James Cowan Powers was born in Russell County, Virginia in 1877. After his wife's death in 1916, he decided to take his family band on the road. His son Charlie (born 1902) was already playing the banjo, and his daughter Orpha (born 1904) was picking up the mandolin. Carrie Bell (born 1908) took some guitar lessons from Byrd Moore around 1923, and Ada, the youngest (born 1911) played uke, As the twenties went on, the girls grew up and married, and didn’t get out to play much, Charlie joined the Army in 1928, and died in the infamous Bataan death march of World War II, Cowan himself remarried, and continued playing locally at fiddlers’ conventions and elsewhere. He was on stage with the Stanley Brothers in Saltville, Virginia one day in 1953, playing "Cluck Old Hen" when he had a fatal heart attack, The Stanleys, long-time friends of his, dropped a show date to sing at his funeral,
Fiddlin' Powers and Family: Cowan Powers, fiddle; Charlie Powers, vocal, banjo; Carrie Powers, guitar; Orpha Powers, mandolin; Ada Powers, ukulele.
East Orange NJ 10/6/25 Edison 52083
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