Ola Belle Reed and Southern Mountain Music on the Mason-Dixon Line

Ola Belle Reed was one of the most important voices in American old-time music — a songwriter, banjo player, and singer whose influence continues to ripple through bluegrass, folk, and traditional music today.

This collection brings together her earliest professional recordings from the mid-1960s, made by folklorist Henry Glassie in Oxford, Pennsylvania, alongside modern field recordings documenting the descendants and community she inspired.

Across these recordings, Reed’s deep repertoire shines — from centuries-old folk ballads and minstrel songs to country standards and her own enduring originals like I’ve Endured. The second half of the set travels forward in time, capturing the artistry of her family and musical kin, including Zane Campbell, Hugh Campbell, Burl Kilby, Danny Paisley, Ryan Paisley, T.J. Lundy, Dave Reed, and the DeBusk-Weaver Family. Together, they reveal the living tradition that Reed nurtured along the Mason-Dixon Line.

With newly remastered audio, detailed notes, and photographs, this release traces an unbroken thread of Southern mountain music, from the back of a Pennsylvania general store in the 1960s to front porches and festival stages decades later.

What’s Included

• Two full albums of newly remastered audio recordings (64 tracks total, downloadable in high-quality formats)
• Volume One (34 tracks): Early recordings of Ola Belle Reed from the 1960s by folklorist Henry Glassie
• Volume Two (30 tracks): Modern field recordings of her family, friends, and fellow musicians continuing her legacy
• View the complete tracklist here: [Insert hosted PDF link]
• 256-page illustrated book (PDF) featuring:
• In-depth biography of Ola Belle Reed
• Liner notes by Henry Glassie and Clifford Murphy
• Full lyrics and song histories
• Archival and contemporary photographs

This project is a co-production between Dust-to-Digital, the Maryland State Arts Council, and Indiana University, uniting archival expertise with a deep commitment to preserving and sharing America’s musical heritage.

Press Praise:

“Her songs have become an essential thread in the tapestry of contemporary bluegrass/folk music, and her influence radiates out in multiple directions.”

— PopMatters

“Ola Belle Reed was a presence to be reckoned with. Her voice was commanding, her playing sufficient and her songs legendary… The book provides insight into Ola Belle’s life and the music scene that helped shape her music. Ola Belle Reed was a rock, a powerful woman in a music that did not have many power women at the time.”

— Bluegrass Unlimited