North Carolina-born singer/songwriter/banjo player/guitarist Ola Belle Reed was offered a spot in country king Roy Acuff's band in the 1940s, but she preferred pursuing her own path instead. With her brother Alex, she formed the group the New River Boys (no accounting for gender) in 1948 in Baltimore and built up a significant following in the region through concerts and live radio performances. They continued to work for decades, with Reed gaining as much renown for her constant commitment to social causes as for writing such classic country tunes about her Appalachian background as “High on a Mountain.” In the 2000s, folk/rock/gospel group Olabelle got their name from Reed.