Semester
Spring
Date of Graduation
2020
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
MA
College
College of Creative Arts
Department
Not Listed
Committee Chair
Michael Vercelli
Committee Member
Travis Stimeling
Committee Member
Matthew Heap
Abstract
Othar Turner held the Fife and Drum Blues traditions of North Mississippi for decades. Since his passing in 2003, his granddaughter Sharde Thomas has taken over as the keeper of these traditions. The musical characteristics of Othar are still present in Sharde’s music today, however her interpretations have shaped these current traditions. This research discusses heritage and folklore theories of scholars Rodney Harrison, Martha Sims, and Martine Stephens as a lens to evaluate Sharde’s musical interpretations and compares them to Othar’s last recordings before his passing. This document provides a model for how these musical characteristics and interpretations relate and shape heritage.
Recommended Citation
Jobe, Donnie Ryan, "Comparative Study of the Fife and Drum Blues Traditions of Othar Turner and the Preservation, Development, and Innovation of Sharde Thomas and the Rising Stars Fife and Drum Band" (2020). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 7559.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/7559