Jim Webb (poet)
Encyclopedia
Jim Webb, of Whitesburg, Kentucky
in Letcher County
is an Appalachia
n poet, playwright, and essayist. He is a founding member of the Appalachian Writers Cooperative and program manager of Appalshop
's radio station, WMMT.
shortly after the Tug River Valley flooded in April, 1977. Using self-deprecating humor, Webb created an environmentally-aware mountain character with sharp wit, a penchant for puns, and a determination to bring public attention to the adverse affects of strip-mining for coal.
Wiley Quixote was the main character in Webb's comedic play, Elmo's Haven (1979) which illustrated the harsh realities and threats a small community faced at the hands of outsiders (corporate coal interests) and corrupt government officials
In 1985, Wiley Quixote took to the radio airwaves at WMMT (FM)
, the radio component of Appalshop
. "Ridin' Around Listenin' to the Radio with Wiley Quixote" is still on the air each Wednesday.
In 2008, Webb started hosting the MARS Fest (Music/Art/Re-Creation/Sustainability) at Wiley's Last Resort.
Whitesburg, Kentucky
Whitesburg is a city in Letcher County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 2,139 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Letcher County.-Culture:...
in Letcher County
Letcher County, Kentucky
Letcher County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 25,277. Its county seat is Whitesburg. The county is named for Robert P...
is an Appalachia
Appalachia
Appalachia is a term used to describe a cultural region in the eastern United States that stretches from the Southern Tier of New York state to northern Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia. While the Appalachian Mountains stretch from Belle Isle in Canada to Cheaha Mountain in the U.S...
n poet, playwright, and essayist. He is a founding member of the Appalachian Writers Cooperative and program manager of Appalshop
Appalshop
Appalshop is a media, arts, and education center located in Whitesburg, Kentucky, in the heart of the southern Appalachian region of the United States....
's radio station, WMMT.
Wiley Quixote
Wiley Quixote is Webb's literary creation. Wiley Quixote first appeared as author of the regular newspaper column, "Ridin' Around Listenin' to the Radio..." in pages of the Sandy New Era in Williamson, West VirginiaWilliamson, West Virginia
Williamson is a city in Mingo County, West Virginia, USA, along the Tug Fork River. The population was 3,414 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Mingo County, and is the county's largest and most populous city. Williamson is home to Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College...
shortly after the Tug River Valley flooded in April, 1977. Using self-deprecating humor, Webb created an environmentally-aware mountain character with sharp wit, a penchant for puns, and a determination to bring public attention to the adverse affects of strip-mining for coal.
Wiley Quixote was the main character in Webb's comedic play, Elmo's Haven (1979) which illustrated the harsh realities and threats a small community faced at the hands of outsiders (corporate coal interests) and corrupt government officials
In 1985, Wiley Quixote took to the radio airwaves at WMMT (FM)
WMMT (FM)
-Internet:The radio station is also available on the internet, from their website at...
, the radio component of Appalshop
Appalshop
Appalshop is a media, arts, and education center located in Whitesburg, Kentucky, in the heart of the southern Appalachian region of the United States....
. "Ridin' Around Listenin' to the Radio with Wiley Quixote" is still on the air each Wednesday.
Material
Much of Webb's literary output has been destroyed (his home was burned to ground in 1992 and 1995). In 1996, Webb established Wiley's Last Resort, a private/primitive campground on top of Pine Mountain in Letcher County, Kentucky. It is the home of the Annual Pine Mountain Tacky Lawn Ornament & Pink Flamingo Soiree (now in its 22nd year). On September 12, 2006, Webb suffered a third suspicious fire: The Tolly Ho house on Pine Mountain was burned to the ground.In 2008, Webb started hosting the MARS Fest (Music/Art/Re-Creation/Sustainability) at Wiley's Last Resort.