The question arose in CM this week about the origins of Janice Holt Giles' book titled "Shady Grove."

Her biographer, Dianne Watkins Stuart, has a chapter referring to the writing of that book, chapter 25, "Up the Holler," if you happen to have a copy.

There is an interesting quote from one of Janice's letters to a grandson regarding her intent in writing Shady Grove - a sort of fictionalized protest of some of the things in Appalachia which irritated her (Pages 194-195 in the Stuart book, Janice Holt Giles, A Writer's Life), I bought my copy last summer at the Giles homestead--have been collecting second hand copies of Giles since the 1970's.

Shady Grove is also the name of an old Appalachian fiddle tune that has had various incarnations. I have it on various CD's. Doc Watson's is one of the more authentic-sounding renditions.Wikipedia: Shady Grove, the song Sharon Whitehurst