Winnsboro native, Fred Carter, Jr. will be honored on the new Northeast Louisiana Music Trail on January 29. The trail is the brainchild of Doyle Jeter. He and local volunteers hope to bring recognition to the musical talent from the area. An unveiling of a monument to Fred Carter, Jr. will start the festivities at 2 p.m. followed by a concert at the Princess Theater starring Fred’s daughter, Deana Carter.
All proceeds from this event will go towards the Princess Theater and Winnsboro Main Street. The doors of the theater will open at 6 p.m., followed by the concert at 7 p.m.
Carter, country music Hall of Famer, got his start in music in Winnsboro at a young age. In his 20’s, he began working as the guitarist on the “Louisiana Hayride”, a country music show that aired on television in Shreveport, Louisiana from 1955 to 1960.
By the early 1960s, Carter settled in Nashville, Tennessee. It was here that he became a well-established session musician. He appeared in well-known hits such as “The Boxer” by Simon and Garfunkel, “Whistlers and Jugglers” by Waylon Jennings, and more. He also toured as a guitarist for Roy Orbison and Conway Twitty. His path then led him to be a distinguished player where he worked with artists such as Joan Baez, John Stewart, Levon Helm, and Muddy Waters.
Fred Carter, Jr. died in 2010 due to complications from a stroke.
The music trail is sponsored in part by KEDM Public Radio, Enoch’s Irish Pub and Café, and Northeast Louisiana Arts Council. There are future plans of at least eight signs to be unveiled alongside Carter’s.