Folk artist Abe Partridge, spurred by the Covid lockdowns, pursued
Signs Following songs for six long years.
These songs (which mention the handling of serpents and consumption of deadly poisons) have been performed for decades by the "serpent handlers" of the Appalachians.
At a music festival in Kentucky, Abe Partridge – along with podcasting buddy Ferrill Gibbs – attempted to document these songs live, using a professional recording engineer. (Ryan Engelberger, Chase Park Transduction. Athens, GA.)
The service opened with
Sister Dootsie Rose. Then, a five-member band – led by co-pastors Andrew and Taylor Hamblin – took the stage.
This serpent-handling group of veteran musicians performed decades-old songs before an audience of more than 200 festival goers.
What began as an effort to record undocumented music became something ... more. A public act of worship, captured pristinely by a group of professionals, gave the secular audience a small glimpse of a faith as devout as they come.
What is A.A.R.T.?
Abe Partridge – folk artist, documentarian, and song-catcher – travels with a portable handheld recorder seeking out artists on the backroads of America.
A.A.R.T. features undocumented music: folk artists performing heartfelt songs for Abe's recorder. Plus, as he gently leads the conversation, Abe reveals perspectives from the groups and communities often hidden from the glare of the mainstream.