Senator Byrd and His Music

By Zach Garver - Byrd Center Archives Intern

Nothing touches the soul quite like a rich melody. From all walks of life, all generations, all ethnicities; it moves us, inspires us, and connects us. This notion rang true in the heart of Senator Robert C. Byrd. From a young age, Byrd recognized music as one of the artistic amplifiers of the human condition, made quite evident from the array of photos and documentation the distinguished Senator left behind. A majority of the images featuring Byrd were stoic and reverent, offering the indurate disposition expected from a United States Senator. However, take even a brief glance at any picture of Byrd holding his fiddle, and there is a discernibly different environment to it. No politics, no divisive personal opinions, no formalities. There is simply a man and his music.

​Think of any region on earth, and I bet you hear the most prominent musical instruments associated with it. From the sitars of the Middle Eastern dunes to the electric guitars of the Hollywood hills, music is a manifestation of who you are. At the age of twelve, young Robert Byrd taught his fiddle to sing, an accomplishment that earned him much praise throughout his life. He also played in his school band, diversifying his range of instruments and adding an eclectic element to his experience. On this note, think of West Virginia. What do you hear? Banjos and fiddles would be an accurate presumption. This aspiration to the Bluegrass musicians of old such as Bill Monroe, The Stanley Brothers, and Lester Flatt, is part of what made Byrd who he was, and this is exactly the identity he utilized on his campaign trails. It is incredibly easy to feel disconnected from the upper echelons of government. But amongst the sea of stern deliberate voices so commonly boasted in politics, the luster of a lone fiddle shone through. By embracing the roots of West Virginian music and culture, he attracted the relation of the common man, and emblazoned his image of the “Good ol’ country boy” that so many constituents longed for. 

Robert C. Byrd (kneeling at the front) with the Mark Twain High School Band (1930s).

“Make your fiddle case your briefcase. Everywhere you go, you carry that fiddle case. Your identity will become known. You make yourself a little speech, and they won’t forget you because of that violin.”

​Attributed to Rev. Shirley Donnelly in an oral history conducted with Senator Byrd.

​For many, myself included, the love of music was augmented by the structure of a school band. Later in his political career, Robert Byrd sought to use his prestige and sway to give back and sanctify the arts in school by vocally supporting and adducing many resolutions in the halls of Congress that would emphasize music’s crucial role in shaping the youth’s panoramic future. Even here on the campus of Shepherd University the support for music education was pertinent. In a letter to the senator, a professor at the university wrote  “I am very much aware of the positive influence music can bring into the lives of individual students…Creating, performing, and listening to music are life-enriching endeavors. Music In Our Schools is the kind of national endorsement and promotion that will highlight the value of music and the arts in the national character of our citizenry."

One of the many music-themed gifts presented to Senator Byrd by his constituents displayed in the senator's Washington D.C. office.

A copy of Senator Byrd's album, signed for Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton.

This is not to say music should be treated as some relic you look back on with nostalgia, neither is it that music touches only musicians. Byrd was happy to share his personal art with many high-profile household names, such as gymnast Mary Lou Retton, and former President Jimmy Carter. Aligned with his long-standing adoration of music, Byrd also fought for the funding to “Invest in America’s future” and purchase a permanent location to house the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame, as well as bolster its status as a Non-Profit Organization, despite the economic difficulties faced by the State. From the spontaneity of youth to the weathered encumbrance of old age, Robert C. Byrd’s music exemplifies a humanistic link between those fissured. After all, nothing touches the soul quite like a rich melody.