Eck Robertson - Radio Theme Song

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Here is an Eck Robertson song that has never been released digitally. This is the last track from the 1976 Sonyatone release, "Eck Robertson: Master Fiddler." Taken from a field recording in 1965, this track didn't make it onto to the 1920's Victor-era CD compilation that you can buy directly from County Sales. Be warned, this song gets stuck in your head!

Direct YouTube link (for a larger picture):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xP169sO4hgk

Lyrics:
Well friends, we're on the air
Please listen everywhere
As I would like to please you
Don't think that I don't care

I've played my way to fame
Eck Robertson is my name
And if you like my program
Well, I'll come back again

Call if you will, and tell us who you are
And I will try to see you, no matter if it's near or far
Or drop me just a line, or see thee on your way
And I will always love you, until my dying day

Texas Shorty/Terry Morris: Backstage at Hallettsville

Texas Shorty

Blogger: Grant Wheeler

This audio was originally recorded sometime around 1985-86 by Bill McNeil in one of the contestant warm-up rooms that flank the stage at the Fiddler's Frolics in Hallettsville, Texas. Audiences can always expect to witness fierce competition at this contest, but as can be heard on this recording, there was some incendiary fiddling going on back stage, as well. As Bill so eloquently states at the 1 minute 8 second mark on the very first track:  

"Aww...SOOEY!"

The fiddlers are the incomparable Jim "Texas Shorty" Chancellor and the late, forever great, Terry Morris. The faded hand writing on the cassette lists a first string, dream team trio of backup pickers: Bobby Christman and the legendary Franklin Brothers power duo, Royce and Ray. (Other guitarists pinch hitting here are there on a few tunes are Shorty's brother Robert Chancellor and Gerald Jones. And you don't have to listen too closely to hear the gleefully maniacal laughter and thumping stand-up bass lines of Alfred Eugene Mouledous.)  

Shorty (Tracks 1-11) lights the fuse, laying a blistering 4 minute long smack down on "Tug Boat" and later serves up a few deep cut tunes like "Liverpool Hornpipe" and "Old Sport," and gets his swang on with "Kansas City Kitty" and "Brown Skin Gal." 

Terry Morris

Terry (Tracks 12-16) keeps it cookin' doing what Terry does; pulling rabbits out of his hat on standards "Sally Johnson" and "Dusty Miller" and executing exquisite acrobatics on "Wednesday Night Waltz".  We close out the set of tunes with a bonus track of Terry taking a second run at "I Don't Love Nobody." 

Thanks to Brother Sumner for re-discovering the cassette tape from which this audio was digitized and to Brother Matthew for filling in some details about this recording. This music lives on and continues to inspire when it is shared. 

Aww...Sooey.

Download Link: Texas Shorty/Terry Morris: Backstage at Hallettsville (36MB):

In memory of Royce Franklin...gentleman picker extraordinaire.

Louis Franklin Video

One of my favorite fiddlers. I wish I had that much groove. I love to watch his bow arm.

Direct YouTube Link (for a larger picture)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11DegPEV24Y 

Credits:

Louis Franklin - fiddle

Guitar - Bill Butler, Zipp Durrett

Benny Thomasson and Dick Barrett

Here is an out-of-print VHS tape produced in 1977 by the Seattle Folklore Society and released commercially in the 1990's. There is even an amusing Major Franklin story at the end.

Direct YouTube link (for a larger picture):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WT_DhQrQBcY

Credits:
Benny Thomasson - fiddle
Dick Barrett - fiddle
Aaron Lowe - guitar and fiddle
Markie Shubb - bass
Rich Levine - guitar

Source:
Texas Fiddle Legends: Benny Thomasson and Dick Barrett
Yazoo 517 (VHS), 1996

Orville Burns at Hallettsville, Texas 1994

Orville Burns entertaining and jamming at the Texas State Championship Fiddlers' Frolics, Hallettsville, Texas, April 1994. When you watch Orville's bow arm, you start to understand why so many fiddlers considered him to be an unmatched creative genius.

VHS recording graciously shared by Julie Amundson.

Direct YouTube link (for a larger picture):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oo3RNu-KZEY

Bryant Houston - 1955

Guest Blogger: Grant Wheeler

An important audio document if only for the fact that Bryant Houston was a hugely influential fiddler who never recorded commercially.  Details about this particular recording are scarce beyond the fact it took place in 1955.  I was hoping to write something eloquent and insightful about Bryant but realized something along those lines had already been said by one of the most eloquent and insightful gentleman in fiddling... Jim "Texas Shorty" Chancellor.

"My first impression of Bryant Houston's playing was that his sound was really different compared to most fiddle players I had heard, almost like the sound of a concert violinist turned old time fiddler. I later learned that Bryant had been trained as a concert violinist at the urging of his father, Lek Houston. I'm not sure why he turned to fiddle playing, but I know he was part Cherokee Indian, and I think that influenced his playing. It was also clear that he had an affinity to nature's own music. One tune that he was best at was "Listen to the Mockingbird". Bryant would play that tune and make birdcalls on the fiddle. He told us he learned it by sitting alone on the bank of a creek listening to the birds, and then he would do his best to mimic them. Sounded to us like we were sitting on that bank along with him. There were other tunes Bryant played that he could hardly be beaten at, like "Gray Eagle" and "Lime Rock". I learned Bryant's arrangements of these tunes and blended them with the arrangements I learned from Benny Thomasson."  

                                                                                                         Texas Shorty

Below is an excerpt from the book "Prairie Knights to Neon Lights" 

"Contest style fiddling was still popular in the postwar decades. With contests scattered across the region, West Texas fiddlers continued to hone their skills for competition. One of the greatest, Bryant Houston, never recorded commercially and was un-known to the general public, but he won more than 450 1st Pl. finishes in fiddle contest throughout the state and was highly regarded by his fiddle playing peers.  Champion fiddler Texas Shorty, for example, considers Houston one of the greatest Texas style fiddlers, and Houston was a big influence on Shorty's music. Houston is particularly remembered for his excellent rendition of "Limerock", arguably the most difficult piece in in Texas tradition. 

Born William Bryant Houston in Abilene in 1911, he was the son of Captain Poe [sic] Houston, a noted fiddler who, according to Bryant, wrote the Texas federal standard, "Chuck in the Bush". The Houston family formed a band in 1925 and played for the next few years in theaters throughout the West Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Kansas. In the late 20s, the family moved to California where they lived for several years before returning to Texas in the 1930s. Back in Texas, the family played in Winters, Ballenger, and Brownwood. In 1938 "Cap" Houston won the fiddle contest held at Stamford during the Stamford Stampede celebration. Bryant Houston spent his last years in a nursing home in Rising Star."   (Alan Munde/Joe Carr) 
                                      

One cool bonus about this recording is that we get to hear the voice of Bryant himself announcing some of his tunes.  If anyone has any additional information about this recording or knows the name of the other gentleman who announces Bryant and some of the tunes, please drop us a note.  

Link to a brief bio/obit:

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=57957846

Download Link: Bryant Houston - 1955 (26 MB)

(additional audio sweetening by Stephen Schauer)

Herman Johnson - Weiser Jam Session 1968

Guest Blogger: Grant Wheeler

Originally recorded by Robin Shaylor in 1968 on the street corner just outside the Hospitality Center in downtown Weiser, Idaho, on a Sony TC-800. This was Herman’s very first year at the National Old-time Fiddlers’ Contest, all the way from his home in Shawnee, Oklahoma. He was 48 years old and it was the first of five times that he would win the National Champion title.

Backing Herman up on this recording was one of his best friends, favorite pickers, and fellow ‘Okie’ Ralph McGraw.

All the tunes have been edited into individual mp3 tracks. But for those interested in soaking up the full atmosphere of what was documented that day, included here is a “master” mp3 file where you can listen to the entire jam session from start to finish which includes all the dialogue, jokes, and banter between Herman, Ralph, and the growing number of people gathering around to listen and request tunes. One gets a sense from the crowd reaction that something a little new and a little different had come to Weiser that year. As one bystander calls out at the end of the recording..."Play some more! Play some more!"

Download Link: Herman Johnson - Weiser Jam Session 1968 (57MB)

(additional audio sweetening by Stephen Schauer)

Eck Robertson - Famous Cowboy Fiddler

Most viewers here will already have the excellent compilation CD of Eck's recordings for Victor, available from County Sales. Here is a hard to find and out-of-print field recording, recorded in 1963 by Mike Seeger, John Cohen, and Tracy Schwarz (The New Lost City Ramblers) in Eck's living room and officially released by County Records as "Eck Robertson: Famous Cowboy Fiddler" on LP in 1991 as County 202. Eck was 76 years old at the time. It isn't modern-sounding Texas fiddle music as we know it today, but unaccompanied old-time roots music that helped form the current genre. Thanks to the Down Home Radio Show blog for sharing!

Download Link: Eck Robertson - Famous Cowboy Fiddler (34MB)

Terry Morris with Rex G

This one goes out in memory of guitar legend Rex Gillentine. Rex was a friend to anyone he met in the fiddle world. I always appreciated how he would take the time to encourage younger and less-experienced musicians, often giving them impromptu lessons. This short half-tape was simply labeled "Terry w/ Rex G." Recorded in the mid-1970's when they were young men who hadn't been playing long. It's inspiring to hear the early foundations of their amazing musical bond.

Download Link: Terry Morris with Rex G (61MB)

Terry Morris 1-28-86

This is one posted for my friend Shira, who was kind enough to share some new tapes with me last month. This fairly short tape sounds like it was made while preparing for a recording session. All the label says is "at Terry's 1-28-86." I really enjoy the extended cut of Bill Cheatum during which you can listen to Terry work out a part in real time. Expertly recorded by Al Mouledous.

Download Link: Terry Morris 1-28-86 (47 MB)