Degree Name
MA (Master of Arts)
Program
Appalachian Studies
Date of Award
8-2022
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Jane MacMorran
Committee Members
Roy Andrade, Lee Bidgood
Abstract
The Down Home is an eclectic music venue in Johnson City, Tennessee. Established in 1976, it has since become a noteworthy club and the center of a mutually supportive community of people who keep the venue going while it in turn holds the community members together. Through the use of community theory, oral history theory, memorabilia, and oral history interviews, this thesis examines the way the Down Home community formed, and how it has continued to grow, develop traditions, and engage people both local and from afar. It also explores what the venue’s future may look like. While several influential figures in the club’s history have passed away, it is important to acknowledge the memories of those still living. This project documents some of the Down Home’s story as told by the venue’s community members, and it begins to fill the void where literature about the Down Home is scarce.
Document Type
Thesis - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Myhre, Rheva, "At Home at the Down Home: Building and Sustaining a Musical Community" (2022). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 4114. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/4114
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.