Published: November 22, 2009 09:03 pm      

Not singing the blues: Nat Reese enters West Virginia’s Music Hall of Fame

BLUEFIELD — The stars came out to the West Virginia Cultural Center in Charleston Saturday night as one of Mercer County’s best known blues performers, the legendary Nat Reese, took his place among the pantheon of West Virginia musicians with his induction into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame.

“Several people from Princeton and Bluefield attended to show our support for Nat and to enjoy a great show,” Cindy Romano of Bluefield said Sunday afternoon. “After the ceremony, Pete Sternloff of the Bluefield city board commented on what an honor it is to have someone from Mercer County to be inducted into the music hall of fame. It was really an incredible experience.”

Reese was born in Salem, Va., in 1924, and when he was four years old, his family relocated to Itmann, Wyoming County, where his father went to work for the Virginian Railway, according to an interview of Reese in “Goldenseal” magazine in 1987. Reese moved to Princeton in 1936, and although he worked in area coal mines as a teenager, he was born into a musical family, and found he had a natural talent for playing several instruments. Reese performed with bands throughout the coalfields, and although the bands he played with performed a variety of musical styles, Reese developed his own style of blues born out of his coalfield experiences.

“Nat’s presenter, Phil Wiggins, is one of the world’s elite blues harmonica players and a long-time partner of the late John Cephus,” Bob McGraw said. McGraw, himself a highly respected harmonica player, occasionally performs with Reese. “It is a testimony to Nat’s talent and character that a player like Phil Wiggins would present him to the hall of fame.

“It was thrilling to see Nat inducted,” McGraw said. “In addition to being a great musician, Nat is a great person — kind and generous. It is an honor for all of us that the ‘King of Coalfield Blues’ hails from Four Seasons Country.”

Others inducted into the hall of fame included the Bailes Brothers, Larry Combs, Doc & Chickie Williams, Frank DeVol, Don Redman and Hawkshaw Hawkins. The presenters in addition to Wiggins included Bill Malone, Grant Cooper, Roger Hoard, Fred Willard, Bill Withers and Earl White. Larry Groce gave the welcome and Michael Lipton made the introduction.

Harmonica great Charlie McCoy, himself a member of the hall of fame, and country music great Kathy Mattea served as hosts for the evening.

“They did a wonderful job,” Romano said. “Kathy Mattea is just like the girl next door. It was an exciting show to see.”

— Contact Bill Archer at barcher@bdtonline.com