| Howard Klein | Dr. Joe Frank Smiddy | Rita Forrester |
| Vicki Virts | James Bryant | Dixie Hall |
| Patricia Windrow Klein | Raymond McClain |
People outside of Scott County Virginia tend to forget that when you say the name “Carter Family”, you are speaking about more than the Original Carter Family – A.P., Sara, and Maybelle. Poor Valley is full of their descendants. The legacy of the Carter Family touches us all in ways that people outside the Family can never know.
That is why we are so distressed by the recent events in which you voted Dale Jett off the board of the Carter Family Memorial Music Center. We know that Janette would not have condoned your actions or abstained from defending his place on the board. She would have been in tears, as we are, to see this kind of discard take place at the Carter Family Fold. We know how important the word “family” was to Janette in creating and sustaining this memorial to her father, mother, and aunt. She enfolded her family within its structure; she didn’t turn them away.
The Carter Fold is an extension of our family; it is our collective “homeplace”. The Carter Fold is a non-profit organization, but it has been a “family” effort from the beginning. The hands of the Carters built it, and many family members have helped in various ways from carpentry work to helping out on Saturday nights. Not only have we lent our time, but we have lent our resources and properties as well.
The board of directors used to have several Carter family members representing it. Since Janette’s death, you have eliminated two of the three remaining family members. There is only one voice left, and we do not feel that one voice can adequately represent the vested interest of our family or community. Our voice is quickly becoming diminished. The president of the Fold now has more of his family representing the Fold than the Carter Family does.
It is ultimately the legacy of the Carter Family voices that have had such an impact on the world, and that has filled the Fold with song. Dale Jett continued that legacy at the Fold by singing those songs and welcoming people in to the Fold as his mother did before him. When you decided to silence his voice on the board of directors, you also silenced his songs at the Fold.
We ask you, the Board of Directors, to reconsider the decision to remove Dale Jett. We also ask for you to find ways to strengthen the Fold, not weaken it. Instead of diminishing the Carter Family voice, perhaps you should increase the number of family members on the board.
Signed:
| Mark Carter | Sue Hensley | Joy Eldreth |
| Debbie Buckle | Ann Buckle | Jerry Hensley |
| Pattie Steen Hensley | Phyllis Arnold | Phil Salyer |
| Tammy Salyer | Cody Salyer | Beth Carter Kegley |
| Frankie Kegley | Roger A. Carter | Edna K. Carter |
| Dewanna W. Cross | Yolanda W. Burke | Mark Wolfe |
Joey Salyer (grandson of Ermine “Buck” Carter)
Isaac Salyer (great,great nephew of A.P.Carter)
Lauren Salyer (great,great niece of A.P.Carter)
Shane Salyer (grandson of Ermine Carter)
Marcus Salyer (great-grandson of Ermine Carter)
Fern Salyer (niece of A.P. Sara and Maybelle Carter and first-cousin of Janette)
| Billy Addington | Nickelsville, VA | Peggy Lisle | Frankfort, OH |
| Frankie Addington | Nickelsville, VA | George Ella Lyon | Lexington, KY |
| Lowell B. Addington | Nickelsville VA | John Maeder | Louisville, KY |
| Monica Appleby | Abingdon, VA | Alan Maggard | Big Stone Gap, VA |
| Bo Bailey | Mendota, VA | Sue Massek | Willisburg, KY |
| Jessica Bailey | Mendota, VA | Barnett McConnell | Smyrna, TN |
| Jonathan Bailey | Hampton, VA | Bill McConnell | Tazewell, VA |
| Janice Bales | Jonesville, VA | Joyce McConnell | Tazewell, VA |
| Donna Bateman | Blountville, TN | Polly McConnell | Smyrna, TN |
| Richard Bateman | Blountville, TN | Wilma McConnell | Hiltons, VA |
| Anndrena Belcher | Gate City, VA | Nancy McCord | Christiansburg, VA |
| Amy Benedict | Gray, TN | Dale McGinnas | Saluda, NC |
| Jeff Benedict | Gray, TN | Ed McGinnas | Zirconia, NC |
| Edith Benfield | Mendota, VA | Max McGinnas | Saluda, NC |
| Beth Bingman | Dungannon, VA | Phebe McGinnas | Blythe, CA |
| Dwight Bishop | Duffield, VA | Robert McGinnas | Blythe, CA |
| James Blackwell | Roan Mountain, TN | Jake McMurray | Weber City, VA |
| Ruth Blackwell | Roan Mountain, TN | Sharon Meade | Nickelsville, VA |
| Brian Blanken | Big Stone Gap, VA | Todd Meade | Kingsport, TN |
| Kim Blanken | Big Stone Gap, VA | Art Menius | Mayking, KY |
| Lena Bledsoe | Jonesville, VA | Corey Messer | Krypton, KY |
| Scotty Boatwright | Fairfax, VA | Valerie Messer | Krypton, KY |
| Sue Ella Boatright-Wells | Hiltons, VA | Mary Monseur | Chantilly, VA |
| Jamey Booher | Johnson City, TN | Bradley Moore | Krypton, KY |
| Joe Booher | Johnson City, TN | Karen Moore | Brumley Gap, VA |
| Lora Booher | Johnson City, TN | Larry Moore | Morehead, KY |
| Heather K Bowen | Gate City, VA | Rick Moore | Bluff City, TN |
| Grace Bradshaw | Big Stone Gap, VA | Susan Moore | Marianna, PA |
| Emma Jean Broadwater | Nickelsville, VA | Travis Moore | Morehead, KY |
| Steve Brooks | Nickelsville, VA | Walter Moore | Marianna, PA |
| Bill Bryant | Kingsport, TN | Bo Musselwhite | Johnson City, TN |
| Brian Buchanan | Nashville, TN | Sarah Musselwhite | Johnson City, TN |
| Karen K. Burke | Gate City, VA | Rob Nicar | Bristol, TN |
| Yolanda Burke | Hiltons, VA | Bruce Nichols | Hiltons, VA |
| Jeff Burleson | Kingsport, TN | Sara Nichols | Hiltons, VA |
| Rebecca Burleson | Kingsport, TN | Bryce Nickels | Gate City, VA |
| Peggy Campbell | Johnson City, TN | Mary Nickels | Gate City, VA |
| Leona Carter | Church Hill, TN | Bonnie Owens | Wise, VA |
| Mary Lou Carter | Jonesville, VA | Boots Page | Kingsport, TN |
| Mark Carter | Hiltons, VA | Emory Page | Kingsport, TN |
| Ray Carter | Church Hill, TN | Ethel Page | Duffield, VA |
| Bill Cawood | Big Stone Gap, VA | Meritta Page | Kingsport, TN |
| Kelly Cherry | Kingsport, TN | Roy Page | Kingsport, TN |
| Mark Cherry | Kingsport, TN | Leslie Pendleton | Blacksburg, VA |
| Jessica Clawson | Johnson City, TN | Catherine Porterfield | Norton, VA |
| Melanie Climis | Shepherdstown, WV | Donna Porterfield | Norton, VA |
| Dudley Cocke | Norton, VA | Deane Quillen | Louisville, KY |
| Sandy Coeburn | Wise, VA | Ralph Glenn Raleigh | Nicholasville, KY |
| Curtis Compton | Council, VA | Chiquita Renfro | Johnson City, TN |
| Pauline Compton | Council, VA | Marianna Roberts | Hiltons, VA |
| Billy Cornette | Hillsville, VA | William W. Robinson | Nickelsville, VA |
| Betty Cunningham | Bristol, VA | Mark Rose | Mouth of Wilson, VA |
| Fred Cunningham | Bristol, VA | Kim Campbell Ross | Waynesville, NC |
| Gerry Davidson | Hiltons, VA | Chris Saenz | Adair Co., KY |
| Steven M. Davidson | Kingsport, TN | Rick Saenz | Adair Co., KY |
| Teressa Dooley | Bedford, VA | Robert Salyer | Whitesburg, KY |
| Shirley Easterling | Kingsport, TN | Carrington Sams | Bristol, VA |
| Brandon Elkins | Jonesville, VA | Rosa F. Saunders | Ervington, VA |
| Charles Elliott | Gate City, VA | Suzanne Savell | Whitesburg, KY |
| Peggy Ely | Jonesville, VA | Jimmy Savely | Zionville, NC |
| Charlie Engle | St. Paul, VA | Tammy Sawyer | Hays, NC |
| Margaret Feierbend | Bristol, TN | Barbra Scott | Leitchfield, KY |
| Robin Feierbend | Bristol, TN | Hazel Scott | Nickelsville, VA |
| Nell Fields | Whitesburg, KY | Nancy Seifert | LaVergne, TN |
| Jenrose Fitzgerald | Stamping Ground, KY | Kathy Shand | Nashville, TN |
| Martin Fox | Fairview, NC | Deborah Jean Sheets | Vilas, NC |
| Sallye Fox | Fairview, NC | Kelly Sheets | Boone, NC |
| Jim Franklin | Monteagle, TN | Nathan Sheets | Asheville, NC |
| Barbara Fuller | Nickelsville, VA | Randy Sheets | Vilas, NC |
| William "Stoney" Fuller | Nickelsville, VA | Fina Mae Sheets | Mouth of Wilson, VA |
| Ann Q. Gardner | Hiltons, VA | Alice Taylor Shelton | Gate City, VA |
| Ralph Gardner | Elizabethton, TN | Julie Shepherd | Staunton, VA |
| Walter R. Gardner | Hiltons, VA | Ron Short | Big Stone Gap, VA |
| Juanita Gartman | Nickelsville, VA | Joan Boyd Short | Big Stone Gap, VA |
| Steve Gentry | Bristol, TN | Buddy Sims | Mendota, VA |
| Anita Gibson | Duffield, VA | Ian Snider | Boone, NC |
| Anne Gilbert | Glade Spring, VA | Dawn Bailey Sims | Mendota, VA |
| Greg Gillenwater | Gate City, VA | Joyce Smith | Abingdon, VA |
| Michael Gilley | Big Stone Gap, VA | Ronnie Smith | Abingdon, VA |
| Joe Good | Nickelsville, VA | Todd Smith | Abingdon, VA |
| Margie Good | Nickelsville, VA | Steve Souther | Pound, VA |
| Brian Green | Mishawaka, IN | Jacki Spector | Mount Airy, NC |
| Jackie Green | Mishawaka, IN | Patricia Steen-Hensley | Hiltons, VA |
| Lilly Green | Bristol, TN | Jeremy Stephens | Danville, VA |
| Lorraine Hackler | Kingsport, TN | Christi Stevens | Louisville, KY |
| Cyndee S. Grey Harr | Blountville, TN | Nancy Brennan | Strange Knoxville, TN |
| Adam Hampshire | Lexington Park, MD | Diana Sumner | Hiltons, VA |
| Rebecca Hampshire | Lexington Park, MD | Frank Taylor | Dungannon, VA |
| Kisa Harwell | Johnson City, TN | Louetta Taylor | Nickelsville, VA |
| Mavis Hatton | Hiltons, VA | Chelsea Theriault | Hiltons, VA |
| Beverly Heefner | Fayetteville, GA | Sue Thrasher | Amherst, MA |
| Keith Heefner | Fayetteville, GA | Faye Turner | Nickelsville, VA |
| Jerry Hensley | Hiltons, VA | Michael Turner | Nickelsville, VA |
| Michelle Hensley | Duffield, VA | Miley Twyman | Florence, KY |
| Neal Hensley | Hiltons, VA | David Varney | Belfry, KY |
| Bill Hicks | Chatham Co., NC | Tina Varney | Belfry, KY |
| Lindsey Hogan | Asheville, NC | Carolyn Vicars | Kingsport, TN |
| Wanda Horne | Blountville, TN | Joann Vicars | Bristol, VA |
| Jamie Hounchell | Louisville, KY | Judy Vicars | Hiltons, VA |
| Chad Hunter | Brooklyn, NY | Oscar A. Vicars | Kingsport, TN |
| John Huron | Bristol, TN | Ronnie Vicars | Hiltons, VA |
| Kim Carter-Hutchins | Gate City, VA | Betty Vornbrock | Hillsville, VA |
| Ashley Morgan Jennings | Kingsport, TN | Kerry Waite | Blacksburg, VA |
| Kathy Jennings | Gate City, VA | Jim Watson | Chapel Hill, NC |
| Stephanie Johnson | Bedford, VA | Tim “Beech” Wells | Hiltons, VA |
| Diane Jones | Massey, MD | Joyce White | Kingsport, TN |
| Lynne Keltner | London, KY | Lisa Widener | Hillsville, VA |
| Maxine Kenny | Nickelsville, VA | Marlaine Wieder | Mt. Carmel, TN |
| Travis Kern | Big Stone Gap, VA | Walt Wieder | Mt. Carmel, TN |
| Rich Kirby | Dungannon, VA | Debra Bowen Williams | Gate City, VA |
| Marianne Kovatch | Morgantown, WV | Stewart V. "Bo" Williams | Gate City, VA |
| Carol Kraeme | Louisville, KY | Jeff Winegar | Charlotte, NC |
| Paul Kuczko | Big Stone Gap, VA | Betty Wood | Hiltons, VA |
| Nancy Lane | Gate City, VA | James Wood | Hiltons, VA |
| Marie Lanningham | Hiltons, VA | Jason Wood | Lynchburg, VA |
| Bernice Lark | Church Hill, TN | Kim Wood | Lynchburg, VA |
| Kate Larkin | Louisville, KY | Jennifer Woodard | Bristol, TN |
| Doug Larkins | Hiltons, VA | Donny Wright | Bristol, VA |
| Jamie Larkins | Hiltons, VA | Jack Wright | Athens, OH |
| Anita Lawson | Gate City, VA | Sarah Ziebell | Brooklyn, NY |
Click on the image above for the full-size version.
If you'd like to add your name to the list, please visit the Contact the Friends of the Carter Family Fold page, fill in your information, and choose "Sign the Letter" as your Contact Purpose.
