Old time fiddle

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Bill Hensley, Mountain Fiddler, Asheville, North Carolina Fiddlin Bill Henseley, Mountain Fiddler, Asheville, North Carolina by Ben Shahn, 1937 (LOC) (290626613).jpg
Bill Hensley, Mountain Fiddler, Asheville, North Carolina

Old time (also spelled old-time or oldtime) fiddle is the style of American fiddling found in old-time music. Old time fiddle tunes are derived from European folk dance forms such as the jig, reel, breakdown, schottische, waltz, two-step, and polka. When the fiddle is accompanied by banjo, guitar, mandolin, or other string instruments, the configuration is called a string band. The types of tunes found in old-time fiddling are called "fiddle tunes", even when played by instruments other than a fiddle.

Contents

The style originates from the colonization of North America by immigrants from England, France, Germany, Ireland, and Scotland, who brought their native fiddling traditions with them, mixed with influence from African-American music. It originated in Appalachia and the American South, but has since spread all over the United States. It is separate and distinct from traditions which it has influenced or which may in part have evolved from it, such as bluegrass, country blues, variants of western swing and country rock.

Starting in the 1920s, some fiddlers, particularly younger ones like Arthur Smith, were swept up in newer music and their style and repertoires reflected influences from blues, ragtime, and Tin Pan Alley. Anyone who wanted to make a career in music had to keep up with the times. But many, like John Salyer and Hiram Stamper cared little for the new music, and stayed with the old-time tunes. [1]

Definition and distinction of old time fiddle

Newer traditions have grown out of old time fiddle music but it retains a separate and distinct identity from those styles. These include bluegrass and Western swing and to some degree country rock. However, the positive statement of what, exactly, constitutes the true and authentic delineation of old time fiddle music is not necessarily unambiguous. Different sources draw a sharper distinction than others, and there is a good deal of overlap which purists will acknowledge to a varying degree. The areas of overlap are primarily with bluegrass, Western swing (Texas swing), country and even rock.

Narrow use of the term

Art Stamper played in both Appalachia Old Time and bluegrass styles. In autobiographical material posted on his artist website, [2] the writer asserts Stamper's contiguity with "old time and mountain" music, that he learned "the Appalachian fiddle style" from his father, but that "Art also played bluegrass fiddle..." continuing that "Whether playing Appalachian fiddle or bluegrass fiddle, Art was a musical marvel."

Old Time purists

In an essay with the short title Why Old TIme is Different from Bluegrass, [3] Allan Feldman argues against the proposal of an "inclusive cover name that would bring oldtime music, bluegrass, clawgrass and dawg music under the same umbrella in order to attract new audiences. The unfortunate trend in this country is to homogenize things. I think oldtime music stands against homogenization."Having thus staked ground out for himself as a purist, he continues that "he for one celebrates the fact that oldtime music is not bluegrass or dawg music or new grass or even claw grass". He identifies the following categorical distinctions which set Old Time apart:

He continues in direct comparison with bluegrass or country western, emphasizing the difference between songs which, as opposed to tunes, have lyrics and are primarily for listening rather than for dancing.

Blending

Although there is considerable published opinion sharply distinguishing Old Time from other genres of fiddle music, there is also area of overlap. Unlike many states which support independent old-time and bluegrass associations, the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association intermingles the genres.

Peter Anick is a noted authority on fiddle music genres and is co-author with David Reiner of Old-Time Fiddling Across America [1] and a contributor of feature articles and "Folk Routes" columns for Fiddler magazine. Old Time Fiddling Across America has selections from Northeast, Southeast and Western regions, but also includes in the same volume "ethnic styles" including Cajun, Irish, Scandinavian, Klezmer, and Eastern European fiddling. This blurring of the lines also occurs in the Vince Gill song titled "Old Time Fiddle", despite referencing the Cajun tune Jolie Blon:

I wanna hear an old time fiddle
Play an old time fiddle song
I might even drink just a little
If you play Little Jolie Blon

Repertoire

Traditional old time fiddle tunes

This is a partial listing of the old time fiddle repertoire, most of which are in the public domain and have no known authorship. Many of these tunes have rich historical significance. [4]

Contemporary old time fiddle tunes

Despite the fact that the majority of the old-time fiddle tradition consists of very old tunes with no known authorship, new fiddle tunes have always been written and are still being written today. Some of the most prominent modern fiddle tunes include:

History and subgenres

Fiddlin' John Carson is one of the canonical historic figures in old time fiddling. [1] Other famous and important figures include Fiddlin' Arthur Smith, Charlie Higgins and countless figures known only in local oral histories.

Old time fiddling has recognized regional variants which are distinguished from regional variants of bluegrass, Celtic and other styles. For instance, Texas Old Time fiddle, is distinct from Texas swing fiddle, Texas blues and Texas rock. It is Old Time, like its relatives in other regional genres (or subgenres) but it is a distinct form in its own right, according to its proponents. For instance, the Texas Old Time Fiddler's Association asserts the uniqueness, and superiority, of the "Texas-style of old time fiddling". In an essay entitled The Origins of the Texas-Style of Traditional Old Time Fiddling, the organizations asserts that "the Texas fiddler avoids the repetition and monotony of the two-part Appalachian fiddle tune in favor of those tunes that are more complex and exceed the two-part limit". [5]

Cajun fiddle is based on French-speaking Acadian culture in Louisiana and Texas and includes copious use of double stops and distinctive rhythms.

Preservation and propagation

Much of contemporary old time fiddling is taught at local, regional and national fiddler's meetups. [6] The traditional authentic method of learning to play is based upon an oral tradition as with all folk music forms. Traditions are maintained by Old Time Fiddler's Associations throughout the US. [7] America's Old Time Fiddler's Hall of Fame is maintained by the National Traditional Country Music Association located in Pioneer Music Museum in Anita, Iowas. [8] Film is also a major means of preserving and propagating old time music.

Festivals, contests and fiddle camps

Breakin' Up Winter

The Fiddler's Grove Ole Time Fiddler's & Bluegrass Festival bills itself as the home of the oldest continuous old time fiddling contest in North America. [9]

According to Winifred Ward, fiddle contests "evolved from being endurance fiddling events to playing a set number of tunes". [10] Contests are highly evolved in Texas, where twin fiddling is also popular.

The national contest is held in June of each year in Weiser, Idaho. [11]

Working lumberjacks playing fiddle 1943 Lumbermen violin and sticks 1943.jpg
Working lumberjacks playing fiddle 1943

Art and Charlie Stamper

With their home on the National Register of Historic Places, the Stamper family of Knott County Kentucky has been producing fiddling talent for generations. Bluegrass Hall of Famer, Art Stamper, played old-time bluegrass fiddle with some of the greatest names in the business, like Ralph and Carter Stanley, Bill Monroe, Larry Sparks, the Goins Brothers, Jim and Jesse. He was also instrumental in preserving and promoting the old-time roots of bluegrass as the genre developed.

Eldest brother Charlie Stamper never pursued music professionally as Art had, but he did learn the instrument first. He recently recorded his debut album at age 84. Appalshop/June Appal Records' "Glory to the Meeting House" consists of the first recordings ever released by Charlie. Many tunes were learned from his father Hiram Stamper, whose music has been archived by Berea College.

Says Charlie, "I was the first one in the family to play the fiddle and I was the first one to play on the radio. My dad [Hiram Stamper] played fiddle, banjo, and French harp, which is what we called a harmonica. I remember when I was five or six, I would sit on the floor between his legs as he played the fiddle, his big foot keeping time as it hit the floor." [12] [13]

Carolina Chocolate Drops

The Drops are an old-time string band from North Carolina but their music defies easy categorization. Their view of tradition is well expressed by a quote prominently featured on their website:

"Tradition is a guide, not a jailer. We play in an older tradition but we are modern musicians."

Their album Genuine Negro Jig (2010) won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album. Members Rhiannon Giddens, Dom Flemons, and Justin Robinson play a variety of instruments including fiddle, banjo, guitar, and kazoo. Much of their repertoire is based on the traditional music of the Piedmont region of North and South Carolina, and from the eminent African American old-time fiddler Joe Thompson, although they also perform old-time versions of some modern songs such as Blu Cantrell's R&B hit "Hit 'em Up Style (Oops!)."

Foghorn Stringband

Formerly known as Foghorn Leghorn, this Portland Oregon band holds itself out as "ass kickin' redneck" music and has solid critical [14] and popular following as an authentic embodiment of the old time tradition. [15] Their fiddler, Stephen 'Sammy' Lind, plays with no shoulder rest and allows the instrument to rest at a comfortably low position that is often found in old-time fiddling. He also "chokes" the bow, a bow technique not found in classical violin playing or in other folk styles. Their repertoire consists of old-time music, and they staunchly rebuff anyone who confuses their style for bluegrass. [16]

New Lost City Ramblers

The New Lost City Ramblers are an old-time string band that formed in New York City in 1958 during the Folk Revival. The founding members of the Ramblers, or NLCR, are Mike Seeger, John Cohen, and Tom Paley. Tom Paley later left the group and was replaced by Tracy Schwarz.

The New Lost City Ramblers not only directly participated in the old-time music revival, but has continued to directly influence countless musicians who have followed. They feature twin fiddles. [17]

Partial list of notable old-time fiddlers

Old-time fiddle set up

Virginia 1937 Virginia-stringband-1937.jpg
Virginia 1937

The fiddle used in playing old-time fiddle tunes is essentially a violin, which may be somewhat modified to accommodate old-time playing technique. These modifications include:

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fiddle</span> Bowed string instrument

A fiddle is a bowed string musical instrument, most often a violin. It is a colloquial term for the violin, used by players in all genres, including classical music. Although in many cases violins and fiddles are essentially synonymous, the style of the music played may determine specific construction differences between fiddles and classical violins. For example, fiddles may optionally be set up with a bridge with a flatter arch to reduce the range of bow-arm motion needed for techniques such as the double shuffle, a form of bariolage involving rapid alternation between pairs of adjacent strings. To produce a "brighter" tone than the deep tones of gut or synthetic core strings, fiddlers often use steel strings. The fiddle is part of many traditional (folk) styles, which are typically aural traditions—taught "by ear" rather than via written music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bluegrass music</span> Genre of American roots music and sub-genre of country music

Bluegrass music is a genre of American roots music that developed in the 1940s in the Appalachian region of the United States. The genre derives its name from the band Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys. Like mainstream country music, it largely developed out of old-time string music, though in contrast, it is traditionally played exclusively on acoustic instruments and also has roots in traditional English, Scottish and Irish ballads and dance tunes, as well as in blues and jazz. It was further developed by musicians who played with Monroe, including 5-string banjo player Earl Scruggs and guitarist Lester Flatt. Monroe characterized the genre as "Scottish bagpipes and ole-time fiddlin'. It's a part of Methodist, Holiness and Baptist traditions. It's blues and jazz, and it has a high lonesome sound."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old-time music</span> Genre of folk music

Old-time music is a genre of North American folk music. It developed along with various North American folk dances, such as square dancing, clogging, and buck dancing. It is played on acoustic instruments, generally centering on a combination of fiddle and plucked string instruments, most often the banjo, guitar, and mandolin. Together, they form an ensemble called the string band, which has historically been the most common configuration to play old-time music. The genre is considered a precursor to modern country music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark O'Connor</span> American violinist and composer

Mark O'Connor is an American fiddle player, composer, guitarist, and mandolinist whose music combines bluegrass, country, jazz and classical. A three-time Grammy Award winner, he has won six Country Music Association Musician Of The Year awards and was a member of three influential musical ensembles: the David Grisman Quintet, The Dregs, and Strength in Numbers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Appalachian music</span> Traditional music of the American Appalachian Mountains region

Appalachian music is the music of the region of Appalachia in the Eastern United States. Traditional Appalachian music is derived from various influences, including the ballads, hymns and fiddle music of the British Isles, and to a lesser extent the music of Continental Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brad Leftwich</span> Musical artist

Brad Leftwich is a prominent American old-time fiddler, banjo player, singer and teacher of traditional old-time style. He is originally from Oklahoma but has resided in Bloomington, Indiana for most of his life. He performs solo and with his long-time musical partner and wife, Linda Higginbotham, and with his band, The Humdingers, which also includes Sam Bartlett and Abby Ladin.

Benny Thomasson was an American fiddler in the Texas style of fiddling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Gimble</span> American country music fiddler (1926–2015)

John Paul Gimble was an American country musician associated with Western swing. Gimble was considered one of the most important fiddlers in the genre. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999 in the early influences category as a member of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlie Bowman</span> American fiddle player

Charles Thomas Bowman was an American old-time fiddle player and string band leader. He was a major influence on the distinctive fiddle sound that helped shape and develop early Country music in the 1920s and 1930s. After delivering a series of performances that won him the first prize in dozens of fiddle contests across Southern Appalachia in the early 1920s, Bowman toured and recorded with several string bands and vaudeville acts before forming his own band, the Blue Ridge Music Makers, in 1935. In his career, he would be associated with country and bluegrass pioneers such as Uncle Dave Macon, Fiddlin' John Carson, Roy Acuff, Charlie Poole, and Bill Monroe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benton Flippen</span> American fiddler (1920–2011)

James Benton Flippen was an American old-time fiddler from Mount Airy, North Carolina. He was one of the last surviving members of a generation of performers born in the early 20th century playing in the Round Peak style centering on Surry County, North Carolina. His contemporaries included Tommy Jarrell, Fred Cockerham, Kyle Creed, and Earnest East.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uncle Am Stuart</span> American fiddler (1853–1926)

Ambrose Gaines "Uncle Am" Stuart (1853–1926) was an American Old-time fiddle player. After winning various fiddle contests across the Southern Appalachian region in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Stuart made several recordings in June 1924 that would later prove influential in the development of early Country music.

The National Oldtime Fiddlers' Contest is an old-time music competition, festival, and musical gathering in the western United States, held annually during the third full week in June in Weiser, Idaho, about fifty miles (80 km) northwest of Boise. Within the fiddling community, it is often referred to simply as "Weiser"; the contest draws musicians from across the country. Nearly 7,000 attend for the week and almost 350 fiddlers compete in eight divisions. In addition to the contest there are workshops, performances, a battle of the bands, a parade and a carnival. The contest is held at Weiser High School: the competition is held in the gymnasium, and most of the contestants camp in the school's sports fields.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American fiddle</span>

American fiddle-playing began with the early European settlers, who found that the small viol family of instruments were more portable and rugged than other instruments of the period. According to Ron Yule, "John Utie, a 1620 immigrant, settled in the North and is credited as being the first known fiddler on American soil". Early influences were Irish, Scottish, and English fiddle styles, as well as the more upper-class traditions of classical violin playing. Popular tunes included "Soldier's Joy", for which Robert Burns wrote lyrics, and other tunes such as "Flowers of Edinburgh" and "Tamlin," which have both been claimed by both Scottish and Irish lineages.

"Blues fiddle" is a generic term for bowed, stringed instruments played on the arm or shoulder that are used to play blues music. Since no blues artists played violas, the term is synonymous with violin, and blues players referred to their instruments as "fiddle" and "violin".

Bluegrass fiddling is a distinctive style of American fiddle playing which is characterized by bold, bluesy improvisation, off-beat "chopping", and sophisticated use of both double-stops and old-time bowing patterns.

Foghorn Stringband is an old-time string band from Portland, Oregon, United States. They are considered one of the finest old-time string bands on the West Coast. They are noted for "intense dedication to the sources" of the old time tradition. Their music is billed as "a blend of high-spirited Appalachian dance music tying in sounds of traditional mountain fiddle tunes." Their interpretation of old time is played with the energy and edginess of punk rock, while at the same time showing a tremendous degree of technical finesse.

Billy Contreras is an American jazz violinist and bluegrass fiddler, multi-instrumentalist, session player and educator.

Vivian Williams was an American fiddler, composer, recording artist, and writer. She won national fiddling titles, including the National Oldtime Fiddlers Contest, and in 2013 she was inducted into the North American Old Time Fiddlers Hall of Fame.

Paul Warren was an American fiddle player best known for his work on a number of Kitty Wells singles, and his long tenure with Flatt and Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Howard Wight Marshall</span> American academic

Howard Wight Marshall is an American academic, author, folklorist, historian, and fiddler. He is a professor emeritus and former chair of the Department of Art History and Archeology at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. In addition to his work on regional folk architecture he researches fiddling traditions in Missouri and the Ozarks, especially the style known as Missouri fiddling. Marshall is the founding director of the Missouri Cultural Heritage Center. In 2018 he received the Missouri Humanities Council Distinguished Literary Award.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Reiner, David; Anick, Peter (2003), Old-Time Fiddling Across America, Mel Bay Publications, p. 18, ISBN   978-0-7866-5381-2
  2. "Website of Art Stamper". Artstamper.com. October 7, 2004. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
  3. 1 2 Jonathan Friedel for Dwight Diller and Yew Pine Mountain Music, Pocahontas County West Virginia. "Reflections on how bluegrass music is different from old time Appalachian music". Dwight Diller. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
  4. "North Carolina Banjo Traditions J. Roy Stalcup; Special Collections : Hutchins Library - Berea College". Berea.edu. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  5. "The Origins of the Texas-Style of Traditional Old Time Fiddling". Totfa.org. January 4, 1923. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
  6. "Fiddler's Grove Festival". Fiddlersgrove.com. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  7. "Official Website – California State Old Time Fiddlers Association – District 6". Csotfa.org. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  8. "Website of the National Traditional Country Music Association". Orgsites.com. Archived from the original on August 26, 2011. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
  9. "Fiddler's Grove Ole Time Fiddler's & Bluegrass Festival". Fiddlersgrove.com. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
  10. "Article: OT Rules Will Prevail". Calendar.unionleader.com. Archived from the original on June 22, 2011. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
  11. "National Oldtime Fiddler's Contest & Festival". Fiddlecontest.com. June 16, 2011. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
  12. Hudak, Joseph (December 30, 2014). "Bluegrass Pioneer Releases First Album at Age 84". Rolling Stone .
  13. "Charlie Stamper – Glory to the Meeting House | Appalshop Store". Archived from the original on February 2, 2015. Retrieved January 11, 2015.
  14. "Review - SUD DE LA LOUISIANE - FOGHORN TRIO, THE - - Self-released". Whisperinandhollerin.com. May 2, 2011. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  15. "Bluesbunny Independent Music Reviews - Vinyl, CD and Download Reviews Database - The Foghorn Trio Review". Bluesbunny.com. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  16. "Ass Kickin' Redneck Stringband Music". Foghorn Stringband. Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  17. "New Lost City Ramblers - Always Been A Rambler, Trailer". YouTube. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
  18. Allen, Kathleen (October 6, 2016) "Meet Yourself's 10 Must-sees: 43-Year-old Festivalis Highlighted by Food But Is So Much More" ProQuest   1826168643 Arizona Daily Star . Retrieved April 18, 2024. (subscription required)
  19. Note: However, the term "fiddle" is at times used for instruments which are not violins but a merely bowed string instruments without the characteristic shape of a violin.[ citation needed ] In some cases the term is used quite loosely in that old time fiddle players often construct these instruments from cigar boxes, whiskey bottle boxes, and similar ad hoc materials.