Ola Belle Reed was born in the mountains of North Carolina. She learned to pick the banjo at an early age and began writing songs about her life in the mountains.
During the Depression, she moved to Baltimore with her brother Alex, where she performed on radio stations across the state. In 1951, together with her husband Bud and brother Alex, along with his wife Lucy, founded the popular music venue, "The New River Ranch".
Ola Belle has written over two hundred songs, including, "High on a Mountain", and "The Leading Role". She is the recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Award.
Ola Belle Reed Inducted
inot WAMA Hall of Fame
Ola Belle Reed was recently inducted into the WAMA Hall of Fame, The Washington Area Music Awards. This prestigious award recognizes significant career achievements by area musicians. Nominations and balloting come from the WAMA membership. Past show participants include Emmylou Harris, Joan Jett, The Clovers, Bo Diddley, Jorma Kaukonen, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and Jimmy Dean.
This honorable award was presented to the family of Ola Belle Reed at the 20th Annual Washington Area Music Awards. The Awards were held at the State Theatre Falls Church, Virginia Monday, February 20, 2006 8 p.m.
Click on link below to hear Ola Belle speaking about her music in her own words.
