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Accompanying Instruments
Selected Photos of Claudia Emerson

The photos published here represent, to a very small degree, Claudia Emerson’s connection to music. Kent Ippolito, Emerson’s husband, has kindly provided brief contextual information that appears in the captions. He states: “I’m afraid I don’t really know the photo credit for many of these—they were mostly collected on various devices over the years.” As always, Blackbird is grateful to Ippolito for allowing and advising on this Reading Loop in her honor.

The pressed flower was one she collected while we were in Sicily. She was immersed in/writing about little Rosalia,  and while we were actually on the ground there in Palermo, she picked this tiny flower and pressed it in her journal.  We framed it when we returned home (to Fredericksburg), and we hung it on the wall in her study here in Richmond.  It hangs there now.  Photo by Lauren Miner

The printed-out picture of the young Doc Watson was just something one of us found on the  internet. (It probably predates his being known as “Doc,” so he was probably “Arthel” at that  time.) Claudia had long been fascinated with Doc and had planned to write about him.

Claudia was often asked to speak about the connection of music and poetry, and we would often perform some of our  songs, so I would travel with a guitar.

Claudia Emerson and Kent Ippolito

Claudia Emerson and Kent Ippolito

William Logan reading at Sewanee (I can’t recall the year). We occasionally were William Logan’s backup band.

Kent Ippolito and Claudia Emerson at Grave’s Mountain Lodge.

From the early 2000s, probably 2005 or earlier. We had written a number of songs, and we did a few gigs and guest  sets around that time. This one shows us at a Fredericksburg Songwriter Showcase event.

Claudia holding our cat, Lucinda Williams, about 2002. A wary, clever, moody little kitten, found in a window well at  Mary Washington College, rescued by a neighbor, and adopted by us. Claudia thought the name was fitting.