600 students in
four states. If a student gets reduced lunch, then
they get $5 lessons; free lessons if they get free
lunch; $10 lessons if they pay full price. Carol
enjoys filming the students in the JAM program
who attend the Annual Sparta Allegany Fiddlers
Convention.
Carol’s video work has opened many
incredible doors for the young people involved.
As casting agents watch her videos on YouTube,
Carol has been contacted by many big names
from Ellen to the Voice, America’s Got Talent,
Little Big Shots and most recently Nickelodeon.
As she helps children get on all of these shows,
Carol explains, “The videos give the musicians
exposure, and the exposure gives them
confidence. I believe you always strive to be the
person you needed when you were younger—to
these young artists. You want to be that person
who tells them they can do it. After all of my
years in this industry, I can honestly sit behind
my camera and know if they’ve got it. I’ve
watched so many people that I can assess what
they need whether that be confidence or simply
the freedom to be who they are.”
As the children grow up, they attend many
bluegrass events and form bands as they’re all
like-minded. Carol’s videos help to further their
reach into unlimited audiences. Thankfully,
many colleges such as East Tennessee State
University are starting to offer bluegrass
programs. Our very own local Cooper Marona
just got accepted into East Tennessee State
University and was awarded two scholarships
using Carol’s videos for reference. “Do you
know how good that feels?!” smiles Carol. “I love
Cooper like he’s my own; there are a thousand
stories like his. You just never know how you’re
going to impact somebody.”
Just as Carol believes in “her kids,” her Granny
Mac believed in her and became her inspiration.
Carol ponders, “Granny Mac believed I could do
anything! She believed in me like nobody has
ever believed in me, and that’s how I want my
kids to feel about me—'my bluegrass kids' are
what I call them. You just fall in love with them
all. Clay Russell, another one of my favorites,
plays the banjo with ShadowGrass.”
The inspiration to work hard came from
her dad who raised their family on a 50 acre
farm in Lee County. Along with her sister, Carol
enjoyed a wonderful childhood in the country
surrounded by love from both sides of the
family. Her dad was the hardest working man
she knew, and since Carol was the oldest, he
expected a lot more out of her. “Whatever I do,
I work hard at it,” says Carol. “Dad raised feeder
pigs and sold the baby pigs because he couldn’t
stand to see one die. We always had baby pigs
running around, and I worked in tobacco from
Local musician Cooper Marona.
p.32 The Pinehurst Gazette, Inc. No. 135