Sadly, it seems as though this era in our history has all but disappeared. I wish everyone could experience this way of life, when it was pure, simple, and appreciated when someone shared their talents like Mr White!! Thank you for bringing back memories of my Grandparents in VA. They made music, danced, and enjoyed days off from the farm. Miss those days. God Bless and hope someone inherited his talents.
Jesco white his son is a wonderful dancer too. These people have been used and abused by the mines. Let them be. I enjoy the music dance and honesty they have.
“One day after awhile, I’m going to be like the leaves on these trees, I’m going to have to come down. And then I want somebody to pick it up from where I leave off and keep it circulating.” -D. Ray White Pure poetry.
This came up as recommended to me. I finally watched it. Stuff like this is a huge part of history, especially of certain regions. It's also a lost art. Back when families were still families and very tight knit. Things were handed down to the future generations. Thank you for sharing this.
It's refreshing to actually see D. Ray explaining his art and talent. Most of us have just seen footage of his dancing and it's his offspring we have gotten familiar with.
LOL, untrue. West Virginia did not EVEN EXIST then, the "union" took the northern panhandle (look at a map). It's about five miles across, you can walk it. It was all Virginia then. Virginia was a wasp stronghold (from the coastal beginning of what became the u.s.), and the "union" wanted it wiped out. WV became a "state" during the war. Also many planter moved there "headed for the hills" from the eastern VA planter areas during the war (for obvious reasons). What's your home country?…seems not america
He is such a inspiration! I live in Virginia. My family originated from west Virginia. This mans dancing and singing touches my soul. Its so comforting. Its a shame that he was killed. He was unique and cant be replaced
HamerSlammerSeries anybody who wants us all to be the same is just nuts. this is what makes life worth living. like u said regional...our differences are our beauty!! and our power!
@Melanie Willard diversity is not melting, there is no melting pot. It's like ceviche, identifiable pieces coming enriched by a common liquid. But each component shining through.
@Melanie Willard well in this example 1. It's not Irish for the most part Scots-Irish were Scots who were in Ireland for some time 2. The dance and music of Appalachia derived from the earliest times of Virginia colony 3. The banjo is african and there are ceremonial dances I've seen using flat foot dancing 4. The early colonial landscape of the u.s. was quite multiethnic and racial until Bacon's Rebellion when fears of multiracial working class coalition were tackled by increased social marginalization of black, mixed race and indigenous people. Read a book.
@Melanie Willard I think the fact that you think a continent with far more diversity than Europe linguistically, religiously, etc... are unified in dancing practices shows you're understanding of the world around you is some weird American White obsession with wanting to feel connected to having pure roots to Europe rather than their reality. You sound not only stupid but also pathetically transparent.
No matter what, all of the other stuff surrounding this. This is TALENT, a god given gift. Forget everything else around him, his family etc... What an absolute talent. Joyous to watch a master craftsman.
Having my mother and her family all coming from W. Virginia, the Appalachian culture was part of who I am. I remember my reserved, dignified uncle, who was a respected educator and school principal, when he would rarely get a snoot of liquor, he'd buck-dance until he dropped. Happy memories.❤️
This man though his self to tap dance and worked some type of job at the same time. This just shows how much the internet and small dish network has stopped people for finding ways entertained there self . Thank for posting this video .
Patriarch D. Ray of the Whites plain as day. Understandably so, they all fell apart when he died. Matriarch Bertie Mae was the last thread that sorta held it all together. R.I.P to both of them... True legends
@@MENFUSSMIKE Mine too. That said, it's not a hard choice. If the film they made about his kids is anything to go by, the next generation of Whites were a bunch of complete degenerates who live off disability and are either doing Oxy, or pushing Oxy.
This is perhaps the most humanly beautiful thing I've seen in years. My momma loves tap dancing so I made sure to send her this video because what an amazing talent I've witnessed tonight! So glad to have found this!
@Mustard Fart No, actually. Not for many years. RU-vid recommended a highlight clip, so I watched it just to see what garbage that passes as modern pop was bedazzled with a Bullshit Statue.
"When somebodys interested I'll spend hours on it." Bam! You were epic D. Ray. I hope someone carried on your legacy. And to whoever recorded this... THANK YOU ! THANK YOU !
My ancestry dates back to 1700 to mixed race Melungeons of free African American people from the foot hills of the Appalachian Mountains area of Eastern Kentucky in Madison County... and I endorse this beautiful art form.
I saw a documentary where they did DNA testing on many of these people and none possessed any Native American DNA.. Have any of your family taken tests
@@norml6874 yes my family (to include me) took the Y-DNA37 test and yes the results showed native American, Portuguese and East African... and then about one hundred years later around 1800 the test results show the introduction of English, Irish & German ancestry. We even have in my family a few visible genetic markers that are are unmistakably melungeon.
FET Engineer I’m registered Yankton Lakota. That “native American” test is the Americas in general. It doesn’t show what type of Native American bloodline. Only family bloodlines will show that.
I'm a 52 year old guy who can remember my grandfather doing this. My mother, the intellectual, described that it was a version of clogging that came from my grandfather's ancestors in Europe. My grandfather? He just called it dancing.
Pretty sure its because theres been so many advances in technology people are being entertained in different ways that there's no need for people to kill time by learning skills like this anymore.
The main reason you haven't seen D Ray White is he was shot and killed in his front yard in 1985. Both his sons were shot in the same altercation but they survived.
These people built America by working in coal mines, building sky scrapers, serving in the military, farming and much, much more. Be proud of your family.
Awesome skills! I was a clog dancer in my youth. Never got good enough to be able to be a buck dancer. But I did get pretty good. And got a diploma from my clog dancing class with a tittle of Bachlor Of Clogging. Always enjoyed it and miss it often. I was a member of two groups, both disbanded now sadly. But I miss my time with The Stateline Stompers and The Klickin Kloggers. 😀👍
I live in Sweden, and I found this while I was just browsing. This gentleman is a legend and incredibly talented. I kind of like the style- straight up,no nonsense and raw talent. That's how I like to live my life.
I just recently became aware of Hank 3, and was curious about the subject of the song and wound up here. God bless the White family and all they've been through. True American pioneers and heroes.
I originally watched this like 6 times for ironic comedy value....I honestly like it now. lol Fuckin D Ray should have had a singing career as well, GGRRROOOUUUNNDDDD HOOOGGGG
@Tom ACE.....if you research, in d-ray`s earlier years, he had a band/group, and pretty good too, however if you are going to succeed you got to be business orientated too along with talent.....
My papaw was from Eastern Ky….in 1983 he danced like this at my wedding..(in Canada)…with a fedora on his head and grinning from ear to ear with his purple wine stained teeth… He went to Heaven 3 months later…I’m so blessed to have that memory in my mind..all these years later.
Go to East TN , you'll come across some of my relatives. They still live old school life. And they are good folks. You'll find that southern hospitality. And maybe dancing like this guy .
I remember those long Summer evenings when Grandma and Grampa used to shuffle. Tap and slide about 60 years ago. I really miss them. Thanks for a look back.
I use to flatfoot and tap dance as a kid. We was very poor in the appalachian mountains. I was raised without electricity for a large part of my early teens. So doing stuff like this was very fun before i had a playstation. Lol my dad would play guitar and he'd scream at me to "get it!" And id start flatfooting to the music. Rip he died when i was 17.
@@sidimightbe I think it's important for children to learn about us in schools. We are the minority. We make up just 9% of the world population but created the best countries in the world. Schools are allowing this hatred for white people to continue. I'm going to do something about it.
This guy has been the subject of many documentaries... He was murdered, I believe, and his family can be seen on the Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia... great Documentary.
Ive been trying to put flatfoot dancing and playing spoons at the same time im putting it togsther and watching others do there own thing is very encouraging
Summertime is weddings, family gatherings, occasional Quinceñeras, etc. and with that comes a lot of dancing so, here is something I'm working on. Thank you Mr. White
I just got this in my recommendations, never heard of this man and didn't realize how much I needed to. This is like a time capsule for Appalachian dance
