For nearly five decades this married couple has been entertaining audiences with old-time music while raising awareness and challenging injustice. In 1977, Bev Futrell, Karen Jones, and three other women formed Reel World String Band. At their home in Lexington, Futrell and Jones play a song Futrell wrote in the mid-80s called Crank’s Creek. It’s set in Harlan County and focuses on strip mining and flooding.
Futrell said their songs were always full of messages.
“And we took those messages everywhere that we played, regardless of whether it was a women’s music festival or a picket line, the streets of New York City. Our message was always the same. Here’s what’s going on in Kentucky, and we want you to know about it,” explained Futrell.
The 82-year-old Futrell has short, wavy hair and wears a black and white striped shirt. She strums her acoustic guitar and tells how Crank’s Creek is still relevant.
“The second verse was about Nellie Woolum here in Harlan County on Ages Creek, and she was buried alive because a boulder came down. And it’s just like this has got to stop, well, of course, it hasn’t stopped. We’re getting floods still. And a lot of it’s because the trees have all been cut down. And so, the water just floods the hollers,” said Futrell.
Karen Jones has long legs and sits at the edge of her seat with her fiddle tucked under her chin. She said Reel World String Band was inspired by activists like Florence Reece, who was known for her song, Which Side Are You On. That song focused on the struggle of coal miners in Harlan County in the 1930s. Jones says the Reel World String Band was based in community and place. So even though the members were inspired by activists like Reece, Jones isn’t quick to label the group’s style, but lists some of the issues they covered.
“We were definitely involved in the anti-strip-mining movement, and against mountain-top removal and stuff. And then other environmental issues, whether it be clean water or things like that. And then, of course, domestic violence in terms of trying to help women who are victims of domestic violence. We were very active in those movements,” said Jones.
After 39 years, Reel World String Band ended its time as a group with a big celebration in 2016 at the Lyric Theater in Lexington. But Karen and Bev were already playing with the trio Tall, Dark and Handsome, where they play a lot of jazz and still sing some of their protest songs. Jones tells about a song Futrell wrote called Big Ol River.
“It’s about migration and immigration. How people are economically looking for a better spot to make their lives a little bit easier,” explained Jones.
Dr. Kathi Kern is Senior Vice Provost of Education at the University of Miami. Kern became friends with Karen and Bev when she was a Professor of History at the University of Kentucky. She says the duo has been showing up for decades, helping people with the power of song.
“Social justice is at the heart of everything that they do, but they have a very capacious understanding of social justice. And at the heart of that for them has always been community building,” said Kern.
Karen Jones and Bev Futrell will continue showing up for people with their music. Jones said there’s value to songs at protest rallies.
“We’ve learned over time that if you’re at a rally or a protest which are growing every day in this country for a good reason that it’s nice to have really strong speakers but there’s nothing like a good protest song to uplift people and to feel like they’re part of something bigger when everybody is singing together,” said Jones.
