Stewart's Journal 1899, Aug, whole no. 113

So...anyone here bid on this issue? It didn't make its reserve...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300338289500...

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Permalink Reply by Joel Hooks on August 20, 2009 at 1:51
Did you notice the song on the cover "Hot Time In Tennessee?" It is strange that a banjo piece with the subject of a state half located in Appalachia would would be in the Journal. Surely it did not have circulation (and influence) in the isolated region. That might upset the banjo space-time-continuum.

Are you working on this one?

http://cgi.ebay.com/1880-Instructor-Ryans-True-BANJO-SHEET-MUSIC-BO...
Permalink Reply by Trapdoor2 on August 20, 2009 at 2:38
Yeah, it has been relisted...but still has a reserve. I had the next-to-highest bid. This issue isn't available online.

I don't find the "Tennessee" tune unusual, Joel. 1899 is smack in the "yearning for Dixie" period. Do I detect some bluegrass sarcasm there? ;-)

Yes, I've got the Ryan's in my ebay-sniper crosshairs. As usual, I'll scan/photograph it and make it available.
Permalink Reply by Joel Hooks on August 20, 2009 at 3:02
Yep, a sad attempt at humor. Actually old time.

I have been secretly compiling letters written to the Journal from towns and cities located within the Appalachian Region as defined by the Appalachian Regional Commission.

For an isolated area, forever untouched by outside banjo forces, the people who lived there sure sent a lot of letters to a publication that promoted a style none of them played.
Permalink Reply by Trapdoor2 on August 20, 2009 at 3:32
I think that's a great idea, Joel. That the "hillbillies" were reading such esoteric stuff when we know they learned how to play thru the aural tradition...scary. Nope, I just don't believe it. ;-)

Next thing you'll be telling us is that "Coal Creek March" is really a Classic tune and that Clawhammer is really just Stroke-Style in overhauls. ;-)
Permalink Reply by Jody Stecher on August 20, 2009 at 15:33
re aural trad: stroke style and finger style are not the Original Beginnings. They are the codification of an aural tradition put down in dots and sentences for the purpose of selling banjos and banjo manuals. None of this makes either literate or aural music sound better or worse.
Permalink Reply by Jody Stecher on August 20, 2009 at 17:58
Sure, there may have been a purely musical motivation sometimes. My main point however is that so called Art Music and Vernacular Music inform each other, always have, probably always will. Joel (Deuceswilde) rightly questions anachronisms, especially entrenched ones, like the idea of Appalachian total isolation at all times. To that I'm adding my opinion that it's as silly to deny the "folk" origins of stroke style and, yes, also parts of classic finger style as it is to deny the obvious Classic Banjo influence on a segment of American old-time banjo music. These views are equally incomplete.

For solid research on the connection between banjo manuals and commerce and upward mobility read Karen Linn's book from 1991, "That Half Barbaric Twang". Well researched recent works are Bob Carlin's book on Joel Sweeney "The Birth of The Banjo" which has a point of view and "The Banjo Entertainers" by Lowell Schreyer which does not, but brings to light a lot of small facts that help to complete the big picture.
Permalink Reply by Joel Hooks on August 20, 2009 at 22:16
Now I went a did it.

It's funny, I had been working on this off and on from the time I read a letter form Louisville KY (not in Appalachia, but got my attention). It was from a Charles Partee asking if he could get the same type of banjo that Farland played at a concert to a seating of 3,072 people.

I mentioned it to a historian friend of mine and she thought I should prepare to be hated.

I don't doubt the true folk origins of many banjo styles. I do have a theory (I admit based on my own skepticism) that many modern old time styles were born from bad memories on how folks used to play. The stereotype was perpetuated and encouraged through nostalgia, and later folk music.

Jody, I agree, the music had to come from somewhere.
Permalink Reply by Trapdoor2 on August 21, 2009 at 18:27
Yah Joel, you're going to OT hell for that line of thought. ;-)

Sometime last year I commented (on BHO) that at least one strange OT tuning was documented as having come from a tuning peg that wouldn't stay in tune...so the originator was forced to learn the tune in whatever the banjo would hold. I was immediately flamed for implying "non-standard" tunings were ALL just mistakes. Sheesh.

BTW, I did snag the "Ryans True Banjo Instructor". It will go on the list for uploading.
Permalink Reply by Jody Stecher on August 21, 2009 at 22:24
I was witness to the birth of two non-standard tunings that were the result of accidents. Both sound great for certain pieces.
Permalink Reply by Russ Chandler on August 25, 2009 at 9:25
"That Half Barbaric Twang" is an absolutely essential book. Couldn't put it down.

The Carlin book is quite expensive - is it worth it, Jody?
Permalink Reply by Jody Stecher on August 25, 2009 at 15:22
Russ Chandler said:
"That Half Barbaric Twang" is an absolutely essential book. Couldn't put it down.

The Carlin book is quite expensive - is it worth it, Jody?

That depends on how obsessed with banjo history one is. I would think less expensive used copies will start appearing soon. I ran into the author in North Carolina in April, told him that his book had been my airplane reading on the flight there, and congratulated him on a job well done. I asked him how long the research had taken him. I believe his answer was "Twenty five years". One of the book's strong points his that his research findings, numerous images, song lyrics, and reasonable fact-based thinking are assembled all in one place. Carlin does something with his research, he draws conclusions and when he doesn't know something he says so and the book benefits from this. It would be hard to continue to assert that Joel Walker Sweeney invented either the drone string or the bass string after reading this book. It's also made clear that both down and up picking styles originated in Africa. On the other hand, I don't think anyone not already *very* interested in the banjo would find this book as gripping as a good mystery novel.
Permalink Reply by Jody Stecher on August 25, 2009 at 17:54
New copies of The Birth Of The Banjo are selling for $35 USD at elderly.com . That's what? About £21 ? It's $32 (just under £20) used at alibris.com, "as new" for $35 at abebooks.com. Of course there's shipping cost to UK. Still not so very high price.

Russ Chandler said:
"That Half Barbaric Twang" is an absolutely essential book. Couldn't put it down.

The Carlin book is quite expensive - is it worth it, Jody?

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