Ola Belle Reed

[Mandobart]

Picked up a new tune at Wintergrass; "I've Endured." This song has been covered by many, but I like to go back to the original. Man she wrote a mess of great tunes!

[Jim Garber]

Way back decades ago, I used to religiously attend an old time festival called Brandywine and Ola Belle played there just about every year esp in the beginning. She was a real character.

I am involved in a non-profit organization called the Field Recorders' Collective. We put out non-commercial recordings. We pay generous royalties to the families of performers we issue. We have a disc of Ola Belle live performances available here. There are notes about her here.

You can see our full catalog here.

Apologies for our antiquated web site. We are in the process of updating.

[Don Grieser]

She also wrote "High on a Mountain" covered by Del and Hot Rize.

[CharlieKnuth]

No financial interest here, but the Field Recorders' Collective is a great resource for old time recordings of the masters. You have to be able to put up with the recording quality at times, but it is great to hear how some of the legends played and to hear what they played.

[BradKlein]

Michael Daves routinely closes his monthly NYC BG jam with I've Endured - and it may be a sly editorial comment on some of the hacks, like me, who show up! I can live with that.

[billhay4]

She's the real deal.
Bill

[Dave Fultz]

Sorry to dredge up a zombie thread, but I just discovered Ola Belle a week ago. I am astonished.
Already covering her version of Bonapartes Retreat on mando, she does it in C, but I’m doing D for an easier solo. And some other folks do it in D.
Going to add a few more in the ensuing weeks. I love her music

[tmsweeney]

Yup great version by Timmy O out there

[Jon Hall]

I've recently discovered I've Endured. My friends really enjoy playing and singing it. I'll try to find High on a Mountain and give it a listen.

[Mandotarian]

Ola Belle Reed's nephew, Zane Campbell, also has some amazing songs.

My favorites are "Post Mortem Bar" and "Lost So Long". He also recently made an EP of some Olla Belle Reed songs.

https://zanecampbell.bandcamp.com/album/zane-campbell

[Bob Buckingham]

I knew Ola Belle, her husband, Bud, and son, David. They lived an hour from me and I used to hire them for shows and see them at jams. She was an amazing person who wrote some great songs. The last time I saw her she was bedridden after a stroke but that feisty streak was still detectable if muted under the weight of her compromised health. Her songs and philosophy were strong. Here's an article about a friend who wrote a book about Ola Bellehttps://inwinsr.wordpress.com/2010/0...o-pickin-girl/ Here is a link to the book. https://www.elderly.com/a-banjo-pick...pbell-reed.htm

Dust to Digital has a book about her. We played the first two Ola Belle Reed festivals in Lansing, NC. Not sure if that festival is still going on or not.

I have a draft of another book that was never published but is full of good information her.

[JAK]

Ivan Dured, lived next door to me.

[Bob Buckingham]

Ivan Dured, lived next door to me.

Funny

[Kevin Winn]

I've come to see a lot of similarities to Robert Johnson in her songs. This is one of my favorites:



And this is my favorite cover of I've Endured:

[Marcus CA]

Really nice rendition by Mandolin Orange! I've heard about them for a while, but never explored their music. On the list now.

The first time I ever heard "I've Endured" was in the middle of this three-tune medley (in between "Key Signator" and "Chinquapin Hunting"), done by a group of teenagers who are now recognizable adult musicians. Jaws dropped.

[Jim Garber]

Yup great version by Timmy O out there

Yes, here it is. Great playing and singing. This is not the easiest song to pull off vocally. TOB's version brings chills.



And of course, Ola Belle's version reminds me of attending Brandywine OT Festival back in the 1970s through the 1980s.

[pops1]

We have done " I've endured for several years, love Ola Belle. Her husband Bud has a great recording of High on a Mountain, complete with yodeling.