old time news - · PDF fileold time news THE ONLY UK ... of breakdowns, waltzes and bluesy rags played with drive and conviction. ... plays a powerful rhythmic back-up guitar accompaniment

old time news THE ONLY UK PUBLICATION DEDICATED TO AMERICAN OLD TIME MUSIC AND DANCE No. 76 winter 2013

Dear ‘Old Time News’ readersMy name is Peter Latitude and I am an archaeologist working mainly on the Russian/Latvian border with a particular interest in cave paintings. I was recently lucky enough to be part of a team which discovered an extensive cavern in a hitherto unexplored valley region of Cawaitanlaikulai and thought your readers would be interested in this photograph. The prehistoric painting appears to show two banjos, a melodeon and what seems to be a stand up bass violin of some kind, with what looks like a crude bow; and there are definitely dancers in the background. I believe it throws into a quandary previous established notions of the origins of the banjo. It wouldn’t have struck me except that, having had a brief flirtation with the instrument back in 1963, I happen to know a little of its history (or so I had thought). Even more intriguing is clear evidence of some form of ancient banjo transcription, much of which appears to be still legible (see photograph). If any of your readers can shed any light, please don’t hesitate to contact me, details on page 27. Thank you for your interest and I anticipate much lively discussion on the origins of the banjo!

OLD TIME NEWS 76 WINTER 2013 Page 2

EDITORS’ MEWS

Hello,I am a relatively new member - I joined the “Friends” about a year ago and have been lurking on the sidelines and trying to decide which elements of old time music interest me (I’m learning to play the banjo but I can’t dance!).

I’ve just got around to ordering the “Friends Across The Pond” CD and it arrived yesterday. What a revelation! So much great music on one CD and a real taster of lots of different but related styles. It could be expensive though since I’m going to have to follow up some of the artists and buy some more CDs!Many thanks to all concerned, best wishes.

Trevor Boyd

Dear Editors,Returning from six months in North Carolina, I was astonished to read Dave Arthur’s diatribe in OTN no.74 Summer 2013. As a founder member of FOAOTMAD and the editor of the OTN for the first 6 or 7 years of its existence, I would like to reply to some of his complaints.

I am sure I am not alone in feeling angry and insulted by his letter and the liberal use of words such as “back-slapping”, “misconception”, “ignorance”, “blinkered”, “self-obsessed” and “ill-founded” seem out of place in a letter which purports to wish us well. I have no idea how many issues of the OTN he has read, how many of our events he has attended or how many of our members he knows personally but I would like to set him straight on certain points:-Many of our members have played a variety of banjo styles for many years and are far from being “locked into frailing”.Many of our members are immensely well-informed on the subject of old-time music and in particular Steve Wise, whose comment about melodeons was clearly meant to be tongue-in-cheek.The OTN was originally for information only but the content has varied over the years as it is dependent on the current membership.I do not believe it is the editor’s place to withhold material they do not agree with unless it is offensive. Frankly I would have hesitated to publish his letter for fear of the upset it would cause.As far as I am aware there are no traditional old-time instruments which are carved in stone – they would be much too heavy.Fiona Cameron (Membership no. 007)

THE LAST WARTS:This is it! Our final edition of Old Time News as editors. It’s been a terrific experience (not to mention a steep learning curve!) which we have hugely enjoyed, and which we are now delighted to hand on. Hopefully some of the systems, templates and so on which we’ve set up will make it all a little easier for the next editor(s), and we are happy to support that process in any way we can. Having said that, we feel it’s time to move on, not just due to other burgeoning commitments but also so the magazine continues to evolve, along with the organisation, which means fresh blood is needed!We couldn’t possibly have done it for the last three years (incredible it’s been as long as that!) without the generosity of FOAOTMAD members, and our friends across the pond in the USA, in contributing articles, interviews, tablatures, CDs and books for review… Thank you all so much. With so much commitment to the music, and willingness to contribute to the magazine, our successor(s) will be in excellent hands. And of course we plan to submit copy ourselves: “Life after Old Time News” etc. One thing we have really missed, is the excitement of the magazine dropping through the door once a quarter. We did even try sending one to ourselves, but as we’d already read it all it just wasn’t the same….Emily & Andrew xx

It’s not too late to get your copy of this great compilation CD, only £10.00FOAOTMAD c/o 53 North Street, Bridgwater, Somerset TA6 3PW


NEW MEMBERS1117 Barry Green &1118 Nicky Green Bovey Tracey, Devon1119 Maureen Pridgeon Ludgershall, Bucks.1120 U.K. Autoharp Association/Terry Pearson, Stubbington, Hants.1121 Will Howson London E1W 3HB1122 Rose Ardron Sheffield1123 Bill Barnes Bolton, Lancs.1124 Mary Gordon Brevard, N.C. U.S.A.1125 Hilary Dirlam Mars Hill, N.C. U.S.A.

1126 Scott Whitney Mars Hill, N.C. U.S.A.1127 Susan Stockbridge Farnham, Surrey1128 Isobel Boothby London W31129 Ann Mees Shipham, Somerset1130 Lisa Kennard Southampton1131 B. Mattison Cheadle1132 Paul E. Hawkley Worcs.1133 Mark Wiseman Twickenham 1134 Richard Pinnock Leicester1135 Graeme Parry Nottingham

My first introduction to Mississippi string band music was through hearing tunes such as Charleston No.1 and Carroll County Blues from Narmour and Smith and the astonishing Indian War Whoop from Floyd Ming’s Pep Steppers. To my ears, these tunes had an entirely different quality to them compared to the tunes then popular in the old time sessions and at festivals. As a

FOAOTMAD newbie, the old time repertoire seemed to be mostly from North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia with their predominantly Anglo-Celtic style and regular form, with majors and Myxolydian minors. But those Mississippi tunes, now there was something different...I bought a 2-disc set of “Mississippi String Bands” (County CD3513, 3514) a compilation of rare 78s from the “Golden Age” - 1927 to 1930, featuring such bands as Freeny’s Barn Dance Band, Leake County Revellers, Carter Brothers and Son, Ray Brothers and the Mississippi Possum Hunters (and which I thoroughly recommend as an introduction to this traditon). The bands of the time are heavily fiddle based and as likely to have mandolin or mando-banjo as a 5-string, and many of the tunes have words (but not always coherent!). What they share is a delightful variety of breakdowns, waltzes and bluesy rags played with drive and conviction.

Of the Mississippi bands recorded, Narmour and Smith were the most prolific and enjoyed the longest career, performing and recording into the mid-1930s, indeed they signed a further recording deal in 1934 and re-recorded 16 tracks. William Narmour was an influential fiddler who had a rich fiddle style with prominent double stops and warm vibrato. He came from a musical family and his first fiddle was a cigar box made by his father. Shellie Smith plays a powerful rhythmic back-up guitar accompaniment and the combination results in a sparse arrangement of the tunes, but which allows the lyrical style of Narmour’s fiddling to charm the ear.

Willie Narmour is credited with composing Charleston No.1 and Carroll County Blues (as well as Nos. 2 and 3 of the same tunes), and probably the Avalon Quickstep (found on Volume 2). As well as these better known tunes the CD also has many uniquely N&S tunes such as Sweet Milk and Peaches, Gallop to Georgia, Dry Gin Rag and

Texas Breakdown (a Fisher’s Hornpipe meets Texas Gales). Captain George, Has Your Money Come? certainly qualifies as the best title and indeed one of the best tunes, but each new track is a delight to hear.

A word of appreciation here for Document Records, who continue to make these rare recordings available in their 8000 series, and for Harry Bolick who produced the album and compiled the liner notes.

I love this album and recommend it to anyone wanting to explore the wider connections of old time, or simply to enjoy as a delightful glimpse into a golden age of southern string band music.

01 - Captain George, Has Your Money Come?02 - Whistling Coon03 - The Sunny Waltz04 - Who’s Been Giving You Corn?05 - Heel and Toe06 - Little Star07 - Charleston No.108 - Kiss Me Waltz09 - Gallop to Georgia10 - Midnight Waltz11 - Carroll County Blues

12 - Someone I Love13 - Charleston No.214 - Carroll County Blues No.215 - Avalon Blues16 - Winona Echoes17 - Dry Gin Rag18 - Mississippi Waves Waltz19 - Sweet Milk and Peaches20 - Rose Waltz21 - Take me as I am22 - Texas Breakdown23 - Limber Neck Blues24 - Jake Leg Rag

You can hear tracks and buy this from Document Records who offer a great selection of old time recordings.www.document-records.com

cd review complete recorded works vol1 (1928-30)andrew henley narmour and smith docd8065


“I hereby give notice that the Annual General Meeting of the Friends of American Old Time Music and Dance will take place at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday 16th February 2014 at the Gainsborough Festival.Please notify me in writing, as below, of any matters to be raised.” Christine Bell, Secretary.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS:

Where a present post holder is shown, they are willing to continue in office and nominations are not required for them. As a FOAOTMAD MEMBER you may nominate any current member (with their agreement) to contest any of the positions due for election, even where the present post holder is prepared to continue.

THE FOLLOWING COMMITTEE POSITIONS ARE DUE FOR ELECTION IN FEBRUARY 2014:

MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY (currently Eve Morris)

I nominate ........................................... I accept this nomination ..........................................

Signed ........................................... Signed ..............................................................

EVENTS CO-ORDINATOR (Vacant)


Signed ........................................... Signed ..............................................................

EDITOR(S) (Vacant)


Signed ........................................... Signed ..............................................................

PUBLICITY OFFICER (Vacant)


Signed ........................................... Signed ..............................................................

NOMINATIONS should be sent by post or scan/email to: The Secretary, FOAOTMAD, 23, Halifax Street, London, SE26 6JA. to be received by Monday 10th February 2014.

ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION AT THE AGM need to be sent/emailed to the secretary as above, to be received by Monday 10th February 2014.

FOAOTMAD’S ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING always takes place on the Sunday morning of Gainsborough Festival, and usually lasts around an hour. It’s held at Gainsborough in the hope that as many FOAOTMAD members as possible are able to attend, and we really appreciate members’ interest and input.

THE AGM WILL GIVE YOU AS A MEMBER A USEFUL OVERVIEW OF: • FOAOTMAD’s activities during the year, and their success or otherwise• Planned developments and activities over the next year: how you as a member could be involved in these and what support may be available• Developments in terms of FOAOTMAD’s ‘public face’ - and interface• FOAOTMAD’s current financial status• A brief report from each committee member relevant to their role• Election/re-election of officers• Agenda items raised for discussion via FOAOTMAD’s Secretary• Any other business

Please come along if you can - it’s your chance to have your say and be involved. Use this form to ask for an item to be discussed on the agenda, or to nominate/be nominated for a committee post. The AGM is not too dry and very friendly!! And we’ve scheduled it early enough so it doesn’t even interfere with the workshops...


This is Malcolm McLeod from Brighton Banjos and I wanted to share some tips for getting the most out of a modest-priced banjo. Before I do that, let me wish you a very happy 2014! I meet a lot of people with entry-level banjos, struggling to get the best sound from their instrument. Players often tend to blame themselves, or think that’s just what you get for a modest-priced instrument when in actual fact, the majority of problems tend to stem from a poor set-up. Fortunately, if this is the case, there are a few simple changes you can make to improve the sound.

In this article I want to focus on the first step of finding the correct bridge position. Bridge position is critical on fretted instruments if they are to play in tune all the way up the neck. If your bridge is in the wrong position you might find that as you tune up, your open strings sound great, but as you play a chord it sounds slightly out of tune, with the problem getting worse the higher up the neck you go. If that sounds like you, this article will help.

As you know, the bridge on a banjo isn’t fixed in place, it’s just held in position by string pressure. If you change the strings, the bridge can sometimes fall off or move, and there isn’t much of a reference as to where it should be. Now, you don’t need to wait to change the strings to correct your bridge position; if you suspect it’s not in the right place, simply loosen the strings slightly so that you have the ability to move the bridge.

The good news is, it’s dead simple to correct. In very simple terms, if you measure from the fingerboard edge of the top nut to the centre of the 12th fret and double that measurement, you’ll be very close to having it in the right position i.e. if you measure from the nut to the 12th fret and it comes to 12.5 inches (just an example). Double that would be 25 inches, so you would measure 25 inches from the nut and that is roughly where your bridge

will need to be. From here we just make some minor adjustments and we should have the banjo playing in tune all the way up the neck.

Now we have our bridge in a good starting position, we just need to make some final adjustments. I’m going to pretend our banjo is a five string tuned to open G but this method applies to any fretted instrument with a moveable bridge. The tunings will change of course but the method is the same.

If you’ve got a chromatic tuner, clip it to the banjo and tune your banjo up as normal. Starting with the first string (a D note in this example) play the string open. Check the string is in tune with your tuner and then fret the string at the 12th fret. At the 12th fret, it should be the same note as the open string, only one octave higher in pitch. So in our example, we should have another D note. If that note reads slightly sharp, move your bridge fractionally back towards the tailpiece (away from the neck). If your tuner tells you your D note is slightly flat, move the bridge away from the tail piece (towards the neck). Repeat this until you get the same note reading on your tuner at both the open and the 12th fret.

Repeat this across all strings. Once you have one string tuning correctly, try to keep the bridge in that position as you tune the following strings. You’ll probably find that your bridge is at a slight diagonal to the tailpiece, rather than being parallel. When you find the correct position and find that all strings are finding the same note both on the open and 12th frets, mark your bridge position with a pencil. This will make the process much quicker next time!

Now, on a 5 string banjo, you might find it hard to get the 3rd string spot on. This is because it actually needs to be slightly further back than the other strings. This is why it’s not unusual to see bridges where the 3rd string is notched slightly differently. This is known as compensation and I’m not able to go into details in this article. However, if your bridge has been out of position and you follow these instructions, your banjo will definitely sound a lot better than it did before!

Anyway, I hope this is helpful and wish you a very in tune start to the new year.

Making The Most of a Modest-Priced Banjo: Bridge Position Malcolm McLeod


KEY D Double C tuning Capo2

banjo tab eighth of januaryguy tucker

We are delighted to include a banjo tab in this issue which was submitted by Guy Tucker. For anyone who doesn’t know him, Guy is English Old Time royalty. He was there at the embryonic stages of FOAOTMAD, was its first ever chairman, and was a member of the awesome Grey Eagle old time band. Guy has been throughout the years a champion of the banjo, and an inspiration to many an aspiring banjo player, always happy to share his passion and expertise. He has a great collection of very beautiful English-made banjos. He was a long-standing member of Devon-based Appalachian dance team, ‘Shuffle the Deck’, played with the Old Coffin Dodgers band and has graced many venues and festivals including the North Wales Bluegrass Festival, where for many years he organised and played for the square dance. Guy plays lots of unusual, soloistic banjo arrangements. Here’s a nice, relatively simple version of a classic D tune with a cool little twist.

CRABSHELL CONCERTS 2005-2012: 18-track CD compilation from all of the musicians, including: Orpheus Supertones; Jeff Davis; BayouSeco; Ira & Riley; The Carrivicks; Jeff Warner; Beverly & Carl; Albemarle Ramblers; Debby McClatchy; Kate Lissauer; Sara Grey; Tom Brad & Alice; and more. Info at www.shamstrad.co.uk. £10 collected or £12 posted (£14.50 abroad). Neil White on 01548 856601 (South Devon)

GUITAR-CASE: 1990 from C F Martin & Co, acoustic Dreadnought/Jumbo size, fully shaped wooden hardshell, blue plush inside, interior accessory storage, complete with quality handle and catches, exterior stripped ready for finishing so only £20. Neil White on 01548 856601 (South Devon)


This is one of a series of articles about the places that belong to tunes.

I know that some tunes have many names, but at some point, someone was thinking of this place while they played this tune. I hope it helps you to enjoy the music even more, as we reunite the tune with its place and players.

This autumn we finally made it to Kentucky, to seek out some of the places that inspired our favourite tunes. I found Brushy Forks of Johns' Creek on Google Earth, by following John's Creek from its mouth at the Levisa Forks of the Big Sandy River, back up to where it is joined by Brushy Fork in Pike County, Eastern Kentucky. However, it was not so easy to find it on the ground! After several attempts to follow roads that had been diverted by the many open-cast coal mines in the area, we finally recognized the place.

The fiddler Hiram Stamper of neighbouring Knott's County learned the tune from Shade Slone, a civil war veteran who said it was made to commemorate one of the last battles of the Civil War in Pike County Kentucky. A decade before the war, in 1851, the Rev. Marion Tevis Burris drew this map of John's Creek, recording the stories heard from the earliest settlers around 1800 when the creeks and forks were named after the

families who settled there. This section of his map shows Brushy Fork running parallel to John's Creek.

So here we are, playing the tune at the fork of the creek. You can even hear us playing there on YouTube (banjowim channel):http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ND0mcLGemWU&feature=share&list=UUex0ntKuItXVXiYEnScpIfg&index=1

Sources:Google EarthPhil Wakeman and Deane Patton (photo and film)mayhouse.org/notices/Johns-Creek-Map.htmlJeff Todd Titon, Old Time Kentucky Fiddle Tunes

Place the Tune: The Brushy Forks of John’s CreekDeb Pearson


Tewkesbury Autoharp Day UK Autoharp Association is running a

full day of workshops in Tewkesbury on

Saturday 22nd March 2014

Tutors include Mike Fenton & Heather Farrell-RobertsCost £10 half day, £20 full day

Loaner autoharps will be availableFor full details contact Bob Ebdon on

01522 805423 or email [email protected]

UKAA_1-8pg Ad.indd 1 20/11/2013 13:49

The UK Autoharp Association (UKAA) was founded in 2001 to promote, help and encourage the development and playing skills of its members. Ranging from complete beginners to world class players (including previous Mountain Laurel and Winfield winners), our members meet up whenever possible in many locations throughout the UK. We attend workshops to develop and learn new techniques and tunes, meet other autoharp players and jam with other musicians. For more information visit our website at www.ukautoharps.org.uk or for general enquiries contact Sue Edwards at [email protected]


dance notation new cricket on the hearthpam russell tap and sync company

Above: No Mean Feet

Below: Tap and Sync

FOAOTMAD committee Dance Representative Pam Russell has sent this dance notation for OTN. She would like to establish a dance archive on the website with links to YouTube etc. Those wishing to contribute or develop the idea further should contact Pam - Ed.


What is your musical background, and how (and when) did it lead you to old time music? Who (or what) was your main inspiration?

“Music mainly came down from my father’s side of the family although there was some on my mother’s as well. At least as far back as my great-grandfather, whose instrument I now play, everyone in my family has played the fiddle or “vye-lin” as my grandfather called it. They mostly played parlor style tunes and some classical pieces. Both of my aunts and my father played guitar and sang folk music. My father was an excellent, self-taught finger style guitar player and I learned through osmosis how to play finger style from him. I have played guitar since I was very young, I can recall just banging away on it as a very small child. I started playing violin at about age 8 and played for several years, but gave it up in favor of other instruments and didn’t pick it up again until I inherited the family instruments at age 30.

“I have always absorbed all kinds of music around me. Traditional music had always been a big part of what I listened to even when I was very young. Before I was five I remember having a little record player in my room and I would listen to Leadbelly, Jimmy Martin, Doc Watson, and even had the Deliverance soundtrack. These records were alongside my John Denver, Glen Campbell, and Walt Disney story LPs. I particularly liked Leadbelly because he escaped from jail in my family’s hometown of Marshall, Texas. As a teenager, I still listened to a lot of traditional music but got into punk rock music and the “do it yourself” ethic that goes along with it. I have always thought there were ties between punk rock and old time music.

Both stressed a sense of community – it was music you could make with friends. You didn’t need to be a part of some corporate model to fully immerse yourself in the music. It was much later when I met a fiddler in Austin, Texas named Matt Gordon that I really got a taste of old time fiddle. I soon met other old time musicians in Austin and started re-learning the instrument.

“I have two fiddles that were passed down to me from my great-grandfather. One is a 1765 Mathias Neiner from Mittenwald and the other is a 1913 F.A. Sennet from Dallas, TX. The Sennet was, I believe, made for my great-grandfather. It is signed under the treble F-hole rather than the bass and I always assumed this was because my great-grandfather played left-handed but strung right-handed; however, I recently found a piece of paper that my grandfather wrote documenting the acquisition of the violins. In it, he says that my great-grandfather had the instrument built with a left-handed bass

bar but my grandfather had it converted in the 1930s. Both are very beautiful instruments that I am honored to have. My son is learning to play fiddle as well and it is my hope that someday he will take them and pass them on, as well.At the moment, my son plays a J.M. York fiddle made in Clifton, TX in the 1980s with what looks like a pocket knife. Although very crude in its

john stansell NYT

“Take me back to Texas, Back to my old home” howard rains talks to OTN about his art and music


aspect, it has a deep tone with resonant bass. As Mr. Stafford Harris once told me when he showed me one of his ancient, dilapidated instruments, “There ain’t no reason that fiddle should sound that good!”

“My strongest inspiration came from friends and family. Fiddlers around my area like Tim Wooten (grandson of Duck Wootan [yes, two different spellings]) and Elizabeth Pittman. Other inspirations have been Austin music legends like Mark Rubin, Ralph White, and Tim Kerr as well as local old time gurus like Jerry Hagins, fiddling Wolf, and Sharon Sandomirsky. Wolf is the one who told me to just listen to the dead folks and for a very long time, I did just that – listened to dead fiddlers. It was only later that I fell under the spell of modern fiddlers like Bruce Greene, Brad Leftwich, Jimmy Triplett, and others.”

We are particularly enjoying the regional aspect of the Texan old time music you play. Can you tell us why this region and style particularly appeals to you? and are there distinct differences which are specific to the region? There are quite a few crooked tunes on your excellent CD: is this a reflection of the region, or any particular dances that might be different, or is it personal choice?

“I had been delving deeply into learning old time fiddle, particularly music that came from Bruce Greene, but I was yearning for a deeper connection. It was about this time that several things happened almost simultaneously: I discovered a reel to reel of some old fiddle tunes played by my great-grandfather; my cousin and I met an old fiddler in east Texas named Stafford Harris who taught us some wonderful, old tunes; Bruce Greene sent me a box full of cassettes of early recordings of Texas fiddle music; and the renowned Austin musician Mark Rubin asked me, “Why don’t you play some

Texas old time music?”. This made me rethink not only what I was playing but also why I was playing it and basically sent me on a path I have been on ever since.

“My grandfather was a historian, storyteller, and a folklorist; besides writing local histories, he also collected East Texas folk remedies. I have a bit of this historian in me, as well, and this is partly why I am so interested in preserving and playing this old music. In studying these older Texas styles, I have noticed some stylistic similarities. As one would expect, there are elements of long bow playing in many of the old fiddlers, there are also a lot of “hollerin’ tunes” that have a vocal shout in them like “Lost Indian,” there are also regional influences like Mexican, German, Czech, Cajun, Appalachian, Scottish, Irish, and blues. The old fiddlers seemed to have very idiosyncratic styles that show elements of many of these influences while still sounding very old, some quite archaic. A great many of these old tunes were crooked. In the commercial recordings from Texas of the 1920s and ’30s, you can really hear the early signs of where Texas fiddling was going to go with contest and swing styles, but the Library of Congress recordings preserve a lot of music that would soon be lost. As contest fiddling and more commercial sounds became more prevalent, many of the old timers I speak with now say that the fellows who were the old timers in their day just stopped playing, because they knew people had no interest in what they did. People wanted to hear the most eloquently rococo rendition of Sally Gooden performed in the modern contest style, not some scratchy, out of tune, old version of some utterly bizarre piece that perhaps only one fellow in Falfurrias, Texas played on his back porch. I guess I have always gravitated towards the weird stuff.”

continued p.12

“Take me back to Texas, Back to my old home” howard rains talks to OTN about his art and music


For those of us in the UK who are becoming aware of, and very much enjoying your music, who would you recommend listening to for further exposure to Texan old time tradition?

“Much of the music that I have tried to pull my repertoire from is not commercially available and many of the recordings that I use for my source material are of such poor quality that they are not likely to ever be available. However, there were some incredible commercial recordings made in Texas during the 1920s and ’30s. County Sales has their two volume Texas Fiddle Bands CDs and the Field Recorders Collective has an early Texas Fiddle Bands CD. The great Texas fiddler Benny Thomasson had some wonderful old time tunes, but his brother, Lewis, was a great old time fiddler and his CD is available through County Sales, as well. You really have to scrounge to find some of the old Texas (and Oklahoma) stuff. And you have to be willing to listen to some terrible recordings of some scratchy, old fiddlers, but once your ear adapts to it, it is absolutely beautiful music.”

You also produce lovely artwork: we would love to know a little more about this, how it came about, and how it evidently relates to music for you.

“I have been painting and drawing as long as I have been playing music. Although I am completely self-taught, my step-father is and always has been an

artist so I have been exposed to art for most of my life. Unlike me, he is a master draftsman and, just as I was never taught to fingerpick from my father but learned in my own way, the same is true for painting though my step-father. Sometimes I work in a completely surreal manner with ideas coming out of my head; at other times, I work almost as a watercolor journalist, chronicling and documenting the people around me through the filter of my personal style. I did this long before I got into old time fiddling so it was only natural that I would begin to incorporate the musicians around me. I almost always draw from life so when you see my portraits of fiddlers, that is me, sitting with those individuals, being inspired by their music, and making their portrait, in the moment. For years I tried to figure out how I could intertwine my love of painting with my love of music and old time fiddling created a way for me. It also allows me to “sit in” jams without an instrument. I was sitting in with great players long before I felt confident enough to actually play with them.”

You mentioned a second CD. Great! Can you tell us anything about it, and what next?

“Tricia Spencer and I are about to begin recording our duet CD, “The Old Man and The Old Woman,” which we are very excited about. This will be a collection of tunes and songs that we love to play around the house and at festivals, as well as some original tune compositions. When that is completed, we hope to begin work on what is tentatively titled “The Old Texas Fiddle Volume II.” I already have so many more tunes I am itching to record, lots of unusual and rare pieces. Tricia and I will do a lot more twin fiddling on Volume II. Volume I gave just a taste of what we like to do.”

Folks can always keep up with what Tricia and I are doing musically and what I am doing artistically on our websites:

www.HowardRains.netwww.SpencerAndRains.com

STOP PRESS!What Howard and Tricia were planning but didn’t mention, was their wedding, which took place at New Year! Many congratulations.

howard rains cont.


OLD TIME NEWS PUBLISHED QUARTERLY Editors..........Emily Poole & Andrew Henley 01626 867958 [email protected] (publishers/design/production) COPY DATES: 1st March, June, September & December. Submissions to the Editors.

The editors are not responsible for, or necessarily agree with, contributors’ comments or claims. All material is copyright and may only be reproduced with permission. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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President....Tom Paley

Chairman.... Andrew Henley [email protected] Treasurer..... Claire Rudd [email protected] Secretary..... Christine Bell [email protected] 23, Sydenham St., London SE26 6JA Festival....... Nick Pilley [email protected] Dance......... Pam Russell [email protected] Membership.. Eve Morris [email protected] 67, Greenway, Bishops Lydeard, Taunton, TA4 3DA. 01823 432863 Webmaster... Su Mo [email protected] Publicity...... Jackie Kempton [email protected]

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We are very excited at the prospect of the upcoming FOAOTMAD intermediate/advanced fiddle and banjo workshops with US tutors Mark Campbell and Mac Traynham. The workshops are full, and it should be a great weekend with plenty to take away. Our beginner/improver workshop weekend in November was taught by Mary Gordon (fiddle) and Hilary Dirlam (banjo) from North Carolina, who were wonderful. Food was provided by our excellent caterers Sarah and Charly. Space was tight for the workshops and we are happy to report that we have managed to secure extra tuition space for this weekend. Here is some of the feedback from the November workshop: "Many thanks for arranging the weekend and the loan of the banjo. Thanks also for your time and patience!"

"Just a quick note to thank you again for organising a most enjoyable weekend in Cheddar. I met a great bunch of people, the tuition was pitched just right (for me, anyway) and the sessions were great craic as we say. My only regret is that I can't mix with these kindred spirits more often!I'm now looking at the prospect of the January weekend..."

"Am planning to send more detailed feedback but wanted to say straight away how much I enjoyed the weekend. Would you please save me a place on the next one?"

"Thank you for a very very lovely weekend. We enjoyed all the company and getting to know some of the other musicians, as well as yourselves. Tuition, food, venue, organisation - all great."

"I had such a good time playing my banjo last weekend in Cheddar I'd like to book a place for the January weekend. Hope there's still space."

foaotmad tuition workshops november 2013


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a magazine dedicated to old-time music

The Old-Time

Volume 12, Number 8 December 2010 - JaNuary 2011 $7.50


The Old-Time

Bacon Banjos, Clayton mcmichen, Bob Walters & dwight lamb

Volume 12, Number 7 october - NoVember 2010 $7.50


The Old-Time

Floyd Country Store, Ginny hawker, Aragon mill

mississippi John hurt

Volume 12, Number 2 December 2009 - JaNuray 2010 $7.50


RemembeRing Ray alden TRends in Old-Time banjO PaRT 4THe HammOns Family

THe Old-Time

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cd review Sharp’s Appalachian Harvest nick pilley Brian Peters and Jeff DavisMaybe it is because I came to oldtime from traditional English folk music that Jeff and Brian’s presentation at last year’s Gainsborough Festival struck a strong chord with me. Certainly I have a substantial collection of American ‘ballet’ (ballad) books in my bookcase, including the recent reissues of Cecil Sharp and Maud Karpeles’ two volume song harvest from their trips to the southern mountains in 1916 -18. Perhaps, too, it is because I have visited many of those areas and feel an affinity to the mountains.

Here is the ‘other side’ of old time - not just fiddle and banjo tunes but a broad selection of songs, albeit only a tiny selection, and mainly from British roots. That was Sharp’s aim and in so doing he found hundreds of songs often very little changed for generations. The fact that he largely ignored any other musical style, considering it of little value, can be seen as short-sighted but it was not what he and Karpeles were looking for. Thankfully there were some American originals collected, including tunes, and several appear here. This CD is the result of that presentation and subsequent concerts. Well researched and heavily laden with notes and even photographs of the contributors, it has a varied selection from the serious ballads to a medley of play party songs which were often used instead of music when religion disapproved of the devil’s instruments. Having said that, the more conventional banjo, fiddle, guitar and mandolin feature strongly, bolstered by the much less common mandocello, anglo-concertina, jaws harp and spoons.

From the jaunty beginning of Jack the sailor and his devoted girlfriend who follows him into battle and saves his life, familiar titles weave in with lesser-known variants. The Green Willow Tree is of the Golden Vanity family where the little cabin boy sinks the enemy and is left to drown by the captain whose ship he has saved. Gypsy Davey is a well-known story where the lady

runs away with the Raggle Taggle Gypsy but here with a very different tune. Then there’s the old chestnut Barbara Allen saved from the turgid early folk version by a beautiful tune – the only time I have heard the song without cringing and I enjoy hearing it again and again! It was collected from Aunt Maria Tomes, the only African-American Sharp mentions as a source. Only the first verse came from Aunt Maria and the remainder was added from other versions.

Just to pick out a few others, Sugar Babe is a relative of Policeman and should be familiar to many. Hold On is also known as Gospel Plow and you may recognise it as sung by Dwight Diller, Troublesome Creek and others. Boney’s Defeat links The Isle of Saint Helena (probably of Scots-Irish origin – to whom Bonaparte was often seen as a potential saviour) with Bonaparte’s Retreat, here featured respectfully on concertina.

If you also enjoyed last year’s presentation this is a must for you. Also a ‘must’ for anyone who, like me, has an interest in that other side of old time or who just wants a break from perpetual tunes. Available – with samples - from Brian at http://www.brian-peters.co.uk/peterssharp.html using Paypal for both UK and elsewhere. For a wider commentary about Sharp’s collecting there is an excellent article by Pete Haywood at http://www.livingtradition.co.uk/articles/appalachianharvest and Cecil Sharp’s Appalachian Diaries have been digitised by the English Folk Dance and Song Society at http://library.efdss.org/cgi-bin/sharpdiaries.cgi

Jack Went A-Sailin; William Taylor; Johnson Boys; A Frog He Went A-Courting; The Green Willow Tree; Boney’s Defeat; Earl Brand; Sugar Babe; Barbara Allen; Play Party Medley; The Gypsy Davey; The High March/Matches Under The Hill; Edward; The Foolish Boy; The False Knight Upon The Road; Hold On


The Retro Ramblers are a seasoned acoustic string band from the Piedmont of North and South Carolina. They are a tight trio, usually fiddle/mandolin/guitar, who play old-time American string music ranging from Rich Hartness's fiddling of Tommy Jarrell's Round Peak tunes and spooky WV modal tunes to Tolly Tollefson's fiddling of the spirited flat key rags of the East Texas Serenaders and Grinnell Giggers.

Mandolinist Brian Schmiel is a careful listener and has a very distinctive ability to finesse intricate fiddle melodies on mandolin, and punctuate them with an amazingly fluid, yet percussive style. He's a Charlotte N.C native and began playing mandolin in his early teens while attending fiddlers’ conventions around the Southeast. Brian's been a fixture at old-time festivals throughout his life, and has become a featured performer playing melody mandolin at the annual Swannanoa Gathering's old-time week at Warren Wilson College.

Deborah "Tolly" Tollefson fiddled for dances across the Willamette Valley of Oregon in the 70's on a fiddle passed down to her by her

Norwegian grandfather. She moved to the South with her daughter in the late 80's for work, and has kept her love of music alive fiddling old-time dance tunes, singing and playing a variety of string instruments. She's a revered fiddler of old-time rags recorded early in the last century, and is sought for her rock-solid rhythmic support on guitar and ukulele. Richard Hartness grew up in a musical family in Rocky Mount, N.C. played acoustic guitar as a kid and was drawn to Black and White traditional music in his teens. Inspiring guitar, fiddle and banjo sounds at folk festivals and fiddlers’ conventions in the mid-70's lured him into traditional music. He draws much of his bluesy/country rag finger style guitar from Piedmont blues players, and his distinctive old-time fiddling style directly from visits with old NC, VA and WV fiddle masters. He regularly performs and teaches at festivals and music camps across the USA and appears on many old-time recordings.

Brian and Rich discovered a rare shared musical alchemy blending their fiddle and mandolin melodies almost 30 years ago, and have treasured expanding that to include mandolin/guitar duets over the past decade. Tolly and Rich have spent much of the last 15 years taking turns exploring each other's passionate fiddle repertories on guitar. Tolly's stealth guitar style locks step with Rich's archaic fiddled reels and haunting modal tunes, while Rich's country rag finger style guitar synchronizes with Tolly's challenging rags and beautiful waltzes. Brian embraces both fiddle repertories with great facility. Rich and Tolly always endeavor to stump Brian, but he seems to be ever ready, "born that way". The Retro Ramblers embody a vast range of early musical influences, and treasure every precious moment away from work, to

unite to celebrate their union of playful fellowship and levitating music. Listen up today, and allow yourself to be transported through time and space to a variety of memorable destinations in the rich history of traditional American music.

Matt Gordon has been living in the woodwork of the music business. He’s a great fiddler, clogger, hamboner, and harmonica player. He toured in the 80s and 90s with the Fiddle Puppet Dancers, taking part in the London

debut of Riverdance, and participating in festivals around North America and Europe with that group. Matt toured last year with banjo player Leonard Podolak to delighted audiences: they have released a CD, Three Thin Dimes, with their pal Bill Shanley on guitar, in the UK on Rootbeat Records.https://www.facebook.com/MattGordonAndLeonardPodolak/infoSee interview, OTN 72

Bones CreekRon Dodds,Tyneside fiddler, has played Irish and trad/roots music for over 30 years, at all kinds of dances. A past Gainsborough fiddle champion, he plays in a ceilidh band and for Step This Way dance team.Dave Dry, banjo, collaborated with Dwight Diller on the “Yew Pine Mountain” publication. Also a Gainsborough winner,he has played for several Appalachian clog sides - currently, Step This Way.

Appakella is a new, Devon-based percussive dance team. Rooted in the old-time traditions of the Appalachian mountains, they also draw on other styles from around the world to create workshops and displays that are fun, vibrant, and full of energy. Throw a few random items into the mix – boomwhackers, shaky eggs and a small scratchy frog to name but a few – and you have Appakella! Music by [email protected]

WHO’S WHO AT GAINSBOROUGH 2014? WHO’S WHO AT GAINSBOROUGH 2014? WHO’S WHO AT GAINSBOROUGH 2014? WHO’S WHO AT GAINSBOROUGH 2014?


“Stompin’ Dave is a master of all kinds of American roots music ranging from bluegrass to electric blues guitar, with a nice line in self-deprecating patter between numbers. He’s partial to showbiz gimmicks, juggling with his banjo and playing his guitar behind his head like Hendrix, but there is great sincerity and feeling in his performance, too… a formidable musician and a true original.”

(Charles Spencer, The Daily Telegraph)

Dave is also a great old time fiddler and banjoist as well as his step dancing, and a previous Gainsborough winner. www.stompindave.comSee interview, OTN 66

Like the creature that inspires their name, the Bucking Mules can buck, snort, and throw down some traditional old time music from the South. Drawing from a deep study of old 78s and visits with an older generation of musicians, the band distills the essence of the tradition into driving performances that appeal to contemporary audiences. With roots in Tennessee and Virginia and experience on stages all over the country, the band knows how to bust down on a fiddle tune, how to get square dancers moving, and how to belt out a beautiful old song. The band is comprised of some of the most exciting and accomplished players in the genre today. Together and individually, they are experienced and engaging performers. Their sets combine sizzling fiddle and banjo based tunes with traditional songs in harmony. Joseph Decosimo, Luke Richardson (pictured here), Karen Heil and Joe Dejarnette, all have extensive festival and camp teaching experience, informed and grounded in the regional musical traditions of the Appalachian Southeast. A rocking stringband from the South made for public consumption! See interview with Joseph, OTN 75 http://josephdecosimomusic.virb.com/bucking-mules

World renowned for their masterful performances of Appalachian fiddle and banjo duets, Trevor and Travis Stuart were born and raised in Bethel, a rural farming community in Haywood County, NC, an area of magical beauty. With deep family musical roots, the brothers learned some of the oldest regional fiddle and banjo styles from masters such as the Smathers family, Byard Ray, Oscar “Red” Wilson, Gordon Freeman, and the Sutton family. They formed their first band in junior high and played for local clogging teams, local functions and fiddlers’ conventions. Since then they have toured extensively throughout the US and several foreign countries, teaching and performing at major festivals and music camps.www.stuartbrothersmusic.comSee interviews, OTN 68 & 72

Formed 3 years ago, and coming from the Shropshire/Worcestershire border, Grey Wolf play old-time, Americana and acoustic traditional music. Jim Allen is a well-respected player and teacher of old-time banjo and a longtime friend of FOAOTMAD. Martin Thomas has played in a range of bands from blues to folk and plays mandolin, guitar and Appalachian dulcimer. Ben Walsh played in the duo, Deep Elem, and is a writer, composer and performer in his own right. Ben plays fiddle, guitar and mandolin. We all sing, but rarely dance! We bring an energy to our music that we hope former generations of players would respect and enjoy.

Grey Wolf’s first album, Red Eye, was self produced and released in October 2013.

gary harrison

WHO’S WHO AT GAINSBOROUGH 2014? WHO’S WHO AT GAINSBOROUGH 2014? WHO’S WHO AT GAINSBOROUGH 2014? WHO’S WHO AT GAINSBOROUGH 2014?


Just a general overview on the changes: you should be able to access most of the news from the front page (pictured here above), in the left-hand column called the 'News Blog'. Some of you receive this already in emails. What is also new is the 'Events Calendar' which is an easy-to-read, visual calendar of all the up-and-coming events. Then there is the online shop, where you can order FOAOTMAD merchandise. We want to make it as easy as possible for people to join FOAOTMAD, and for members to renew. We are in the process of developing online payments, ticket purchasing and on-line renewals of membership using Paypal, but for now, you can download a Standing Order form from us.

What you might not be aware of is what you can access once you log in on the top right hand of the website pages. If you are a member of FOAOTMAD and have a membership number, you can 'log in' to the members’ area of the website and access much more information, such as scores and tablature, mp3s, slow recordings of

certain tunes, previous issues of the magazine and much more!Once logged in you will see this page (bottom left). Have a click around and browse through the pages.If you don't have a login password, please drop an email or use the contact form stating your name, membership number and postcode to:[email protected] and Su will send you the login details.

One of the most exciting recent developments for FOAOTMAD is our Facebook page, which now has over 800 members! We are delighted that there is so much interest out there in what we’re doing! Check out the postings and news information - you’ll find a link from the FOAOTMAD website.Su will try to keep this up to date as much as possible. www.sumo55.co.uk

more durned electrical thangs.... The new look website su mo

You might not know this, but about a year ago our stalwart webmaster John Messenger decided to step aside from his FOAOTMAD role. Before he left, he kindly introduced unsuspecting volunteer Su Mo to the idiosyncrasies of FOAOTMAD’s public interface. Since then, Su has been doing an excellent ‘makeover’ of our website. It’s an ongoing process, but here is the ‘story so far’ from Su...


Queen Elizabeth High School is just under a mile north of the centre of Gainsborough on the A159 Scunthorpe Road. Access throughthe main gate and the festival uses the school buildings on the right. Parking areas will be clearly marked, please follow the directions/stewards. Ticketing and general access are at the front of the complex. NO ACCESS BEFORE 5PM FRIDAY

You can now buy tickets on line via Paypal.www.foaotmad.org.uk

Please send completed form, a cheque made out to FOAOTMAD and a stamped addressed envelope to:FOAOTMAD c/o 53 North Street, Bridgwater, Somerset TA6 3PW

Name and address (in block capitals please) ........................................................................................................................ .......................................................................................................................................................................................... ..........................................................................................................................................................................................

Phone number ............................................... Email address ..........................................

(if applicable) FOAOTMAD membership no(s)................or BBMA membership no(s)..............Expires.............

WEEKEND (includes outdoor camping and indoor sleeping space, and all weekend events, subject to available space)

............ tickets @£45 (members) ............ tickets @ £55 (non-members) £..........

SATURDAY ALL DAY (includes evening)

............ tickets @ £30 (members) ............ tickets @ £35 (non members) £.......... FRIDAY OR SATURDAY EVENING ONLY ............ tickets @ £20 (no concessions) £.......... TOTAL PAYMENT £_____

the view from the chair

Hello all,New Year brings our final magazine as Editors of OTN after 12 issues. The hard part has been the battle with technology to physically produce the magazine and the easy and most rewarding part has been the generosity of the members and friends of FOAOTMAD who have contributed the articles and pics - thank you all. Thank you, Emily; without you none of this would have happened. Our ambition for the OTN was a new look, expanded in size and content and representing the membership and I hope we have achieved our aim. But it is also a good time to pass it on to new editors for a fresh approach. We intend to continue to contribute to the magazine, and I shall continue as Chairman for another year.

Also stepping down from the committee is Nick Pilley who has been untiring in his role as Festival Organiser - working with the committee to bring you the Gainsborough Festival but also so much other work behind the scenes for the committee and the membership, in many differing roles over the years. I offer a him huge thank you on behalf of the committee and members for his great contribution to the society. Nick will continue to organise the weekly blog. Emily and I have had the

lead in organising the new-style FOAOTMAD teaching weekends and also the FOAOTMAD Stage at the Orwell Bluegrass Festival - both of which have proved popular and have raised the profile of the society in the music world. We will also be passing the lead for these on to Nick's successor who will have the role of Events Co-ordinator within the committee.

The committee post of Publicity Officer is also up for the election of a new incumbent. This important role is one to be developed, to keep the membership up to date with news and information, but also to publicise the society to a wider public and to work with other music organisations here and abroad to further the aims of the society.

There is no "Your Society Needs You" cartoon in the OTN, but the message still needs to go out: YOUR SOCIETY NEEDS YOU!! Maybe you are just the person to contribute your skills and personality to a committee post, or maybe you know someone who would be ideal. You might even have FUN!! Remember: No Events co-ordinator = No Events; No Editor = No OTN etc. Please come to the AGM at Gainsborough, please use the nomination form in the OTN, and please vote. OK, rant over…

2014 marks the 20th Gainsborough Festival and to mark the occasion we have pulled out the stops to bring you a stonking line-up of talent. Not only ten (yes, ten!) top class American musicians but also a wealth of talent from the UK to sing and dance and play. There will be the usual feast of workshops, competitions and open mic sessions, plus sessions and all the usual Gainsborough frolics. New catering arrangements are in place this year - those of us who went to Orwell or Didmarton last year will know the quality of the food we can look forward to at our festival. New building at the school means different parking and RV spaces this year - please take notice of new arrangements.

I am looking forward to another great year of old time music, I'll see you there,Andrew


The 20th GainsboroughOld Time Festival 2014

The Friends of American Old Time Music and Danceproudly present

The 20th GainsboroughOld Time Festival 2014

Queen Elizabeth High School, Morton Terrace, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire DN21 2STWeekend Tickets: FOAOTMAD/BBMA members £45 non-members £55 February 14th to 16th 2014

DON’T MISS THIS SUPERB LINE-UP!!NOT ONLY CONCERTS BUT ALSO WORKSHOPS, SQUARE DANCE WITH CALLER, SHAPE-NOTE SINGING, INDIVIDUAL AND BAND COMPETITIONS.TRADE STANDS, GREAT FOODAND BAR ON SITE.INDOOR SLEEPING, OUTDOORCAMPING, RV STANDING.UNBEATABLE SESSIONS ANDLOTS, LOTS MORE!!EUROPE’S LARGEST AND BESTOLD TIME FESTIVAL.ADVANCED BOOKING HIGHLYRECOMMENDED.

FOAOTMAD FESTIVAL53, North Street, Bridgwater,Somerset TA6 3PW 01278 [email protected]

RETRO RAMBLERS (USA)

MATT GORDON (USA)

STUART BROTHERS (USA)

BUCKING MULE (USA)

DAVE ALLEN (UK)

BONE CREEK (UK)

GREY WOLF (UK)

APPAKELLA (UK)

Documents

old time news - · PDF fileold time news THE ONLY UK ... of breakdowns, waltzes and bluesy rags played with drive and conviction. ... plays a powerful rhythmic back-up guitar accompaniment