Ola Belle Reed was a trailblazing force for women in bluegrass music, an Appalachian woman of hard-earned talent and generous ways who delivered honest music sung from the heart. Her songs “I’ve Endured,” “High on the Mountain,” “My Epitaph,” and many others forge real-life experiences into music steeled with determination, family tradition, and commanding presence. Classic tracks from the Smithsonian Folkways and Smithsonian Folklife Festival archives remind us why the light of Ola Belle’s music shines brightly to this day.