2022 Album Releases
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Artist Album
Allison DeGroot & Tatiana Hargreaves Hurricane Clarice
Tall Poppy String Band Tall Poppy String Band
Tune Hash Vol.1 Covered Vol. 2 Smothered
Pharis & Jason Romero Tell ‘Em You Were Gold
Keiran Kane & Rayna Gellert Lost John Dean
Nora Brown Long Time To Be Gone
Hart, Blech & Blech Fade To Black 1991-2005
Jeremy Kammerer Jeremy Kammerer & Friends
Squirrel Butter Hazelnut
Matthew Stallard Hobe
Jake Blount The New Faith
John Duncan Asheville Fiddler
Joe Thrift One More
Mark Tamsula & Richard Weathers Neighbors In The Cloudland
John Haywood The Parlor Sessions
John Showman & Chris Coole Afield
All available on Spotify except:
Hart, Blech & Blech Bandcamp
John Duncan Bandcamp
Tamsula & Weathers appalachianmusic.net
2023 Album Releases
If one of your resolutions for 2024 was to listen to more Old Time music, this list will help you get started. These are albums released by Old Time artists in 2023 and a couple from late 2022 that did not make last year’s list. Taken from The Old Time Zone radio show with Dale Brubaker. If you are not listening to this show, you are missing some good music! All albums listed are available for streaming on Spotify or your favorite site:
Hog Eyed Man Kicked Up A Devil Of A Row
AJ Srubas and Rina Rossi Sweet Bunch Of Daisies
Aaron Olwell and Chris McGrath Old Town Band
Natalie and Brittany Haas Haas
Brittany Haas Impromptu Sessions #1
Joseph Decosimo While You Were Slumbering
Sophie Wellington Roving Jewel
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Here are some additional 2022-2023 albums that I found:
The Virginia Creepers Little Bird In The Bosque
Sami Braman Riveter
Hilary Hawke LilyGild
Dolly and the Devil Bitter Creek (single)
look for new album in 2024
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November 2024 From The Editor
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November marks the first anniversary of KnoxvilleOldTime.org
Thank you for subscribing to the newsletter and visiting the website!
Please mark your calendar for these other special dates:
November 3 Daylight Saving Time Ends. Move your clock back an hour and enjoy the sunset at 5:37 PM.
November 5 Election Day. We fully anticipate electing a President this year.
November 11 Veterans Day. Unlike election day, something we can all agree upon: Honoring the men and women who have served our country.
November 28 Thanksgiving. Something else this month we can all agree upon: Turkey. No, wait… ham. Stuffing from inside the bird. Are you crazy? It’s got to be baked in a separate pan. Don’t forget the green bean casserole. No, that’s disgusting - no sane person would put mushroom soup on top of perfectly good vegetables. Turducken is the best! Do you know any person who has actually made that dish? How about a nap? YES!
Jams
The first Sunday jam at Crafty Bastard South is asking everyone to come to the Laurel Theater at 3 PM on the 3rd to support their Hurricane Flood Relief Show. We will play downstairs so there will be lots of music between acts on the main stage. This is an open jam - everyone is welcome to come and play!
UPDATE 11/3/24: We regret to announce the the Crafty Bastard Jam has ended.
Please come to Boyd’s Jig and Reel every Tuesday at 6:30 for some Old Time music, food and drink.
The Laurel Theater Old Time Jam is on the 14th at 7 PM. We hope to see you there!
Events
Nov. 3 A Benefit for Communities Affected by Hurricane Helene at the Laurel Theater. This is a fundraising benefit to support the East Tennessee Foundation's Neighbor to Neighbor fund in their work to help communities recover from the effects of Hurricane Helene. Featuring The Bearded, Legbeard, and The New Market Train Wrecks. There will be an Open Old Time jam downstairs. Starts at 3PM. Tickets are $15 at the door.
Nov. 8th Kaleb Clauder and Reeb Willms at the Laurel Theater
Nov. 13th Andrew Marlin Stringband, Rachel Baiman, and Robinella at the Bijou Theater
Nov. 15th The Montvales at the Laurel Theater
Nov. 24th Laurel Folk School Beg/Int Fiddle Workshop with Sarah Pirkle 2PM
New On The Website
Music
Learn about one of the great Old Time bands from Mississippi - Freeny’s Barn Dance Band. They released 6 sides for Okeh Records in 1930, and later reformed as “The Freeney Harmonizers,” releasing two more tunes.
Tune History
Tune history has gone to the animals this month. Recorded in 1930, the first tune is the familiar “Possum On The Rail” by another great Mississippi band, The Mississippi Possum Hunters.
How about a catchy, two part tune with a minstrel background for our second tune? “Buck Eyed Rabbits” was recorded in 1926 by Al Hopkins and his Buckle Busters, and is a good addition to all the other tunes about rabbit’s eyes on your song list. Lyrics included!
Happy turducken leftovers,
Mark
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October 2024 From The Editor
October has arrived, but it still feels like summer in Knoxville! Fall color change is approaching, though it depends on where you are. Color changes are forecast to occur from late September to mid-October in the higher elevations, but here in the valley, colors will not peak until about October 24 to mid-November. Check the progress in the mountains for yourself on these Gatlinburg area live webcams. Leaf peepers across the USA can gather on this website.
Jams
The jams at Boyd’s Jig and Reel and the Laurel Theater are going strong. At the last Laurel jam, we had several new players, which is always good to see. We even convinced a visiting piano player to join in for a sprightly Contra-style rendition of Ragtime Annie. Come and play some Old Time music at Boyd’s any Tuesday at 6:30PM and at the Laurel Theater on Thursday, October 10th at 7PM.
The jam at Crafty Bastard South restarted on September 15th after a summer break, but did not attract many people. This is possibly due to it being the first jam after taking the summer off, and/or a conflicting jam at Ijams Nature Center sponsored by the East Tennessee Bluegrass Association. (The bluegrass jam is now also occurring on the 3rd Sundays of the month.)
We will continue with a first and third Sunday at 3PM schedule for Crafty South for now, but we can make adjustments as needed. Please join us on October 6th and October 20th at 3 PM at Crafty Bastard South (at Baker Creek).
(Feel free to send me an email with feedback or suggestions concerning the Crafty South jam.)
As always, complete details about area Old Time jams can be found on the Calendar page.
Events
There is a lot of Old Time music happening in October! The Calendar page will provide all the details and website links you need for reasons to get out of the house. Here are some highlights:
Oct. 6 Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas play at Barley’s and will conduct a string workshop.
Oct. 7 Natalie and Brittany Haas will play all 176 tunes from John Hartford’s Mammoth Collection of Fiddle Tunes book at the American Legion Hall in Madison, TN. Can’t make it? The event will be live streamed on YouTube.
Oct. 18 Mama’s Broke, along with Tatiana Hargreaves and Allison DeGroot, will play at the Laurel Theater.
Oct. 23 The Tillers with The Montvales will appear at Barley’s Knoxville.
Oct. 24 Fall Heritage Days start at The Museum Of Appalachia. (Please be aware that Oct. 5th and Nov. 1st tickets are already sold out.)
Oct. 26 Kentucky Wild Horse will perform at the Laurel Theater.
New On The Website
This month, a page was added for fiddler Clyde Davenport from south central Kentucky. He is probably one of the best known Old Time fiddlers, and his willingness to share his knowledge with others was important in the passing on of tunes from the Kentucky/Cumberland Plateau area. Clyde was also very opinionated about the good music he learned from his relatives and neighbors, and believed in keeping the tunes as pure as possible.
Tune history takes a minor detour this month. Two minor key tunes have been added, and I hope you will enjoy learning more about them. The first one is a “modern” Old Time tune, “Going Back To Israel,” written by multi-instrumentalist June Drucker. June tells us how the tune was written, and shares with us that it really has nothing to do with Israel, but a lot to do with a birthday.
“Boyne Water” was also added to the Tune History page at the suggestion of Jeff and Julie from South Carolina, who we met at Mt. Airy a couple of years ago. They like the minor sound and quick pace of the tune and enjoy playing it at Festivals. The tune is very old (late 1600’s), and has an intricate history surrounding a battle between two English kings. And it also has a direct relationship to another Old Time favorite, “Billy In The Low Ground”.
Until Next Month,
Mark
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September 2024 From The Editor
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September is the ninth month of the year, which is a little misleading as “September” is taken from the Latin “septem” which means seven. Things become a little clearer when we find out that September was originally the seventh month of the oldest known Roman calendar. But due to continuous tinkering with calendars by various rulers who wanted their name attached, adding January and February to the mix, and the eventual intervention of the Pope, September was moved to ninth place. Or, perhaps all these changes were just a ploy from a worldwide cabal of greedy calendar salesmen.
Festivals
Clifftop and Galax are over, which generally marks the end of major Old Time Festivals for the season. Congratulations go out to Knoxville’s Blue Ridge Gathering, for taking first place in the Neo-Traditional Band category at Clifftop. This is the perfect follow up to the group’s second place win last year. As this year’s winner, they have been invited to perform a full set at Clifftop in 2025. Blue Ridge Gathering consists of Cody Bauer-fiddle, Jessica Watson-banjo/guitar, and Duck Ryan-banjo/guitar.
In further testament to the talents of the band members, Jessica Watson won the Best New Tune award at Clifftop this year. Duck Ryan won the Best New Song award at Clifftop last year, and Cody Bauer continues his winning ways, most recently placing third in the Old Time Fiddle category at Galax this year.
Keep these folks on your radar -they are destined for great things! There are a couple of photos below.
Jams
The local jams at Boyd’s Jig and Reel and the Laurel Theater are going strong. Those in attendance at the August 8th Laurel Theater jam got to play along with Old Time master Dan Levenson. Dan and some friends also joined the Boyd’s Jig and Reel group on August 13th. I’m sure everyone enjoyed those sessions as much as I did. There are some photos below.
The Crafty Bastard at Baker Creek jam, which took the summer off, is restarting on Sunday, September 15th at 3PM. Mark your calendars for the regular monthly schedule, which will be the 1st and 3rd Sundays at 3 PM starting in October.
Please join us at one or all of the Knoxville area jams. We are very fortunate to have these choices available, as in some areas, there are few organized playing opportunities, or you might have to drive for many miles to be part of the nearest Old Time jam. Plus you will meet a lot of nice people that love Old Time music!
Events
September is shaping up to be a lean month for Old Time related events - but that does not mean there are not any! The Laurel Theater is presenting Blind House on September 6th. Blind House is a Knoxville based bluegrass/old-time band that incorporates elements of indie rock, country and blues. And there are a couple of people in the band with whom you should be familiar: Duck Ryan and Cody Bauer. George Colyer, Ryan Dunaway, and Will Ross round out the lineup.
Not necessarily strictly Old Time, but the Laurel Theater is also presenting popular singer-songwriter, multi - instrumentalist and dancer Martha Spencer and Wonderland on Friday September 20th.
In addition, the Laurel just announced a most welcomed Friday-Saturday parking option at nearby Christ Chapel’s gravel auxiliary parking lot. Christ Chapel is located at the corner of Highland and 16th Street.
Dale Is Moving
We are saddened to report that one of our own is leaving us. Dale Stansberry, whose fiddling and banjo playing we have enjoyed for years, is pulling up stakes and moving to Albuquerque, New Mexico. The move is job-related, and Dale tells us that he chose to live in Albuquerque because of their vibrant Old Time music scene. Our loss is their gain. (I hope they are up to speed on obscure G tunes.) A gathering of players convened recently to give Dale a proper send-off, which, of course, meant playing a bunch of Old Time music. There are some photos below.
New On The Website
New this month on the website is a Tune History of “Going To The Free State” by Virginia fiddler John Ashby. It is a lively two part fiddle tune in cross A that shares a melody with a surprising number of other tunes. In the Music section, John Ashby himself is profiled, along with some interesting American history of “The Free State” (in present day northeastern Virginia). Did you know that there were kings of “The Free State?” One of them was John Ashby’s uncle! As a side note, those familiar with Northeast Tennessee’s 1784 breakaway “State of Franklin” will certainly detect a familiar theme. In fact, the “State of Franklin” was sometimes called “The Free State of Franklin.” No kings for Franklin though, but if there had been one, I imagine a log throne and coon skin crown would have been fitting.
Until next month,
Mark
August 2024 From The Editor
It’s hard to believe, but did you know that August is statistically cooler than July in Knoxville? July is the hottest month of the year, averaging 86.9 degrees in 2023. What will August bring? The average high was 86.4 in 2023.
This leads us to the inevitable “It’s so hot…“ jokes:
It’s so hot I saw a funeral procession pull through the Dairy Queen.
This is a far-fetched concept, which makes for a good joke. But is it really that far-fetched? I direct your attention to the following news article about a funeral procession going through a Burger King drive-through.
Festivals
The Appalachian String Band Festival (does anyone call it that?) in Clifftop, West Virginia runs from July 31st through August 4th. The diehards have been there since pre-camping opened on July 26th. Speaking of diehards, if you are at Clifftop, why not just just throw your stuff in the car and head on over to the 88th Old Fiddlers’ Convention (does anyone call it that?) in Galax, Virginia, which starts on August 5th and runs through the 10th. That’s a total of 15 days of Old Time goodness.
Congratulations to Knoxville’s Cody Bauer for winning 4th place Adult Bluegrass Fiddle at Flag Pond, as well as 1st place Adult Old Time Fiddle, and 2nd place Adult Bluegrass Fiddle at the Abingdon Fiddlers’ Convention. Recall that last year, Cody placed 2nd in Old Time Fiddle at Galax, and he fiddles for Blue Ridge Gathering, which placed 2nd in Neo-Traditional Band at Clifftop. The band also includes Knoxville’s Jessica Watson and Duck Ryan. Links are included to the contest results from all the Festivals on the Calendar page.
It’s so hot, chickens are laying hard-boiled eggs.
Jams
The local jams at Boyd’s Jig and Reel and the Laurel Theater are going strong this summer. You never know how many people will show up this time of year, but we had 18 at the July Laurel Theater jam! The August 8th Laurel Theater jam will welcome Dan Levenson as our guest. Please join us.
It’s so hot, I saw a fire hydrant looking for a dog.
Events
Dan Levenson and Bob Carlin will be playing for the Knoxville Contra Dance on August 5th, and Dan will be doing a free show at the RiverView Family Farm in Farragut on August 9th. The Laurel Folk School has been testing out some programs, including beginner and intermediate fiddle classes, a beginner banjo class, and a square dance calling class, all of which were held in July. More are planned, and details will be posted here and on the Laurel’s Facebook page. As always, check out the Calendar page for info on all events. If anyone knows of upcoming events that would be of interest to the Old Time community, please send me an email and I’ll get it on the website.
It’s so hot, I've got my AC cranked up to bankruptcy!
Music History
Two tunes were added to the Music History page this month: “Old Piss” and “Chinquapin Hunting”. The history of “Old Piss” was a request from Robert in Asheville. The tune name? Probably comes from a person's nickname, but because it needed a socially acceptable title - and face it, we’ve never outgrown scatological humor- there is a more family friendly alternate title of “Old #1.”
The research for Chinquapin Hunting turned into quite a bonus, as there are (at least) four Chinquapin tunes. What is a chinquapin anyway? Why would you hunt them? Hints: They live in trees and are delicious when roasted.
Get In The Cool!
Mark
July 2024 From The Editor
July brings a bounty of opportunities to experience Old Time music. First are our jams at Boyd's Jig and Reel and the Laurel Theater. (Crafty South will be back in September) In the Festival world, we have the Smithfield (TN) Fiddlers’ Jamboree July 5-6, The Swannanoa (NC) Gathering Old Time Week July 21-27, and pre-camping for Clifftop (WV) July 26-30 (the Festival officially starts on July 31).
In other events, the Knoxville Contra Dance is every Monday, and The Museum of Appalachia presents their Independence Day Anvil Shoot Celebration with lots of music and anvil shoots throughout the day on July 4. Towards the end of the month, the Knox County Jug Stompers will play a no-cover 21+ show at Boyd’s Jig and Reel. The Laurel Theater Square Dance will resume on July 25.
There are also multiple opportunities to see Old Time Masters Bob Carlin and Dan Levenson when they come to town in late July and again in early August. Start with a free show at Barley’s Knoxville on July 28, and an appearance on the WDVX Blue Plate Special radio show on July 31. They will be back in town on August 5 to play for the Knoxville Contra Dance, and Dan Levenson will play a free show at the RiverView Family Farm in Farragut on August 9. Dan will also be our special guest at the August 8 Laurel Theater Old Time Jam.
Please visit the Calendar page to get more details and web links for all events.
Some history of recording pioneer and fiddler Ambrose “Uncle Am” Stuart has been added to the website. Uncle Am was from Morristown, and a bona fide East Tennessee music celebrity. Read more about his contributions to early “Country”/”Hillbilly” music on his Music page.
Tune histories have been added for Booth Shot Lincoln and Shove The Pig's Foot A Little Further In The Fire. Booth Shot Lincoln is from the collection of Bascom Lamar Lunsford from Mars Hill, NC. Did you know that there are lyrics? Shove The Pig’s Foot is associated with another Western North Carolina fiddler, Marcus Martin. Several versions of this tune’s history are explored - there may be some surprises from what you have been told over the years.
We were sorry to hear that Fiddler Magazine is discontinuing their print edition and going a digital only format. They were founded in 1994. Increasing costs, lack of advertisers, and declining interest were cited as reasons for this decision.
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Jubilee Community Arts, parent organization of the Laurel Theater, announced the election of five new Board members on June 20th at their annual meeting. New Board members are Allen Miller, Amanda Humphreys, Mark Murray, Mindy Cooper, and Herb Williams. The Board also honored retiring concert manager Toby Koosman (since 2002) and retiring Executive Director Brent Cantrell (since 1997).
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Have A Great Summer!
Mark
From The Editor June 2024
Jam Schedules
The Old Time jam at Crafty Bastard South is taking a break for the summer. Look for a restart in September. The Tuesday evening jams at Boyd’s Jig and Reel and the monthly jam at the Laurel Theater will continue on their regular schedule.
Festivals and Events
If you are still planning your June weekends, how about a Fiddlers Convention? The 52nd annual Bluegrass and Old Time Fiddlers Convention in Mt Airy, NC is June 7-8. The Henry Reed Memorial Fiddlers Convention in Glen Lyn, VA is June 14-15. The Abingdon (VA) Fiddlers Convention is June 21-23, and the Grayson County Old Time & Bluegrass Fiddlers' Convention in Elk Creek, VA is June 28-29. Please visit the Calendar page for links and info on these events.
The annual Museum of Appalachia Barn Dance is June 14, from 6-9 PM. This is the Museum’s signature fundraising event, and features wagon rides, a sumptuous Southern dinner, traditional bluegrass and old-time musical entertainment, Appalachian square dancing, and live and silent auctions.
Tune History
In this month’s addition to the Tune History section, you will find “Nail That Catfish To The Tree”. I thought most everyone knew that this was a “modern Old Time” tune, but several recent inquiries revealed to me that some additional enlightenment might be helpful. And because I know someone will ask, yes - nailing a catfish to a tree is a fish skinning technique. There is even a how-to video in the article.
Music
In this month’s Music section, The Canote Brothers are profiled. You may be familiar with their original fiddle tunes “Sadie At The Back Door” and “Obama’s March To The White House”. Just like “Catfish”, these are examples of “modern Old Time” tunes that have become standards. You will enjoy learning more about the brothers’ 50+ year career and, of special interest, the early 1980’s Knoxville connection with the Canotes.
Charlie Acuff
Charlie’s 1990 privately commissioned cassette recording of 14 tunes “Left Handed Fiddler” (with John Hartford) is now available for listening on the website. Diane O’Brien’s book in which each tune is transcribed is included. Matt Morelock recently visited with Juanita Johnson, who played with Charlie for years. She had several boxes of recordings that Matt is taking to the Tennessee Archive Of Moving Image And Sound (TAMIS) to be properly archived. I will keep you updated as to when these are accessible.
Laurel Folk School
As the Laurel Theater concert series enters its summer intermission, Jubilee Community Arts, the parent organization of the Laurel Theater, has just announced The Laurel Folk School. The Folk School will offer group instruction in traditional music and dance at affordable rates through a series of workshops and short courses. The curriculum is still under development, but free workshops are planned for June, including a beginning fiddle lesson with Ethan Fulwood on Saturday, June 15th at 2 PM. Look for updates on their Facebook page. Details will also be posted to the Calendar page as they are announced.
Mark
Don’t forget Father’s Day on Sunday, June 16th.
From The Editor May 2024
Flag Pond
As this letter is published, I am in Flag Pond, Tennessee at the 6th annual East Tennessee Fiddlers Convention. Flag Pond and the Rocky Fork area lie between the towns of Erwin and Mars Hill, close to the Tennessee state line with western North Carolina. The Fiddlers Convention is a continuation and celebration of the contributions of early East Tennessee musicians like JD Harris, Osey Helton, John Dykes, George and Lloyd Payne, Dud Vance, GB Grayson, Charlie Bowman, and others who made an outsized impact on what we now call Old Time music. As a multi-year attendee, I find this Convention to be very well run, and it always attracts some outstanding players! It’s an easy trip on the Interstate from Knoxville, or if you are in the mood for a scenic drive, taking the back way through the mountains can be a twisty diversion.
Charlie Acuff
Continuing our focus on the Knoxville area's Old Time history, this month’s additions to the website feature East Tennessee’s Left Handed Fiddler, Charlie Acuff. Charlie lived to the age of 93, passing away in 2013. There are some personally held recordings, and a few copies of a privately produced 1990 cassette tape (with John Hartford) floating around, but Charlie had only one commercially released album. Considering the attention that some other fiddlers of this same era have received from archivists, I find it disappointing that Charlie is not routinely included in the lists of so-called “influential” players. My motivation to include a profile of him now was partly due to a recent conversation with two visiting players from Minnesota, who told me that Charlie’s tunes were very much alive and being shared in their local music scene. Good news, indeed! Read lots more in the Music section.
In the Tune History section, one of Charlie’s signature melodies “Bob Taylor’s March” is detailed. It has a great back story regarding the curious world of Tennessee politics. In researching, I found just a couple of other recordings of this tune, which seems surprising. Because, in addition to its interesting and quirky history, this “March” (which is really a waltz) is pretty easy to learn and fun to play. Please take a minute to listen to “Bob Taylor’s March", as well as some of Charlie’s other tunes, and consider putting some on your to-learn list, then share them wherever you go. What could be a better way to honor the Left Handed Fiddler’s legacy?
Festivals & Live Events
May appears to be a lean month for Festivals, but that means you have plenty of time to get ready for Mount Airy or if you insist on the official name - “The 52nd Annual Mount Airy Blue Grass & Old-Time Fiddlers Convention”, which
which will come up quickly on June 7-8. We will keep you in the loop on other events as info becomes available. As always, I encourage everyone to get out and support live music of all kinds whenever you can. Speaking of live music, please let the folks from Legbeard and Aaron Searcy and Friends know how much their sets of Old Time music added to the Laurel Theater fundraising event at Trailhead Beer Market on 4/14. I put a couple of photos in the slider below.
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Remember This?
Here is a video segment from WBIR Channel 10 in Knoxville promoting the Old Time Jam that was held at the Blackhorse Brewery from 2018-2020. When this was shot on 1/16/20, none of us knew what lay in store just one month later. Positive note: there are lots of sound files from this gathering on the Resources page.
Mark
Here are a couple of important dates in May:
May 12 Mother’s Day
Did you know that the person responsible for Mother’s Day being recognized as an official holiday ultimately disowned the holiday altogether? Disgusted with the commercialization of the intended concept, she even actively lobbied the government to have it removed from the calendar.
May 27 Memorial Day
Born from Civil War Decoration Days in the Southern states, this holiday now honors all fallen soldiers.
From The Editor April 2024
New This Month
This month’s additions to the website feature Knoxville. Under the Music tab, we start with the Tennessee Chocolate Drops, featuring Howard “Louie Bluie” Armstrong, and their tune “Knox County Stomp”. This tune was recorded in Knoxville at the now famous Knoxville Sessions, which were held at the St. James hotel in 1929-30. The hotel itself was lost to urban renewal in the 1970’s, but the music that was recorded there lives on. There is also the Louie Bluie Festival that keeps Howard Armstrong’s music and art alive. The Festival is held annually at Cove Lake State Park in Caryville, TN, and is set for September 28th this year.
Still under the Music tab, we move to the south central Kentucky (Monticello) Old Time duo of Burnett and Rutherford. These two had a partnership that lasted 35 years! If you like stories about rising from adversity, you will enjoy reading more about “Blind” Dick Burnett and his 14 year old fiddler Leonard Rutherford. They first recorded in 1926 and were still performing in 1950. What is the Knoxville connection? Their popular tune “Knoxville Rag”, whose history can be found under the Tune History tab. Interestingly, there is also the lingering question of whether or not Burnett actually authored the famous tune “(I Am A) Man of Constant Sorrow”, for which he is credited.
Festival Season
As this letter gets published, I am getting my camping gear ready for the 6th annual Upper East Tennessee Fiddlers Convention in Flag Pond, to be held April 26th-27th. For those who have never been, it is well run and close enough to be a day trip from Knoxville. It’s much smaller than Clifftop, Mt. Airy and the like, but the quality of players who attend is outstanding. Roy Andrade is in charge of the Flag Pond event, and I got a chance to speak with him when he performed with Kalia Yeagle at the Laurel’s Jubilee Festival. You may recognize his name, as Roy performed with the Reeltime Travelers and is now the Director of Old-Time, Bluegrass and Roots Music at East Tennessee State University. He promised that this year will be the best Convention yet, including workshops with banjoist Kirk Sutphin and fiddler Dan Gellert. More information is on the Calendar page.
Local News
I was able to attend some shows last month, including Allison DeGroot & Tatiana Hargreaves at Barley’s, and Saturday night’s 55th Jubilee Festival at the Laurel Theater. It was good to see lots of you at these events, and it shows the artists that we really do support Old Time music here in Knoxville. Speaking of the Jubilee Festival, I was pleasantly reminded once again that the quality of our local musicians is absolutely outstanding. DeGroot and Hargreaves also put on a great performance, showcasing just how much music can be made with a fiddle and a banjo. My understanding is that they will be coming back through Knoxville soon. When that happens, don’t miss them.
It was recently announced that the Laurel Theater is restarting their square dance. The dances will be held on the 4th Thursdays of March, April, and May, with live Old Time music and skilled callers. I have been told by several people that, not too many years ago, it was common to see upwards of 300 people at the dance. That would be great to see again!
I had a good conversation with Park Ranger Ethan Sane from Big Ridge State Park in Maynardville. Ethan is a fiddle player and started a jam this past winter at the Park, held at 6:30 PM every third Thursday. He told me that the jam will continue and will move outside as the weather warms up. Ranger Sane’s contact details are on the Calendar page.
Thank you for your continued support of Old Time music!
Mark
From The Editor March 2024
“March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb”. I think pretty much everyone is familiar with that saying. It’s like a good Old Time tune - catchy and stands the test of time. Also, like a lot of Old Time tunes, its origin is not known. A check of various almanacs reveals lots more March weather related proverbs you can throw into your regular conversation, such as:
When March has April weather, April will have March weather
Thunder in March betokens a fruitful year
If the frogs holler in early March, there will be 3 more freezes
For every fog in March there will be a cold spell in May
March grass never did good
Besides the ever-changing weather, March is also a busy crowd gathering month! St. Patrick’s Day is the 17th, Palm Sunday is the 24th, Good Friday is the 29th, and Easter Sunday falls on March 31st this year. And, more importantly, National Procrastination Week is March 4-10. I meant to tell you about that earlier.
Upcoming Events
The Laurel Theater continues to offer some great shows of interest to the Old Time community. In March, this includes Blakeley Burger, Dirk Powell, and more. Of special note, the Laurel will present their 55th Annual Jubilee Festival March 15-16, which includes dozens of different artists. I encourage everyone to support the Laurel Theater - it is a unique Knoxville treasure. I put some photos from the Earl White Stringband and Blue Ridge Gathering shows in the photo slider below. Congratulations to our own Cody Bauer, Jessica Watson, and "Duck" Ryan from Blue Ridge Gathering for an outstanding performance. As a reminder, Blue Ridge Gathering was awarded 2nd place in the 2023 Clifftop Neo-Traditionalist Band category and 1st place in the original song category. We all wish them continued success!
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Banjoist Allison DeGroot reminded me that she and fiddler Tatiana Hargreaves will be appearing at Barley's Knoxville on March 10th. Having seen both of these talented artists perform separately, I'm sure this will be a memorable show. Please check the Upcoming Events​ on the Calendar Page for more info and the link to tickets for this show, events at the Laurel Theater, and lots more.
Festival Survival Tips
The 2024 Festival listings on The Calendar Page continue to be updated, and Breakin’ Up Winter in Lebanon, TN will be underway when you receive this month's newsletter. Last month, I promised some Festival survival tips, and I had in mind an excellent article written by banjoist Hilarie Burhans for Old Time Central back in 2019. Unfortunately, Old Time Central is not around any longer, but via the miracle of The Internet Archive: Wayback Machine (the creators are Mr. Peabody fans), I was able to get a direct link to the original article. Please be patient: The link has big photos and takes a minute to load. You will then have to close the Wayback Machine toolbar (the small X in the extreme upper right hand corner of the page) in order to be able to close the obsolete Old Time Central newsletter signup window. The full article will then be visible. Two clicks is a small price to pay for time travel!
“Clifftop - A Beginners Guide”, as the title suggests, has a lot of specific tips for surviving the huge Clifftop Festival. Fortunately for us, Hilarie’s insights apply to any festival. Even if you don’t read anything else, skip to the end of the article for two topics: “When It’s Not All Peaches And Cream”, and “Jamming”. In these two sections, Hilarie talks about most common issues/complaints and how to deal with them.
In a related topic, and similar to Hilarie’s festival jamming tips, I found an article on banjoist Dan Levinson’s website called “Jam Etiquette”. It was originally written more than 20 years ago, but it is still 100% on point today. If you are new to jamming, please read this, it will definitely be of help to you. Even if you are an experienced jam participant, it is worth a review. That being said, it has been my experience that you will run into very few, if any, “etiquette breaches” at jams in the Knoxville Old Time community. Thanks go out to everyone for always being so welcoming and courteous!
Tune History
An important (and fun) part of appreciating Old Time music is learning where the songs and tunes come from. When there is an East Tennessee connection, it’s even better! The updating of the Tune History Page continues with the addition of Roane County Ramblers’ “Green River March”, and lots more information on the Ramblers and the McCarroll family on the Music Page.
As always, if you have tunes or artists that you would like to see more information about, have photos to share, or any other comments on the website content, I would love to hear from you. Please email me at knoxvilleoldtime@gmail.com
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Mark
From The Editor February 2024
February marks the one year anniversary of putting out the first newsletter to our Old Time community. Seems like a long time ago, doesn’t it?
I frequently hear from people that they don’t know where to listen to newer Old Time music, so I put a list of 2022 and 2023 album releases from various Old Time artists in the Miscellaneous section of the Resources Page. I got most of these recommendations from Dale Brubaker’s Old Time Zone radio show, which I highly recommend listening to. Speaking of the Resources Page, don’t forget that there are hundreds of sound files there, including several years of jam recordings from The Blackhorse Pub and the Time Warp Tearoom.
Taking a look at the Upcoming Events on the Calendar Page, we see that the Laurel Theater is presenting shows in February which will interest any Old Time fan or player. Shows include the Earl White Stringband, our own Clifftop band competition winner Blue Ridge Gathering, as well as Dom Flemons (formerly of the Carolina chocolate Drops). The New Beckham County Ramblers Stringband was canceled due to the inclement January weather, but they will be rescheduled for Spring. Not strictly Old Time, but great music nonetheless, local favorite RB Morris, as well as North Carolina’s Vivian Leva & Riley Calcagno (The Onlies) will also be appearing this month. It is very encouraging to see the Laurel Theater jumping back into such a strong show schedule. Please support their efforts!
I was able to get a head start on the 2024 Festival listings. These are listed by month, with links to the event website. The ones I have listed are the most well known, and all have designated Old Time categories in their competitions. If you would like to see any other Festivals on this list, please let me know. Next month, we will explore survival tips and strategies to help make your Festival experience more enjoyable.
The updating of the Tune History Page continues with the addition of Hangman’s Reel, Billy In The Low Ground (traditional) and Billy In The Low Ground (Calico tuning).
Thanks to everyone who came out to see Chris Coole and John Showman at Suttree’s on January 24. This was a great show and an absolute master class in fiddle and banjo. Thanks again to Matt Morelock for letting us know about the show so we could get the info out to everyone. Matt is also in conversation with the owners of Suttree’s about hosting an Old Time jam and a Bluegrass jam. More info will be coming soon.
As always, if you have tunes or artists that you would like to see more information about, or have any other comments on the website content, I would love to hear from you. Please email knoxvilleoldtime@gmail.com
Mark
From The Editor January 2024
Happy New Year!
I spent some time in December adding artist and tune content from previous newsletters (before there was a website). This is still a work in progress, as there is no easy way just to copy and paste. This month, look for refreshed pages on the legendary fiddler from Magoffin County, Ky John Salyer, and tune histories of Anchored in Love Divine, Duck River, Mountaineer’s Love Song (Goodbye Liza Jane), and Dubuque. February will mark one year since putting out the first newsletter to our Old Time community. Time flies!
Festival Season is right around the corner. Breakin’ Up Winter 2024 is set for Cedars of Lebanon State Park (near Lebanon, TN, just east of Nashville) on Feb. 29-March 2, 2024. I see from their webpage that two campgrounds will be closed for renovations, so be sure and make your reservations early. I have started the list of 2024 Festivals on the website calendar page and will continue to update them as the dates become available.
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Since we are starting a new year, and most of us (at least informally) make resolutions, I have put together two lists - one with serious suggestions for players, and another, based on a national survey, just for fun. I hope you enjoy both. Have a great year!
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Mark Murray
Six realistic resolutions to help you become a better player during 2024!
Listen to more Old Time music. Make a playlist on your streaming service, listen in your car and when doing chores - any time you would normally listen to music- make it Old Time!
Set aside dedicated time to practice. It will not happen on its own - you have to make it happen.
Learn one new tune per month. Pick tunes that you like - there are thousands to choose from and you will be inclined to practice them more if you like them.
Strive to play in tune. Even the pros must constantly work on intonation.
Attend at least one jam session per month. We are fortunate to have several to pick from. Playing music with others will help to make you a better player, and you will meet some pretty nice people.
Attend a fiddle festival. Flag Pond (last Fri -Sat in April- dates tba) and Abingdon (June 21-22) are easy day trips from the Knoxville area.
Lighthearted Resolution Reality Check 2024
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The Statista website did a survey of the top resolutions for 2024. The accuracy of this survey was immediately in question because “cutting down on alcohol” did not make this list. The ones that did make the list deserve closer inspection and a light hearted dose of reality, as most are not likely to make it past the first few hours of January - and we all need to laugh a little more in 2024!
1. To save more money.
Take some satisfaction that you are not alone in wondering why we all have less money now, even though there is a constant “official” message that the economy has never been better. Who needs all that “extra” money anyway? Refer to resolution # 6 for further insight, but warning - it’s not a good sign for this #1 resolution.
2. To exercise more.
For most of us, any exercise at all would qualify as “more”, so maybe this resolution will work out. (get it?) You might be tempted to join a gym. About 12% of all gym members sign up in January. But, in one of life's great mysteries, if 50% of all gym members quit within the first 6 months and 67% of all gym members never actually use their membership, why is the machine you want to use always occupied?
3. To eat healthier.
There is lots of research going on about how your inherited DNA controls your dietary choices and preferences. Until all this gets sorted out, be comfortable blaming your parents for any poor nutrition choices.
4. To spend more time with family/friends.
This is truly a conundrum. Basic math reveals that spending time with one group reduces the time available to spend with the other. Read the next sentence, then choose your group wisely: Of known victim-offender relationships, 2694 murders were committed by family members, 560 were committed by a friend. Note that the relationship in over 9700 murders was not known - but smart money (almost 5:1) is on a family member. By the way, “to spend more time with family/friends" sounds less like a resolution and more like what is said when someone suddenly leaves their job.
5. To lose weight.
Notice that all of these resolutions are very generic and overly broad. (sorry) Since the average adult's weight fluctuates 5-6 pounds a day, victory is easily declared on this one, but unfortunately, so is defeat. In a related topic, Southwest Airlines recently had mixed reviews regarding their controversial “Customer Of Size” extra seat policy. Additionally, if you fly Korean Air, expect to step on the scale before boarding. How would you like to be the gate agent in charge of that?
6. To reduce spending on living expenses. (e.g., food, energy)
Seeing how the very definition of living expenses is "the money you need to spend in order to live", this resolution is pretty much on life support to start with. Maybe we could ask the water and electric companies, the landlord, the tax men, the oil companies, and the grocery stores to make a resolution to charge us less. Unfortunately, there is not much optimism in the success of this approach. Meanwhile, resolution #1 gets harder and harder.
7. To spend less time on social media.
Finally, a worthwhile and actually attainable resolution, because all devices have an OFF switch. Think of all the time you spend on social media now. It may be much more efficient to just pay for a billboard on I-40 in downtown Knoxville that displays all of your personal information (although some people may miss your pictures of food). For more added incentive to cut back on screen time, in this The Atlantic article, the writer says social media is making America’s murder surge worse. There was no mention of those who were angered by pictures of food.
8. To reduce stress on the job.
Did the people surveyed (surveyees?) not realize that literally everyone they work with would have to have the same resolution? It is not too surprising that most will agree that the job itself causes comparatively little stress. Stress on the job is usually related to/caused by the people you work for/with. If we could just get rid* of them, everything would be fine. Just remember that they have the same idea about you. So... we all may just have to stick it out until retirement, when we will be able to spend more time with family/friends. (There’s that resolution #4 again!)
2025 forecast: Look for “cutting down on alcohol” to make the resolution list next year.
*Warning-while the murdering of offending coworkers might be a satisfying way to reduce stress, your annual job performance review may suffer. Even if it is really the fault of social media.
From The Editor December 2023
Thank You!
I would like to thank everyone for the feedback about the new website! As always, please let me know what you would like to see or learn more about, and I will do my best to make it happen. Likewise, if you run across a great story or article about Old Time music or artists, or links to other resources that you think everyone would enjoy, send it my way so we can get it out to everyone. the site is always in need of photos from jam sessions or festivals that you would like to share. Please include the date, place/event, and people in the photo.
Email: knoxvilleoldtime@gmail.com
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Website Changes
You will notice that access to the Music and Tune History pages has changed. Now, choosing either of those tabs will take you to an alphabetical list of contents. This will make it easier to find a particular tune or artist that you would like to learn more about. Easily navigate back to the contents list by using the “Back To List” buttons on each page.
Tune History
December’s Tune History is Bonaparte Crossing The Rhine. This is one of those Old Time tunes that is played so often that it now generates parody titles, such as “Bonaparte Crossing The Street” and “Bonaparte Mowing The Lawn”. Still, it’s good to know how it got here. And yes, you are expected to know this tune.
Music
Tricia Spencer and Howard Rains are the profiled artists this month. Thanks to Brenda Osborne who recently attended one of their workshops, for suggesting them. Check out their YouTube channel for lots of videos and episodes of “Tune Talk” that will make you laugh. My favorite (so far) is Episode 25 “Jam Sessions”. Funny and accurate! Howard sent us a video of Marcus Martin’s “Wounded Hoosier” that was recorded at the John C. Campbell Folk School where they were instructors last month. He also extended an invitation to join them in Mars Hill, NC where he and Tricia will be instructors during the Blue Ridge Old Time Music Week in June, 2024.
Christmas Time's A Comin’
Let’s get into the Holiday spirit! What better way than with some banjo tunes?
From Josh Turknett:
Clawhammer Banjo: The 12 Days of Banjo - "God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman"
From me:
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And a stocking stuffer for everyone, "Jingle Bells" from East Tennessee’s own Anna Uptain’s “A Clawhammer Banjo Christmas” Album.
Have A Great Holiday
Mark Murray
From the Editor ​November 2023
I love Old Time music. There is nothing better than the acoustic instrument sounds of wood and steel, and the feel that comes when a group of players settles into the groove. I enjoy the company of the people I play music with, and find the Old Time community to be friendly and inclusive.
I know you love these things, too.
Knoxville Old Time is not a club or an organization. This website is meant to be a gathering place for anyone and everyone who shares a love of Old Time music. Those already receiving the monthly newsletter are now directed here, where everything is conveniently in one place and accessible at any time. If you would like to be included, please use the signup form below.
The short version of how we got here: Talking with jam leaders and players who were trying to reconnect when the world reopened in 2022 led to an email jam reminder list. That led to a newsletter, which has been going out in various forms since early 2023. After floating the idea of a website, and getting lots of “that would be great -somebody should do that” feedback, this is the result.
Here you will find jam schedules and a calendar of events. There are sections dedicated to Old Time music history and the tunes, as well as the players of Old Time music, both old and new. There is a Resource page, where websites, videos, and recordings that may be of help to you have been compiled.
Knoxville Old Time will always be a work in progress. It is meant to be fun, informative, and a reflection of what you want. Your input is important and welcomed. Email me directly at knoxvilleoldtime@gmail.com or use the website contact form on this page.
Mark Murray