Over the years Pap and his brother made music together as The Wilson Brothers. They sang gospel music in the polished high harmonies of the classic brother duet style. They performed at churches, festivals, homecomings, and benefits throughout the south. Over the years they won many awards including the 1998 North Carolina Heritage Award. They were also featured in many publications such as “The Old-Time Herald.”
Today’s Thankful November giveaway is one of their cds: “The Wilson Brothers At the John C. Campbell Folk School & On Radio.” The cd has 34 tracks on it—which is a lot of music! Some of the tracks are of the banter and talk that happens during a live performance.
To be entered in the giveaway leave a comment on this post. *Giveaway ends November 9, 2021.
If you’d like to pick up your own copy of the cd check out the links below.
Last night’s video: Mountain Path 12.
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Thank you for all you share with us! New to your blog and iTube. But I already feel like a part of your family.
I live in Albemarle, nc and grew up with grandparents that farmed and killed hogs in the winter. My great-great grandmother lived tone 101. I don’t garden but enjoy all that you do and your cooking and preserving.
Just saw this. Thank you, Tipper. One can never have too much authentic, heartfelt music.
I love your show and all the mucic i love.I love the closness your family has.The presley girls are sweet and very talented .I love where you live.I was born in eastern ky.I loved walking in the mountains they were beautiful.I got married in 1967 i was 17 and my husband and i moved to Ill. and i been here ever since,I love your cooking and how you can its like how i was raised we had a large garden.And mom would can every thing she could.She was a good cook.Tipper you have a sweet personiality and i love the stories and everthing about appalicia.
Love to hear Pap’s high lonesome tenor. Left us too soon.
I enjoy songs with a message and these songs definitely have a message. Thank you for sharing with us.
Your whole family is truly blessed with musical talent. Can’t wait to hear the CD!
I should have said “daughters.” And I should also mention you and Paul! God has blessed your entire family with talent!!
You must be so proud of your musical heritage and of your very talented daughter. I would be!!
I’ve heard The Wilson Brothers and love their music. Please enter me into the CD drawing. Thanks so much. I love your blog. Keep up the great work. Cheers!
Good day Tipper, thanks for putting this together. I have never visited The USA nor the Appalachian Mountains as distances and finances prevent me from doing so. However, your stories about the mountains and the folks who live there are fascinating. Thank you and Best wishes.
I found you a couple months ago on you tube and have soooo enjoyed watching you and your girls and reading your blog ( Since I found you I have almost watched all of your you tube videos ..lol) Thank you for all you put out.. I live in Southern Appalachia and find we have some language and other things in common
Blessings ❤️
I just ordered a couple of your family’s CDs, and I cannot wait to listen to them. I found your blog through your YouTube channel, which I am completely addicted to.
Thank you for sharing your memories from growing up in Appalachia. Seems like you enjoyed a wonderful family with so many talents
There have been a lot of brother duos over the years. If I had to choose the top 10 The Wilson Brothers would be there. If I had to choose the top two The Wilson Brothers would be there. If I to choose the top it would have to be Pap and Ray – The Wilson Brothers. Why? I don’t know! Maybe it’s because they sang the kind of music I like, the way I like to hear it. Now, If I had to choose a husband and wife duo it would have to be Pap and Granny. Pap and Granny didn’t record a lot together, I don’t think, but what they did was special. Others might disagree but others would be wrong!
I really enjoy listening to their music. I would love that CD.
I am thankful for the heartfelt music and traditions of Appalachia seen and heard on your blogs. God Bless you and your family!
I love the Wilson brothers. Thank you for your many posts. Enjoy all of them
Tipper, I have a few talented people in my family but the only talent I received was the love of listening. One of my brothers sings well as dose a nephew and a young lady called Shelly that has cut her own album. I asked an ENT after some treatment if I could sing now. His answer — could you sing before—NO—then you can’t sing now. Oh well. nuf said. Shelly by the way is my uncles daughter.
Nate, having a sister and a brother who are both very good musicians as well as talented grandkids you have my sympathies. I am in a similar situation. I would love to be able to sing. Many years ago, I was told by a music teacher to get out of his choir as there was no way known that he could teach me how to sing. Like you, I can listen. You learn a great deal just listening. Best wishes, stay safe.
Sounds like a good cd.
I’ve really enjoyed the songs you have posted on you tube, you have a very talented family and the gospel harmonies can’t be beat by your girls and the Wilson Brothers. I hope to get to see you and your family sing sometime.
May God bless you all and Happy Thanksgiving
Brothers and family members harmonize together best.
Thank you for helping us all focus on thankfulness, Tipper! I wish I would have known about your blog long ago!
Enjoy the music & blogs.
Tks for sharing
Sorry I’m late entering a response…I’m not an early riser! I wish I was cuz I miss so much of the day. I would love to win the cd and listen to it while I sew!
Tipper how I love your stories,your music,recipes and your precious daughters in your life also enjoyed listening your PAP and others playing and singing together,God Bless all of you.
Thank you so much for all your posts. They remind me of the good old days.
Hi Tipper! Thank you for all you do with the BP&A and your YT channel. And, thank you for reminding us to be thankful every day.
What a great morning when I start out reading BP 7 A. I really enjoy your you tube channel, too. Your kind heart shines through as well as your love of Appalachia. Please enter me in the drawing for Pap’s cd. I’d love to add it to my musical library. Keep doing what you do, Tipper.
Although I never met Pap or his brother, it is obvious that their influence in both music and character has been carried on down to the next two generations. As always, it is a pleasure to open up each day’s blog on “The Pig”.
What a talented family…and I always enjoyed jammin’ with Henry!!
I enjoy reading your blog every morning.
hi tipper would love a cd of theirs its one that i dont have and adore their music together have a lovely week greetings from nz to all your readers as well
I miss your “Pap” in the Sunday singing you post. I have a cd player in my workshop and can listen as I work unless I’m running a saw or planner. I would enjoy this cd.
This kind of music warms my heart. I belong to a dulcimer club and the music we play is influenced by the people of Appalachia. I relate to the music and have a hard time listening to the music of today. So happy to be a part of the Blind Pig and the Acorn family.
I love The Wilson Brothers. I am not much for entering contests, but I had to add my name to this one, mostly just to leave this comment. Even if I don’t win it, I just want the world to know – this family has won my heart and fanship (if there is such a word!). What they stand for is something this world very much lacks. I support them 100%. I only started commenting this past Christmas (2020), but wish I had started at the beginning of my reading Tipper’s blog when she started it 13 1/2 years ago. I have been a faithful follower since the beginning. I did not grow up in this region, so I did not know of The Wilson Brothers until Tipper’s blog. I feel I missed out on a special part of living, not having heard them when I was younger. The whole family’s music now has such an important part in my days (The Wilson Brothers, The Pressley Girls, and Paul Wilson). The message they sing influences my life tremendously. I wonder how my life would have been if I had heard the Wilson Brothers when I was in my formative teen years. Would I have made so many stupid mistakes? The words that they sing fill my heart, and that spills over to my thoughts, which in turn makes me more aware of my daily living. It makes my desire to serve God in all I do stronger. I am so grateful for all the hard work Paul has done in preserving these recordings of his Dad and uncles. What a tremendously magnificent job he has done. He and Tipper, and the girls, work tirelessly to get the message of the Gospel to the world. Yes, Tipper, you do. When you encourage the world to learn about the Appalachian lifestyle, you show us where the people in your heritage got their strength. It was (and still is) from their faith in God. Life was a struggle for the mountain people – the weather, being so far away from big cities, etc.. Their dependence was on God, and not modern conveniences or man – this is what has made them a community to be admired. I think that is what attracts so many of us to your blog and this lifestyle. It is the message that God’s Love, through His son Jesus Christ, is all we need in this life for joy. When our eyes are fixed on eternity with Him, we can be happy with as much or as little as we have this world. And to me, having little is much richer than having much of this world’s offerings.
Donna. : )
I never met your Dad but I have enjoyed his music through this blog many years now. Thanks for sharing.
Love reading your posts every morning!
I would love to hear this wonderful music but I don’t have a CD player on which to play it. Good luck to everyone who enters.
I love your family’s music so much! I’m glad you found a way (through YouTube and your posts) to share your talents and way of life. Now your music and knowledge goes way beyond your local hills and hollows to the world at large.
One part of this kind of music, or cd, is the talk or banter between songs. I’m so happy you have this cd and their music forever captured.
We just received Paul & Pap’s Christmas CD. Love their “family” harmony. You are so blessed to have Pap singing on these CD’s. Thank you, Tipper for sharing your family with us! God bless!
Am a recent subscriber who lives up North. LOVE the site, the recipes & especially the music, so soothing not only to the body but mind & soul.
Just don’t hear much of the pure harmony of the Wilson Brother’s caliber anymore except from folks like your family! Surely enjoy hearing the blend of voices mingle with stringed instruments. Thanks so much for doing what you do, Tipper!! We enjoy your blog and YouTube so much. Oh, and I certainly appreciate you teaching me to cook cream biscuits! They are the only kind my family gets now! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
Glad you have found time to devote full effort to appalachian memories/history. I look forward to your posts every day. Would love to have a Wilson Brothers CD. I really like their harmony.
I love gospel music and would love to receive a CD like this. Thanks.
In my opinion, The Wilson Brothers should have received national awards and publications. I could listen to Pap sing all day long. When you had the music playlist on your daily blog, I couldn’t get started with my chores until I listened to Poor Man a time or two.
We love old time mountain music, bluegrass, and of course the usual country, rock, blues and jazz. We love the Hillbilly Days festival in Pikeville, KY! It showcases some of the best mountain music played and the flat foot dancing the people do!
We play in a band called Indy Polkamotion and perform around Indiana up into the Chicago area, Ohio, and even down in Tennessee once working at German festivals, parties, and all sorts of events. It’s interesting to find that common thread between all types of music that is played.
We love your blog and YouTube videos, keep up the wonderful work that you do!!
As I spend more time scooting around your blog I have also developed an ear and enjoyment listening to the music. Only if the day is very hectic , I do not miss checking in and lifting my spirit and nurturing my hungry soul. Thanks once again for your love and “stick-to-ed-ness”. Is that a word ????
Really chilly in my Texas hills this morning. Brrrrrrrrr, winter is coming but hoping for a few more warm sunny days.
Donna B
You are so lucky to have all the recordings of family singing. What a treasure!
I’m a great fan of old time gospel music from Appalachia, and wish our churches would sing more. What a treasure you have in these recordings.
Tipper,
I really enjoy reading your blog and viewing your videos. They are always interesting and informative. I very much appreciate your efforts in trying to preserve our Appalachian heritage. You do a fantastic job!
Is there a solo of Pap among all the recordings of him? I think I should know that already but I don’t. I have “Shepherd of My Soul” but do not recall one of just him on it offhand. In that duet with Paul you posted the other day, I could hear Pap’s high tenor (at least I think that’s what his voice would be called). I feel like that is a rather rare voice type. At least I have rarely heard it in all my years in churches. There are tenors but not like his. His is several notches above average in my opinion as one who doesn’t know anything about music or voice types. I think he could have joined right in with the famous Irish Tenors.
Ron-There isn’t a solo on any of those recordings, but Paul is working on a cd that will feature Pap alone. In a stroke of genius Paul got him to record some old songs one day-just him and a guitar. I’m so glad Paul thought to do that 🙂
I was raised on shape note singing in my grandparents church. There is a high tenor part on all those songs I remember, just like Pap sang. That is how I learned harmony. I have a low voice and the high tenor just came naturally for me.
My father in law always had a band that would play at churches, benefits and especially nursing homes. He was also asked to sing a lot of times at funerals. I have often heard him speak of the Wilson Brothers and tell about how much
he enjoyed listening to them. Now that I have found your website, I love listening to your family’s songs on YouTube, Seeing Pap and Paul sitting around the den playing and singing the old time gospel songs reminds me of him and some of his friends doing the same thing.
Look forward to your daily blogs. Keep it up.
I love the harmonies of the Wilson Bros. which I got introduced to thru your Blog….along with much more ‘mountain life’ sounds wonderful to me. Be Well in these trying times.
Still do not read every day. Please forgive. Usually listen to all the music. You guys and girls ROCK!
Boy I hate typos. I meant Tipper.
I can’t tell you how having a post like this warms my heart and my day. I look forward to every one. Thank you, yipper.
Coming across you on YouTube has really been amazing to learn so much about Appalachia. The music is so great – thanks for all you do – I talk about this now and people are asking “how do you know so much about Appalachia “? and I say “my friend Tipper”!
Mary- thank you 🙂
My husband is a gospel song writer musician too. He came from Winterhaven Fla. The band he played with “Windsong” went around playing for different churches and were the opening act for a few big name Christian artists.
I really enjoy and appreciate your postings.
I enjoy your daily tidbits in email! Thank you!
I just received the cds we ordered from you and the girls.
I hope that we win this one !
Oh how I enjoy that great old music ! I really need it in my life now as winter is coming and I don’t enjoy the loss of light and warmth. I get such good vibes from the blind pig every day and I still play cds!
Tipper
I have enjoyed looking back at your past blog posts that featured Paul , Pap, and other family members sitting around the porch or the kitchen enjoying each other through music and sharing it with the rest of us. I somehow have missed finding how The Wilson Brothers first came to perform and where they got their musical talent from. Have you talked about that in your blog?
Greg-I’m not sure I have written about them before. Their music most definitely influenced all of us 🙂