Logo: Susquehanna Folk Music Society
Presenting fine traditional arts in Central Pennsylvania since 1985

York County Oral History Project: Tales of a Musical Life

Interviews with York County residents who have a long-time involvement with music.

About the project

Explore their stories...

Learn about Albert Dalton Albert Dalton
Learn about Betty Jane Coldren Betty Jane Coldren
Learn about Adrian “Buddy” King Adrian “Buddy” King
Learn about Chris Milsom Chris Milsom
Learn about Chris Warner Chris Warner
Learn about Clair Zeiders Clair Zeiders
Learn about Craig Zumbrun Craig Zumbrun
Learn about Cushla Srour Cushla Srour
Learn about Darlene Osborn Darlene Osborn
Learn about Dick Laird Dick Laird
Learn about Earl Deveney Earl Deveney
Learn about Eleanor MacQueen Eleanor MacQueen
Learn about Glen Grove Glen Grove
Learn about Jerry McCoury Jerry McCoury
Learn about Jim Srour Jim Srour
Learn about Joe Coria Joe Coria
Learn about John Gourker John Gourker
Learn about Karen Hostetter Karen Hostetter
Learn about Peggy Kaiser Peggy Kaiser
Learn about Randy Heisley-Cato Randy Heisley-Cato
Learn about Randy Zwally Randy Zwally
Learn about Robert Hill Robert Hill
Learn about Ruth Jones Ruth Jones
Learn about Ryck Kaiser Ryck Kaiser
Learn about Tod McNally Tod McNally
Learn about Venona Detrick Venona Detrick
Learn about Wayne Morris Wayne Morris
Learn about Walt Crider Walt Crider

About the Project

SFMS began the "Tales of a Musical Life" project in the fall of 2017 and continued collecting stories through the summer of 2018. Twenty-eight people, some professional musicians and some not, were interviewed and asked questions about how they first came to love music and how music had enriched their lives. What emerged is a fascinating collection of stories which shows the diversity of music that thrives in York County, including bluegrass, jazz, folk, classical, soul, and even cowboy music!

Four of the individuals interviewed — Cushla Srour, Wayne Morris, Joe Coria, and Jerry McCoury — shared their stories in front of a live audience during the inaugural Susquehanna Folk Festival in summer 2018. SFMS hopes to be able to provide further public forums to share these stories in the future.

SFMS is indebted to the students of Dr. Richard A. Pierce’s Adult Development and Aging class at Penn State York who conducted the interviews, and to the York County Community Foundation's Hahn Home Fund for Embracing Aging for helping to fund the project.