Comments on: Hedy West has Died

By: Jonas

Jonas — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 08:43:36 +0000

Hedy stayed at our house when I was a kid when dad brought her to sweden for some performances in the 70s. It was very nice to have her on this brief visit, she was very friendly and the music just oozed out of her most of the time. Remember her sitting in that white easy chair in dads study room picking her banjo. She paid attention to us kids too, not just the grown ups. Hedy used a strong perfumed shower lotion that you simply couldn’t ignore, and she gave me a nice signed copy of her song book with a comic drawing of her self playing banjo. That book must have been immersed in the bath tub because every time you opened it you could smell her. It was so solid that years after she left, you could still smell her each time you opened that book.

By: Cindy Walthers

Cindy Walthers — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 20:28:47 +0000

I just learned that she recorded The Lament of Barney Graham. My grandmother, Della Mae, wrote that poem about her father when she was only 12 years of age. I also learned that Hedy's father, Don, knew my grandma, at that time. I would have loved to have known her. I have written more about Barney, the disputes that led to his death on my website, My Appalachian Heritage.

By: Josh Shirey

Josh Shirey — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 13:36:54 +0000

I am learning about her in my class at clay county high school. She was appreciated for her works.

By: John Doe

John Doe — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 13:39:37 +0000

i didnt know her or listen to her music, but im doing a report on her.

By: Ike N. Presson

Ike N. Presson — Sun, 05 Feb 2006 16:59:40 +0000

I would like to see her obituary, also. I was a college friend of hers.

By: Ken

Ken — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 02:07:12 +0000

I’ll certainly post anything else that I find. -Ken

By: David

David — Sun, 10 Jul 2005 22:13:42 +0000

I met Hedy West in 1972 and held her in the highest regard. A wonderful talent indeed. I’m saddened to hear of her passing. As Yvonne mentioned in an earlier post, I would like to see her obituary.

By: Yvonne

Yvonne — Sun, 10 Jul 2005 14:02:30 +0000

Hedy’s father and mother, Don and Connie West, established the Appalachian South Folklife Center in Pipestem, W.Va. Many WV people knew the family and were saddened to hear about Hedy. If someone would post her obituary when it appears, it would be much appreciated.