McFarland Books has announced a July 22 release date for Dwight Diller: West Virginia Mountain Musician, a biography of the old time music stalwart by Lewis M. Stern.
Diller is a true West Virginian, born and raised in a family that are among the oldest settlers in the eastern region of Pocahontas County. He has spent all his life researching and preserving the mountain culture and music of his home state, becoming one of old time music’s more recognized banjo and fiddle players, and an authority on tunes and stories originating in West Virginia.
And now it’s time for his story to be told. Stern, himself a skilled banjoist and luthier, has prepared a history of Diller’s life, his ongoing search for forgotten tunes and folkways, and his many years of teaching the unique melodies and playing styles of West Virginia’s old time music to the next generations.
Dwight will turn 70 this year, and fortunately Stern has recorded his life while he still has the energy to recall it in full. This will be a valuable contribution to the library of books on traditional string music.
The book will be offered in both softcover and ebook formats, running to 216 pages with 45 photographs and a complete discography and filmography of Diller’s work.
Pre-orders can be placed now online.
