Wandering the back roads of Union District two months ago, I came across an estate sale that included several stacks of records, ranging from 45 rpms and 33 1/3 albums to single-side and double-side 78 rpm records. They cried out, “Buy Me!” although my Cochlear implant makes music sound like tinny noise.
Among the 45s was a blue-labeled entry from Blackwater Records, which I assume was based in Davis, Tucker County. Perhaps it was produced by Cozy Records, the legendary rockabilly and gospel record company of the Balva family. I could not find any online reference to Blackwater Records, and scant information about the artist or songwriter.
Bobby Brown and His Country Music Makers are the performers on both sides. The A side song is “Stoney-Mountain (Where I Lost My Love). Songwriters were Parsons-Brown-Goodman. It runs 2:03.
The B side is “Blackwater,” with Parsons-Goodman credited.
With the upcoming (October 25) celebration of the Blackwater Canyon becoming protected public land, I thought this obscure, but timely, discovery needs to be introduced to a wider audience. And if the song inspires you to learn more about the canyon and waterfalls of the same name, head over to the Friends of Blackwater website to learn more about this amazing group that saved the canyon.
