Lady D

Lady D, aka "West Virginia's First Lady of Soul" takes us on a journey through history. Along the way, she ruminates on being the only black female blues singer in West Virginia.

  • Ethan Payne
    Director
    Bright Morning Stars, Full of Wonder: the art of Angie DeBord
  • John Maudlin
    Producer
  • Brett Ratliff
    Producer
  • Appalshop Films
    Producer
  • Gresham Cash
    Music
    Full of Wonder: the art of Angie DeBord
  • Lady D
    Music
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    11 minutes 14 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 1, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    5,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • BIG EARS 2023 FILM PROGRAM
    Knoxville, TN
    United States
    April 2, 2023
    World Premiere
  • UPIKE Film & Media Arts Festival
    Pikeville, KY
    United States
    April 29, 2023
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Ethan Payne

Ethan is a documentary filmmaker based in Atlanta, Ga. His work has been featured in Pitchfork, Stereogum, Oxford American, ArtsATL, Southern Foodways Alliance, Appalshop and The Bitter Southerner. His award-winning short documentaries have made international festival rounds and his first feature-length documentary "The Green Flash" is in post-production.

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Director Statement

When I first started doing research on Doris, AKA Lady D, I knew I needed to capture a performance, both acapella and with her band. I also knew the film needed a history lesson and she was the perfect candidate. I spent several incredible days following her around her world of Beckley, West Virginia. She took me to Charleston, WV, and we stood in the former black musical spaces bulldozed by highway expansion. We went to the holler in the country where she grew up. I'm so grateful for the time we spent together.