Ola Belle Campbell grew up in North Carolina where she learned to play the banjo and guitar. She began playing professionally in the mid-’30s and went on to become a nationally recognized banjo player, vocalist, and songwriter. Along with her brother Alex Campbell they moved north in search of work during the depression. They eventually settled in Rising Sun, Maryland.
The Campbell’s hosted a bluegrass program that was aired for a number of years on WWVA, Wheeling, West Virginia with a group known as Alex & Ola Belle with the New River Boys. The group featured Deacon Brumfield (dobro), Ted Lundy (banjo), Sonny Miller (fiddle), and John Miller (fiddle)… They recorded gospel and bluegrass music that was released on their independent Cabin Creek label, and other recordings on the Starday label.
Ola Belle and her husband Bud Reed established the New River Ranch where they promoted live bluegrass music of the mid-Atlantic region as well as nationally known artists. Alex & Ola Belle continued to host radio programs including a weekly Sunday show on WCOJ, Coatesville, Pennsylvania.
With their son David Reed (banjo, guitar) and other musicians the Reed’s recorded for Rounder Records. In 1972 Ola Belle appeared at the Smithsonian Folk Festival in Washington, D.C. She also performed at the Kennedy Center, Brandywine Mountain Music Festivals, Jimmy Carter’s presidential inauguration, Peabody concerts and workshops, Catonsville Community College…
Alex Campbell, Ola Belle & Deacon released records including the following singles:
1962 New River 1031 Mountain Music Aloha / White Flower
196* New River 1032 All the World Is Lonely Now / I’ll Be All Smiles Tonight
Albums as Alex & Ola Belle (& the New River Boys):
1963(LP) Starday 214 16 Radio Favorites
1965(LP) Starday 342 Travel On
1965(LP) Cabin Creek 201 Gospel Album
1966(LP) Cabin Creek 202 Old Time Singing
1966(LP) Ken-Del 4950 Alex Campbell & Olabelle
Album releases by Ola Belle Reed:
1972(LP) Rounder 0021 Ola Belle Reed
1976(LP) Folkways 2493 My Epitaph
1977(LP) Rounder 0077 Ola Belle Reed & Family
Ola Belle Reed & Bud Reed with Kevin Roth:
1978(LP) Folkways 2329 All in One Evening
Various artists albums:
19**(LP) Mad-Bag 288-289 Country Bluegrass JAMBOREE
1975(LP) Heritage 12 Second Annual Brandywine Mountain Music Festival (live performances by Ola Belle Reed and other artists)
Note: The “Country Bluegrass JAMBOREE” is a 2-album set that mainly features recordings by the New River Boys, along with cuts by Don Reno & Benny Martin, Deacon Brumfield, Jack Cook, Stanley Brothers, and Alex Campbell.
