Joseph Dougherty "Joe" Carter b 27 Feb 1927 Maces Springs VA d Wednesday, 2 Mar 2005 Maces Springs VA; buried Mount Vernon Methodist Church Cemetery, Maces Spring, Scott Co VA; occupation, musician, singer, songwriter; s/o A P Carter and Sarah Dougherty. Joseph Dougherty "Joe" Carter m. Nancy Keller. Children of Joseph Dougherty "Joe" Carter and Nancy Keller;

I. Connie Carter

II. Lisa Carter

III. Benita Carter

From the Associated Press
Joe Carter
MACES SPRINGS, Va. (AP) - Joe Carter, a member of the famous Carter Family of country music, died Wednesday of cancer, his niece said. He was 78. Carter was a cornerstone of the preservation of old-time mountain music and helped build the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Va., which presented shows of country and bluegrass music every weekend. The niece who announced Carter's death, Rita Forrester, is a Fold executive. Carter was 5 months old when he traveled with his parents, A.P. and Sara Carter, from Maces Springs to Bristol in 1927 for a recording session that has been called "the big bang of country music." It launched the careers of A.P., Sara and her cousin, Maybelle Carter, as the Carter Family trio. Maybelle Carter's daughter was June Carter Cash, the wife of Johnny Cash. Joe Carter, who performed at the Carter Family Fold, was the last direct connection to anyone who was at that original session, his friend Tim White said Thursday. www.carterfamilyfold.org

A tribute to him by Rita Forrester, his niece, found at http://www.carterfamilyfold.org
Just as it's hard to know where to begin paying tribute to Mom, it's equally difficult to know where to begin with my Uncle Joe.

When Dale and I were children, Uncle Joe, his wife Nancy, and his daughters, Connie, Lisa, and Benita lived next to us. Because we lived so close, Connie, Lisa, Dale, and I were inseparable. Benita came along later and missed all the mischief we four got into.

Uncle Joe kept us all entertained with his stories and antics. He's a unique individual; they truly broke the mold when they made Joe. Joe was Poor Valley's first (and probably only) streaker. In fact, he was probably the first streaker ever. When he was little, he ran through the wheat fields naked trying to keep up with the train. He's the only person I know who can start a cat fight between two perfectly peaceful cats just by making noises. His animal imitations are legendary at the Saturday night shows at the Fold.

When we were growing up, he also told us lots of 'bear tales,' tall tales like the "Wharf Rat Tale" about a wharf rat that ate so much corn he busted out the sides of the corn crib.

Uncle Joe is the life of every family gathering because he always keeps everyone laughing. He loves life, and he has a keen eye that never misses much of anything. Joe actually went along with the Carters when they made their first recordings in Bristol in 1927. He was still nursing, so they had to take him with them. Because he was so young, he stayed with Grandma Carter or other babysitters when the Carters performed. A whole generation of Poor Valley women mothered Joe and, in fact, still mother him to this day.

Although he was in Texas when the Carters performed on XERA Radio, Uncle Joe was too young to be on radio. He did begin to perform with them at about age twelve, though, and helped on their radio shows in Charlotte. He's on the ACME recordings done in the 1950s, and he has helped Mom perform at the Fold since 1976. In addition to being a fine comedian, Uncle Joe is also an excellent musician and songwriter.

Uncle Joe is now retired from his career as a carpenter and builder. He worked on projects like Dobys Bennet High School, the Breaks Interstate Park, and countless others. Uncle Joe designed and built the Carter Fold building. Jimmy Driftwood was so impressed by the design and the concept of the Fold when Dr. Smiddy brought him for a visit that he returned to his native Arkansas and built a music hall like it that is now run by the state.

Uncle Joe is good friend of George Orthey who designs and builds Orthey autoharps. When George came down looking for unique wood to use in his autoharps, Joe convinced him to use mulberry wood. The two of them have traveled all over southwest Virginia in search of mulberry trees for George's beautiful and unique harps.

Like all Carters, Uncle Joe is an avid gardener. His specialty is hot peppers and tomatoes. Joe's tomatoes get so big that ordinary tomato cages won't hold them; he builds special cages out of fence wire. If you look out the window and see Uncle Joe carrying a sack of peppers or cabbages, you know he's come to get help making his special pepper relish or kraut. He designed and had specially made a unique chopper that works like a charm for relish or kraut. Joe and Mom did a Project Family special for WCYB with Greg Wallace on the making of chow-chow. If you don't know what chow-chow is, you didn't grow up in the country (like we did) eating soup beans and cornbread.

Johnny Cash and Uncle Joe were good buddies. They would go up on the mountain in Joe's jeep or visit the local pawn shops and restaurants when John and June would visit. A reporter for the Times News ran into them at the Lynn Garden Restaurant, a particular favorite of Uncle Joe's. The reporter apparently didn't understand our rather complex family tree. When he wrote a story about running into them, he called Uncle Joe Johnny Cash's father-in-law. I can't tell you how we teased Uncle Joe about that! Joe is normally the one doing the teasing, so we enjoyed turning the tables.

Uncle Joe and Mom have always been especially close, so he's always been around us a lot. Many of my childhood memories include Uncle Joe and lots of laughter and good times. He's a lot like Clinch Mountain's solid and constant presence in my life. Both my brothers think the world of him and love spending time with him. Flo grew up in the same house with Uncle Joe, and she loves him dearly. Marty Stuart and others who love him call him 'Joe Bull.' Joe truly is one of the most unique and amazing people I have ever known.
We love you, Uncle Joe.
Rita