May 28, 1962

Fred High died. High, who lived his entire life in Carroll County, was one of Ozark folk culture’s most notable characters. His contributions to Ozark heritage are evident in the many recordings of his folk song performances. The John Quincy Wolf Folksong Collection at Lyon College consists of a dozen recordings of High, and Missouri State University’s Max Hunter Collection contains thirty-one additional High recordings. High’s participation in various local and regional festivals, picnics, and other gatherings made him a well-known figure throughout northern Arkansas. Perhaps the Arkansas Gazette said it best when it called High “an epitome of the old Ozarks of song and story, a remnant of an almost forgotten age.”