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2024 New Album Releases
All available for streaming except where noted
With help from The Old Time Zone radio show with Dale Brubaker!
ARTIST ALBUM
Evie Ladin (with guest fiddlers) Riding The Rooster 2
George Jackson & Tristan Scroggins Old Time 100 Vol. 1
George Jackson & Brad Kolodner Shady Lane
Darrol Anger & Bruce Molsky Lockdown Breakdown
The Hazel Nuts Uncut Gems From Missouri
Joseph Decosimo, Luke Richardson,& Cleek Schrey Beehive Cathedral
Andy Cahan and Joseph Decosimo Rare Old Fiddle and Banjo Duets (Bandcamp)
Late 2023 Releases
Snowglobe String Band Snowglobe String Band (Bandcamp)
Bosco Takaki Bosco
Dram County Dram County (Bandcamp)
Brendan Taafe Can’t Hold The Wheel (Bandcamp)
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March From The Editor
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March has arrived - Did it come in like a lion?
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This month's addition to the Tune History page comes from a discussion at a Laurel Theater jam regarding the Westphalia Waltz, and is dedicated to the memory of our friend and fellow musician Ron Stoner, as this was his favorite waltz.
After we played this beautiful waltz, banjo Nick asked if anyone knew where the tune came from. Well, the short version is that no one knew for sure. I guessed that Westphalia was in Germany, and that's maybe where it came from. Close - but no cigar. Westphalia is indeed a region within Germany, but we will learn this month that Texas fiddler Cotton Collins (Lone Star Playboys) memorized the melody while stationed in Germany during WWII, but never knew the name. We will also discover that the Westphalia that ultimately gave this waltz its name is located not in Germany, but in Texas, near Waco. It was, however, settled by German immigrants, so now we have come almost full circle. I say almost, because the melody of this waltz has been linked by many researchers to an old and humorously risque Polish drinking song. How can you not love Old Time tune history?
Festival season gears up in March with The Tommy Jarrell Celebration in Mount Airy, NC on March 1-2, and Breakin' Up Winter in Lebanon, TN on March 7-9. Next up - the 7th annual Upper East Tennessee Fiddlers Convention in Flag Pond, TN on April 25-26. More details on Festivals are on the Calendar Page.
The Laurel Theater’s 56th Jubilee Festival is happening March 7,8, and 9 with a deep lineup of Old Time music. And just a heads up, local fiddle legend Mike Bryant will make a rare appearance at the Laurel with Joseph Decosimo and Reed Stutz on April 5th. This is a must see event for any serious fan of Old Time music! There’s lots more info on other shows on the Calendar Page.
I added a list of 2024 Old Time album releases, with the help of The Old Time Zone Radio Show with Dale Brubaker. If you have not already done so, you should make his show part of your weekly listening!
The music community was saddened to learn of the passing of Charles Jean Horner, who had been making fiddles and mandolins in the shop next to his home in the Westel community of Rockwood, TN for more than 75 years. I had the privilege of meeting him and visiting his shop on a few occasions, and am the proud owner of two of his fiddles. Learn lots more about this Tennessee legend, who made more than 500 fiddles in his lifetime. A website dedicated to him has been created, with more information coming soon.
Mark
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February From The Editor
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February is home to the Washington’s Birthday/ Presidents' Day holiday and, not coincidentally, the birthdays of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. In 1879, a federal holiday was created to honor the first president of the United States, George Washington, on February 22nd, his birthday. However, in 1968, the US Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act and changed the holiday from Washington's actual birthday to the third Monday in February. This created a 3 day weekend for federal employees, and allowed merchants to seize this time to have Presidents’ Day Sales Events, which have come to be associated with appliances, furniture, and tech items. The official federal holiday name is still Washington’s Birthday, but that reference seems to be fading in popular usage.
Let’s put all this in perspective: George Washington was a soldier who became a farmer. He then gave up that life to become General of the Continental Army, and was instrumental in defeating the British in the Revolutionary War. He was so highly thought of that he was unanimously elected as our country’s first president. He was re-elected for a second term, but refused to run for a third term, and ensured the peaceful transfer of the presidency to John Adams in 1797. He then returned to his farming life. As one source aptly puts it, “Without Washington, America would never have won its war of independence; he was the catalyst of the American founding. Even more significant, he proved that republican government was not only possible but indeed noble.” “No one did more to put the United States on the path to success than Washington. No one did more to assure a government with sufficient power to function but sufficient limits to allow freedom to flourish. No one walked away from power with more dignity or did more to assure the prosperous society we enjoy today. This is why Washington and Washington alone - not Jefferson, not Madison, not Hamilton - is the father of this country.”
“If Americans wish to honor George Washington, they should recall his deeds, recollect his advice, and once again call the holiday celebrating him what it is, in fact: Washington's Birthday.”
I agree.
While we are on the topic of presidents, you have probably noticed that there are quite a few Old Time tunes named after presidents. So, in memory of George Washington’s lost birthday holiday, let’s appreciate him by enjoying 28 “presidential fiddle tunes” - one for each day in February. Bonus leap year tune included for 2028!
Mark
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January 2025 From The Editor
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Welcome to 2025! I bet you didn't know:
*Only 15% of Americans spend New Year’s Eve at a party or public event.
*45% of people ring in the New Year with friends and family, while 24% prefer to stay at home, and 3% don’t celebrate at all.
*Lots of people make New Year’s resolutions. But only 31% of people stick with the promises. A whopping 81% fail by February. 43% of us do not make any resolutions at all.
*Probably as a sign of our economic times, the most popular resolution for 2025 is to save money. Of course, eating healthier, exercising, and losing weight are still annual favorites.
In January, a little closer to home:
*Dolly Parton was born on January 19th, 1946 in Pittman Center, Tennessee.
*On January 17th, 1864 Confederate General Longstreet fought General Sturgis in and around Dandridge in Jefferson County, forcing the Union troops to leave the area. Less than 2 months earlier, on November 29th, 1863, Longstreet was defeated at the battle of Fort Sanders in Knoxville by Union General Burnside.
Music History
The Music History page has a January theme, with three tunes that have dates in January as their titles.
The first is “8th of January” which was originally known as “Jackson’s Victory.” This was penned to celebrate General Andrew Jackson’s defeat of a vastly superior British force at New Orleans during the War of 1812. Due to the popularity of a song written to this tune, the melody is now better known as “The Battle of New Orleans.”
Then comes “9th of January” which is attributed to the playing of Missouri fiddler Bob Holt. But, we find that this is a popular variation of “8th of January” that has been around for quite a while.
Then we have “28th of January,” which is attributed to the playing of Frank George from West Virginia. This tune is not related to “8th of January” at all, but is thought to be a minor key version of “Miller’s Reel.” But as it happens, an alternate title for this tune is “22nd of February,” which is Washington’s birthday. Folklorists think this was confused over the years with “Jackson’s Victory” on the 8th of January - giving us “28th of January.”
Stay tuned for Presidential tunes in February!
Events
The pace of events picks up to start the year, with Laurel Theater appearances by Blind House, Nora Brown, Ed Snodderly, Stillhouse Junkies, Roux du Bayou, The Local Honeys, and in February, Cody Bauer and Jonathan Maness as “Fiddles and Flatpicks.” More info on the Calendar page. As a reminder, while shows are updated on the site as info becomes available, due to touring schedules and weather, please verify all events with the provided website links and/or directly with the venue.
Happy New Year to everyone!
Mark
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