Instruments Cecil Sharp Found (and Didn't) in 1916 Appalachian North Carolina

In 1916, folk song collector Cecil Sharp traversed the Appalachian Mountains of Western North Carolina (not "backwoods" generically), documenting English/Scottish ballad traditions.

Common Instruments Encountered

• Fiddle (Violin): Primary dance instrument.
• Banjo (5-string, claw-hammer/frailing): Ubiquitous African-derived/Adapted.
• Guitar: Increasingly common (parlor models).
• Dulcimer (Appalachian/Fretted): Regional folk zither.
• Autoharp: Popular for chordal accompaniment.
• Mandolin: Present in string bands.
• Harmonica/Jew's Harp: Pocket instruments.

Least Likely in Remote Homes (1916)

• Piano / Pump Organ: Heavy, expensive, tuning difficult, climate-sensitive. Rare in isolated cabins.
• Brass/Wind (Trumpet, Clarinet): Not part of the folk tradition; required formal training/money.
• Drum Kit: Did not exist in modern form; percussion was foot-stomping, bones, or spoons.
• Electric Instruments: No rural electrification (REA 1936+).

Sharp's informants made music with portable, maintainable, community-appropriate tools.