Future of the Hyatt house in question

The rules are pretty simple at Mrs. Hyatt’s Oprahouse:
No drinking.
No smoking.
Be friendly.
And no electric instruments.

Nelia Hyatt is the matriarch who presides over a weekly bluegrass jam session at her Brevard Road “oprahouse,” which is really a garage-turned-music-hall. Every Thursday night about sunset, seasoned mountain musicians, those still learning to play and folks who just like to listen turn out to keep alive a tradition that’s threatened by encroaching development.

House music: The scene at last Thursday’s bluegrass jam at Mrs. Hyatt’s Oprahouse. Photo By Jason Sandford

Hyatt and her husband, Wayne, started inviting friends over to play music in the 1950s. The gatherings got so popular that the Hyatts built the little structure behind their home and started hosting public jams in the mid-1970s. Wayne died in 1984, but Nelia has kept the weekly gatherings going.

Any given week, you’re likely to run into a number of regulars, some new players, a few cloggers and the occasional international visitor. (The Hyatt house is known around the world, as the photos and newspaper clippings covering the walls will attest. Just recently, the London Times newspaper sent a correspondent to write a report.) A few children clog, and every now and then, a couple will waltz a little. There’s pound cake and coffee on a table along one wall for a hungry body, with donations much-appreciated. Guitar, banjo and mandolin cases line another wall.

Despite the longstanding tradition, in recent years, some have worried about whether the music will continue at the Hyatt home. Two big car dealerships have gone up in recent years on either side of the Hyatt property, which is just down the road from the WNC Farmers Market.

Nelia’s granddaughter, Karen Cogdill, says she’d like nothing more than to keep the bluegrass jams going at the current location. But informal talks over the past several months have focused on the possibility of the Farmers Market becoming home to the Hyatt bluegrass jams. Mike Ferguson, the market’s manager, says that several people have talked over two ideas—either physically moving the Oprahouse to the Farmer’s Market property, or having the market build a facility for music. Ferguson notes that the market already hosts a bluegrass jam of its own every Saturday afternoon.

The market has also hosted JamFest the past few years to celebrate Nelia’s birthday and support the preservation of her music site. Cogdill organizes the event with the help of John Roeten, a country-music DJ on WWNC-570.

To date, there’s no official proposal to relocate the Hyatt sessions, Ferguson says, and any plan to do so would have to be approved by the state, which owns the Farmers Market.

The music, meanwhile, goes on.

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

One thought on “Future of the Hyatt house in question

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.