Morganton in Burke County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Etta Baker

Piedmont Blues Guitarist

— 1913-2006 —

Etta Baker Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, October 29, 2022

1. Etta Baker Marker

Inscription. Morganton native Etta Lucille Baker, starting at the age of three, played the Piedmont Blues for ninety years. Taught by her father Boone Reid, she first recorded “One Dime Blues” in 1956. At the height of the folk music revival during the 1950's and 1960's, Etta Baker influenced such legends as Bob Dylan and Taj Mahal. She was the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions:

• Brown-Hudson Folklore Award* - 1982
• NC Folk Heritage Award - 1989
• NEA National Heritage Fellowship - 1991
• North Carolina Award - 2003
* with her sister Cara Phillips

Etta Baker and her husband Lee raised nine children, many of whom carry on the family musical tradition. She leaves a unique music legacy that continues today. Etta Baker died September 23, 2006 at the age of 93 in Fairfax, Virginia.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Arts, Letters, Music. A significant historical date for this entry is September 23, 2006.

Location. 35° 44.496′ N, 81° 41.176′ W. Marker is in Morganton, North Carolina, in Burke County. It is on West McDowell Street north of South College Street, on the right when traveling

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north. Marker is in the the City of Morganton Municipal Auditorium parking lot. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 401 S College St, Morganton NC 28655, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Carolina’s Mountains. It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: “Sacred Dance & the Muses” – 2004 (within shouting distance of this marker); Tate House (approx. ¼ mile away); Jonesboro Historic District (approx. ¼ mile away); Burke County Vietnam Memorial (approx. ¼ mile away); WWII Burke County Dead (approx. ¼ mile away); Morganton (approx. 0.3 miles away); Burke Courthouse (approx. 0.3 miles away);

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, October 29, 2022

2. Etta Baker Marker

Our Confederate Soldiers (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Morganton.

Also see . . .
1. Etta Baker. Wikipedia entry on the guitarist and (occasional) singer, who played both the 6-string and the 12-string acoustic guitar and the five-string banjo. (Submitted on November 14, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

2. Etta Baker – Blues. Etta rarely sang and said she didn’t need to, because her guitar spoke for her. (Music Maker Foundation) (Submitted on November 14, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

via Government & Heritage Library, State Library of North Carolina (CC BY 2.0), 2003

3. Etta Baker

Etta Baker Statue image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, October 29, 2022

4. Etta Baker Statue

This life-size bronze sculpture of Baker, called "Pickin' on the Porch", is nearby.

Credits. This page was last revised on November 14, 2022. It was originally submitted on November 14, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 623 times since then and 47 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on November 14, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.