Award-winning folk and bluegrass musician Alice Gerrard traces more than five decades of music and advocacy in her new memoir, ‘Custom Made Woman: A Life in Traditional Music.’ The book follows her journey through festivals, collaborations, family life, and the personal and professional relationships that shaped her path in a genre long dominated by men.
Central to her story is her partnership with Appalachian singer Hazel Dickens during the 1960s and 1970s. Their four albums, recently reissued by Rounder Records and Smithsonian Folkways, stand as pivotal recordings in the years following the American folk revival. Gerrard also worked alongside musicians including Tommy Jarrell, Enoch Rutherford, Otis Burris, Luther Davis, and Matokie Slaughter.
Beyond performance, Gerrard helped document and sustain the traditional music community. She founded The Old-Time Herald in Durham, North Carolina, serving as editor-in-chief for more than a decade. Her lifelong commitment to preserving folk culture is reflected in the book’s nearly 100 rare photographs, many previously unpublished.
Featuring images of figures such as Doc Watson, Bill Monroe, Hazel Dickens, Elizabeth Cotten, and Mike Seeger, ‘Custom Made Woman’ offers both memoir and cultural record. Gerrard’s story provides an intimate lens on a distinctly American tradition that continues to evolve and endure.