Pickin' Grinnin' and Storytelling Episode 1 

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My grandpa "Aubry Craddock" was a coal miner in WV before I existed but he got out of it as he was a talented mechanic which brought him here to Florida..this is important history,thanks for preserving it..👍

Good picking I used to play music all my life

What a wonderful entertaining video, JD. Thanks for putting in so much time into it. Your guitar picking, singing and stories make it truly special. Blessings and keep 'em coming.

Thank u for being on luv listening

Love the music and that's a nice studio....✌️👍

Hi JD! Thanks for sharing these stories with us. I’m sure you’ve put many hours, miles and just your personal appreciation of the Appalachian history. Have a blessed day!

My little brother loves to show his cabins to interested people

Excellent video 👍

We're from new Jersey and on a mini trip to west Virginia in our old pickup truck we went through the back roads and met a wonderful old old lady walking the road, we gave her a ride, her advice to my husband and I was " Don't be a hollar after dark" scared me to death. We asked her how far she was going? Her reply was "upa yonder some" it was 3 miles!! Lol

This are some great stories and if the story becomes a movie you should get a finders fee just saying keep up the good work and thanks

JD, you are my favorite RU-vid personality. I can feel the love you put in each video. Thanks for many hours of rich storytelling and music. Keep em coming.

Love your channel! Is your music available to purchase?

Wow, I love what he's done with those 2 log cabins. So much history and life in them!!!

Oh!!! John Denver 's song!!❤❤ Dearly love that song!! Brings tears to my eyes. You can sing it like him!! I dearly love the country and it's beauty! Thank you so much!! ❤️🙏

Love that song!!!!!!! Keep doin your thing!!! Honest and wholesome!!!!!!

I literally just found this channel. I’ve only watched a few minutes yet. You bet I’ll watch the rest of this. So far the stories and the music is absolutely beautiful! Thank you for this!

Loving the story of Appalachia. Most of my relative come from NC, from the tobacco farms in Eastern Carolina all the way to up around Boone , NC, up in the hills of the Appalachian and Great Smoky Mountains. I cherish the history from both my Scottish/Irish and the Welsh, British, and even some Norse, all the way to my Dad’s family’s of NC. Keep the histories of our shared roots in Appalachia.

Thank you so much for preserving and sharing Appalachia history through your research and storytelling.

What a nice guitar collection and solid playing! I recently found your channel and I can’t get enough! Thank you sir!

Thank you JD. I thoroughly loved this video. Makes me a mite homesick.

A lefty player ?

What an inspirational man. I liked he said he was all religions. Thank you 😊

I like old history keep up the good work

I was born in Kings Mountain, NC and my family have been there since the mid 1700's. I grew up there until the age of 10 and have lived in Georgia since. But its never felt like home. Im 46 now and still feel the call of the mountains, and wish I could've had my boys grow up there.

Hell yeah! You pick a bit too ! So fun

Enjoyed every minute!

That's so sad ,beautifully told love your stories

Sadly I don’t ever remember learning about the Cold Creek War in history class. I was raised in NJ and went to college in NY so I guess it wasn’t important to my teachers. I love learning about it now and all of Appalachia history you share. Thank you JD from this Appalachia wannabe.

I just finished watching this awesome program! I really enjoyed the program. Beautiful country and great stories from wonderful people. I haven't been out of Texas very much so I'm really enjoying learning about the history of the Appalachians. Keep up the great work! Thank you Linda/Texas 😌

I want more of these videos combining songs and videos. Love it!!!

What a treat! Yer a mighty fine Picker, JD!! And what stories!👍 I wish I’d known about this show when you went live. Keep them coming JD! You’re my favorite Storyteller! I love history, I love the way you tell them, your music, and your sound effects! Sometimes I get to laughing, then as the stories roll on, I feel bad, cause most of the time they end tragic. But then again, isn’t that how Southerners deal with tragedy thru humor? 😂❤

The pickin' and grinnin' was a nice touch. My fave story is still Appalachia's Deadliest Family and I think it would make a wonderful movie as long as they don't go crazy with creative license because it certainly doesn't need it or any embellishments for that matter. I think such a movie should definitely include your song 'From The Inside' as it would add the right feel and is very well-done. This is my second time asking this but I am patient and I do understand you are a very busy man. What happened to the young man who was the boyfriend of the girl that was kissed? This curious mind wants to know. 🤗🤗🤗

I love to try and follow the stories on Google maps. I really enjoy the Appalachian storyteller.

Great story telling, I'm addicted

Huge fan of your music,stories, and content. Keep rockin bro!

I just happened upon your channel. Your documentaries are priceless.

I just love all your videos. I shared it on Facebook. You are the best . hello from Florida

Love the in color song

Talk about a hard life and tough decisions...back then, there was no state or federal monies to rely on in hard times, it was do or die.

This West Virginia Granny thanks you for these videos

My daddy was a coal miner in Virginia. I was born in Osaka Virginia. Coal camp. My daddy died of black lung. He had worked his way up to the foreman . I am very proud of him.

Great stories of our beautiful Appalachian people and places J.D. Thanks so much from a city slicker from Maryland relocated to Sullivan county Tn. My Family migrated from England and Ireland to settle in Smyth Co Virginia in the mid to late 1700's in and near Saltville Va. Would love to see a story from you about Saltville.

Hi JD!Appreciate you so much!

Binge watching from the beginning 👌

So Nice... Greetings from germany

Thank you for sharing these stories! I have ancestors who were Appalachian. So interesting! What a tough life they lived! I have so much respect for these beautiful ppl that lived back then! Please keep sharing your stories! Love your music! You have an amazing talent!

Loving this!

Thank you for sharing

This is about the Mannington mine. I just didn't listen long enough.

I live in Carroll county and yes this is part of its history kind of a gruesome identity of Hillsville, my little town.

We too have similar mining stories over here in the uk 🇬🇧 we had to strike for wages increase and insurance

Hi JD. I've got to say that you take me back to the hills every time I watch one of your stories. The music reminds me of my Daddy. He played music and every Saturday night he and a group of his friends would gather and play all night. My Momma played the spoons. It was such a good childhood. I learned of the Carroll county, VA massacre when I went to spend the summer with an aunt in Hillsville back in the 70's. That's where I learned to cook on a wood cook stove. My aunt had no modern eminities minus the water pump in the kitchen. I was 11 or 12 at the time and I was in heaven. I learned of the Greenbriar ghost from a friend of mine who's family comes from WVA. Her mother told me story and yes I believe. My Daddy's family comes from the Smokey mountains. Some settled in the Blue Ridge in Virginia. In my early adulthood I moved to the Blue Ridge often taking the back roads everywhere. I hope to retire there. You were right when you say that your heart rate changes. It's a very spiritual thing, you feel alive when driving thru the backwoods of the mountains. These old buildings speak to some to tell their stories. You're very talented and I really enjoy listening to your stories. Thank you .

A storyteller at the finest.

Love watching your video s

Hi from Almost Heaven! I just discovered your channel and am enjoying it very much!

I. Always thought that clear-cut logging almost killed alot land back in the beautiful mountains I wasn't born or even thought of then .but read alot about it I know them folks had to eat I still think it was sad times

Always loved John Denver

My dad was a coal miner for many years. I remember him coming home so black the only part of him white was his eyes and teeth

Good one!

Awesome guitar playing so you do your own music on your videos? That makes this channel all the more special ❤️❤️💯

Oh yeah; could you also do a story about the Mannington mine disaster? All I know is it happened in West Virginia. Thank you Please let me know when you post it.

I’d like to hear more about the last American war that sounds wild

Could you do a story about the carbide light the miners had to use, and are they as dangerous as I have heard? Thank you.

A 10% raise for the miners.If I understand it right that would've been only like $4 Damn Robber Barons

You play great

I thought I read' Happiest Family...😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣 Shake the cat?? Wtf.. That song is actually called "10,000 miles away from home." I sung it as a child in a YMCA camp..😊 please feel free to up it up..😊

I looked and looked and never saw the flowers the little girl painted

My grandfather and his brother was arrested during the mine war in Matewan.

Nice Taylor. Are you lefty or is this camera trickery?

And those told minor prisoners came from the great rushing Mountain Penitentiary

Nice guitars. Where are the Appalachian Mountain Dulcimers?

Are you at ciderville music barn on clinton hwy? Sure looks like it. I grew up 2 miles from there

Yup...you are correct, no one should trust the Tennessee government......key word being Tennessee, some of our states are not, and have not been so corrupt.

Joplin and Elvis didn't die in Knoxville many others played.there no problem my ex lives there that's why I wouldn't play there and we'll why risk it

I'm new here and I'm curious.I'm sure your done a lengthy video on the the Minors massacre on the mountain trails and the origin of the term Redneck. Would you please direct me that story video

$100.00 sounds like a good savings they can use while on strike I guess. I wonder how many weeks that would get him and his family by?

Government hasn't changed much

Kenny Chesney from Knoxville don't jinx it

U ain't got no. Huntress?

I live in Pine Knot, Ky. You wanna talk about a cursed place, lol, the history of the name of this poor town alone is bit ... awkward. Wonderful upload, thx.