Charles Nelson

Background

He was born in what is now known as Cowan Osborne Hollow, named for his father, in Copper Creek, Virginia.

Career

He was regionally famous from the time he was about 15 until his death at age 101 in 1992. Charlie had a unique style of playing the fiddle with his left hand, on a right-handed fiddle. They were contemporaries of country music founders Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family, and occasionally gave advice to Tennessee Ernie Ford on his music

Uncle Charlie was blinded in his left eye at age 21 when he was shot in the head with a pistol that had been stolen from him.

Beginning in the 1930s, he cut back his music and farmed a large farm near the Osborne Family Homeplace in Copper Creek, Virginia. In 1985, in conjunction with East Tennessee State University, Appalshop"s June Appal Recordings recorded Uncle Charlie"s first album, "Relics And Treasures".

The album contained over a dozen traditional mountain songs, including "Ida Red", "Brown"s Dream", and "Old Joe Clark". These recordings were reissued by June Appal Recordings as "Uncle Charlie Osborne: The June Appal Recordings."

In the 1980s, Governor Chuck Robb came to his home and presented him with an award recognizing his contributions to Virginia life and culture.

Their weekly or semi-weekly jam sessions became the stuff of legends.

He was a regular performer at Mountain Empire Community College"s annual Home Craft Days festivals from 1985 until his death. Other performances included the Brandywine Festival, Appalshop"s Seedtime on the Cumberland festival and a campaign rally for Jesse Jackson in Hazard, Kentucky. Uncle Charlie Osborne died on May 27, 1992 after a brief illness.

Connections

Uncle:

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