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  • Oral History

Laverda Rager

April 19, 1988 OHC236 76 min.
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Biography


Wife and daughter, respectively, of Kentucky fingerstyle guitarist Mose Rager, who was born 1916 and died November 23, 2003.

Interview Summary

1988 April 19
(1 hour, 16 minutes)
Laverda Rager talks about her husband Mose and his musical career. Anita Rager, daughter of Mose and Laverda, also contributes comments. Topics discussed includes Mose’s musical background and how he learned to play guitar with his fingers from his father; memories of fellow musicians Amos Johnson, Lester Plucker English and Ike Everly; Mose’s admiration of Plucker English, Ike Everly, and Kennedy Jones as guitar players; Laverda’s background and meeting Mose; Mose’s work with Grandpa Jones and Curly Fox; Mose’s barbershop and grocery store and various jobs Mose worked; Mose learning to play piano; Merle Travis’s friendship with Mose; Mose’s love of all kinds of music; and Mose’s reluctance to leave his children to tour. Laverda also reminisces while reviewing photographs of Mose with other musicians.