MOUNT AIRY -- The following editorial appeared Wednesday in The Mount Airy News:
Every once in a great while, an individual comes along who stands above the rest. Benton Flippen was such a man, and his death Tuesday is a loss not only to Surry County, but also to the old-time music world.
Every death is tragic and tears at the emotions of those who were close to the deceased. Some go through life with a small circle of family and friends, others are known by many, but on those rare occasions someone like Flippen comes along. By all accounts, he was as friendly and open as any person can be, and he was supremely talented, developing what those in the industry called his own, unique style of play on the fiddle and banjo. That personality and talent endeared him to musicians and fans around the world.
His life and talent spanned generations - he was there, playing on the first song ever sent out over the airwaves when WPAQ [the Mount Airy AM radio station known for broadcasting live performances] went live in 1948. He was also playing when that same radio station sent its first sounds streaming over the World Wide Web.
To put that in perspective, that first WPAQ broadcast came less than three years after the end of World War II, a year which is closer in time to the flight of the Wright Brothers first plane ride than it is to today. The first streaming came 38 years after astronauts landed on the moon. Flippen was there for both. He inspired musicians who are now in their 70s, and he continued to inspire and teach those who are among the up-and-coming teenagers in the bluegrass and old time musical world.
Because of his skill, his dedication to his craft and his equal dedication to helping others grow and evolve in the old time music world, he will not likely be forgotten.
