Hear Old Illinois: The Dear Old Illinois 3-CD set
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eginning a little over 30 years ago, the traditional music of downstate Illinois was
carried public by those who collected it, specifically by three LP recordings made by
the Indian Creek Delta Boys of Charleston in 1976-78. |
Over the years since, several of the pieces on these recordings, pieces such as "Wolf Creek,"
"Run Down Boot," "Cora Dye," "Devil in the Haystack," "Old Kentucky Whiskey," and numerous others, have become well-known throughout traditional
fiddle music circles. What is perhaps not as well-known is that these pieces are each traceable to a single
downstate Illinois source.
This 3-CD set offers the unique opportunity to hear the actual source performances of over 120 pieces from the Garry Harrison collection.
In addition to the pieces that are now better-known, the recordings also introduce many pieces that traditional music players will find "new" and
unfamiliar. Though the focus of the recordings is on fiddle pieces, there are a few banjo and vocal performances and one harmonica number as well.
In collecting the music of Dear Old Illinois, commercial recordings of traditional music were not a target of pursuit,
simply because the music they presented had already been documented. The music sought was of a rarer level; music that for the most part
pre-dated the earliest commercial recordings, that had thrived in rural areas years ago and was on its last flicker by the 1970s, and that
had never been recorded commercially. Documenting this music required finding and visiting the relatively few remaining primary sources.
All of the recordings on these CDs are "home" (non-studio) recordings. Audio ranges from excellent to terrible. We offer no
apologies for the latter; please keep in mind that as applicable to the recordings presented here, even terrible audio is worlds better than a
loss of history. You can preview a short clip of several tracks by clicking on the links below. The assortment includes examples from both ends
of the audio quality spectrum, eliminating the possibility of any surprises.
It should be noted that some of the recordings in the CD set may not necessarily match the transcriptions in the book
note-for-note. This is because many of the pieces are represented in the collection by several different recordings (by the same performer.)
The recordings of such pieces were selected on the basis of both performance and audio quality, and the best of both wasn't always to be had
from one recording. So the definitive rendition of a piece, if in fact represented by one recording, might not be the one given in the
CD set if another recording offered a good rendition, better audio, and/or accompaniment at a more suitable volume. In any case, the book
is to be regarded as the ultimate reference.
Thanks to Paul Tyler for providing a good copy of six of the 1950s discs presented here. Years ago, Garry Harrison gave the original
discs to record collector Ron Brown and kept a tape copy. Over the years, Ron moved and Harrison lost
track of him, and the tape copy deteriorated to a barely playable condition. After mentioning this to Paul once, a CD
copy of the recordings showed up in the mail a short time later. Thanks to Ron for keeping these recordings in good order
and to Paul for sending the copy along.
The vital information for the tracks is given below. (To minimize printing costs, the information in the tables below, minus
performer ages and fiddle tunings, is the total of that given in the paper matter of the CD set itself. For further information, consult the
book.) Additional personnel information is given where known. The code for this data is as follows:
MW = Mike Wilson, guitar
GH = Garry Harrison, guitar
JH = J.L. "Doc" Holliday, guitar
PA = Paul Abbott, guitar
LS = Lynn "Chirps" Smith, mandolin
DM = Dave Miller, banjo
DB = Dillon Bustin, guitar
NW = Naomi Williams, piano
KA = Ken Appleby, guitar
1 = Betty Brinkman, guitar; either Garry Harrison, Brian Hubbard, or John Bishop, guitar; Gaye Harrison, mandolin; Bud Barbee, banjo
2 = Unidentified group, Prairie du Rocher; copied from Bill Clerc's recording of the ceremony
The majority of the traditional music in these recordings was collected from older folks. We thought it would be of interest to some if
we included the ages (or approximate ages) of the performers at the time the recordings were made, so this information is also given below.
The performers used alternate fiddle tunings for some pieces, and these are given in red. For more information on this, see the
Tunings Page.
CD 1
Track | Title | Performer(s) | Date | Age | Clip |
1 | Devil in the Haystack | Harvey Taylor (GH) | 04/28/79 | 84 | Hear |
2 | Rachael | Harry Jones (MW) | 1950s | 50s | |
3 | Jump in the Well, Pretty Little Miss | Noah Beavers | 10/11/75 | 77 | |
4 | Prairie Dog | Jess Abbott (PA) | 09/19/75 | 82 | |
5 | Crow Creek | Stelle Elam (DM, LS) | 10/75 | 73 | |
6 | Gingham Waltz | Jim Newton (1) | 10/21/79 | 78 | Hear |
7 | Goin' Across the Sea | Orval Hale | 04/23/77 | 66 | Hear |
8 | Possum up a Gum Stump | Harvey Taylor (GH) | 04/28/79 | 84 | |
9 | Run Down Boot | Pete Priest (GH) | 10/75 | 71 | |
10 | Cotton-Eyed Joe (AEAC#) | Noah Beavers | 10/11/75 | 77 | Hear |
11 | West Virginia Polka | Harvey Taylor (GH) | 04/28/79 | 84 | |
12 | Sailor Springs | Charlie Fulk (GH, LS) | 01/28/76 | 59 | |
13 | Knockin' at the Kitchen Door | Jim Reed | 06/14/72 | 69 | |
14 | Rattlesnake Jig | Harvey Taylor | 05/06/75 | 80 | |
15 | Nuts and Bolts | Odie Griffith (GH) | 08/05/76 | 60 | Hear |
16 | Dusty Miller | Harry Jones (MW) | 1950s | 50s | |
17 | Neighbor Up the Road | Cliff Pulliam (GH, LS) | 01/27/76 | 64 | |
18 | Wolf Creek | Harvey Taylor | 1950s? | 60s | |
19 | Pete and Nancy | Fletcher Fulk (GH, LS) | 01/28/76 | 73 | |
20 | Don't You Hear Jerusalem Moan? | Delbar Tarpley | 10/05/75 | 75 | Hear |
21 | Courtin' in the Kitchen | Harvey Taylor | 10/75 | 81 | |
22 | Rush and the Pepper | Jess Abbott | 09/19/75 | 82 | |
23 | Stump-Tail Dog | Howard Sims (DB) | 03/23/77 | 80 | |
24 | Tater Roll | Harvey Taylor (GH) | 04/28/79 | 84 | |
25 | Going to London (GDAD) | Noah Beavers (GH) | 04/28/79 | 81 | Hear |
26 | Apple Knocker (original) | Bob Valentine | 03/13/77 | 62 | |
27 | Four and Twenty Blackbirds Dancing on a Fawn Skin | Harvey Taylor | 05/23/75 | 80 | Hear |
28 | Joe Wingerter | Joe Wingerter (LS) | 02/15/77 | 64 | |
29 | Oscar Bettis | John Graham (GH) | 11/12/77 | 79 | |
30 | Golden Grip | Harvey Taylor | 05/06/75 | 80 | |
31 | Dixon's Hornpipe | Harry Jones (MW) | 1950s | 50s | |
32 | The Mill at Hord | Jim Newton | 06/09/79 | 78 | |
33 | Sandy Bank | Anthony Hill (JH) | 08/78 | 74 | |
34 | Come on Ma'am, Look at Sam (AEAE) | Noah Beavers | 10/11/75 | 77 | |
35 | Lovers' First Quarrel | Harry Elie | 05/24/77 | 70 | |
36 | Rye Whiskey (AEAC#) | Harvey Taylor (MW) | 1950s | 60s | |
37 | Rabbit in a Fodder Shock | Cecil Polley (JH) | 08/78 | c. 70 | Hear |
38 | Turkey Roost | Everett Fulk (GH) | 01/11/77 | c. 70 | |
39 | Tater Blossom | Noah Beavers | 10/11/75 | 77 | |
40 | Stonewall Jackson | Harvey Taylor | 05/23/75 | 80 | |
41 | Wednesday Night Waltz | Harry Jones (MW) | 1950s | 50s | |
CD 2
Track | Title | Performer(s) | Date | Age | Clip |
1 | Lost Indian (AEAC#) | Harvey Taylor (MW) | 1950s | 60s | Hear |
2 | Round Up the Yearlings | Harry Jones (MW) | 1950s | 50s | |
3 | Billy Butler (a/k/a Swinging Limb) | Noah Beavers (GH) | 04/28/79 | 81 | |
4 | Five Miles from Town | Jess Abbott (PA) | 09/19/75 | 82 | |
5 | Brownie's Reel | Cliff Pulliam (GH, LS) | 01/27/76 | 64 | Hear |
6 | Cora Dye | Jim Reed | 06/14/72 | 69 | |
7 | Bell Cow | Harvey Taylor (JH) | 04/28/79 | 84 | |
8 | Dog Treed a Possum Up a White Oak Tree | Howard Sims (GH) | 09/09/76 | 80 | |
9 | Bean Walker's Mile | Charlie Fulk (GH) | 10/18/76 | 60 | Hear |
10 | Jump That Log (AEAC#) | Noah Beavers | 03/21/76 | 78 | |
11 | Ox in the Mud | Harvey Taylor | 1950s | 60s | |
12 | Crooked Road | Stelle Elam | 10/75 | 73 | |
13 | Pacific Slope | Harry Jones (MW) | 1950s | 50s | |
14 | Dance, Boatmen, Dance | Harvey Taylor | 05/06/75 | 80 | |
15 | Pretty Little Widow | Arlin Dietz (JH) | 08/78 | c. 70 | Hear |
16 | Pennyrile Tea | Orval Hale | 04/27/79 | 68 | |
17 | White's Polka | Harvey Taylor (GH) | 04/28/79 | 84 | |
18 | Durang's Hornpipe | Jim Newton (1) | 10/21/79 | 78 | |
19 | Rolling River | Delbar Tarpley (LS) | 12/30/75 | 75 | |
20 | Six Pounds of Feathers in a Cuckoo's Nest | Harvey Taylor (GH) | 04/23/77 | 82 | |
21 | Bacon and Sausage | Everett Fulk (GH) | 01/11/77 | c.70 | |
22 | Flint Rock River | Noah Beavers (GH) | 08/02/76 | 78 | |
23 | Rummy Tum | Harvey Taylor | 04/30/75 | 80 | |
24 | John Graham (original) | John Graham (GH) | 11/12/77 | 79 | |
25 | Best Timber | Harry Jones (MW) | 1950s | 50s | Hear |
26 | Tennessee Backwoods Stomp | Harvey Taylor (GH) | 04/28/79 | 84 | |
27 | Sims One-Step | Odie Griffith (GH) | 08/05/76 | 60 | |
28 | Litchfield | Pete Priest | 10/75 | 71 | |
29 | Hop-Scotch Polka | Harvey Taylor | 04/30/75 | 80 | |
30 | Little Brown Jug (GDAD) | Hurley Bennett | 06/14/76 | 93 | |
31 | Bound for the Hills (original) | Fletcher Fulk (GH, LS) | 01/28/76 | 73 | |
32 | Big Brown Jug | Harvey Taylor | 10/75 | 80 | |
33 | Old Kentucky Whiskey | Noah Beavers | 10/11/75 | 77 | |
34 | Forked Deer | Harry Jones (MW) | 1950s | 50s | |
35 | Sliding Eight | Harvey Taylor | 05/06/75 | 80 | |
36 | Dry and Dusty | Otis Reynolds | 12/03/77 | 78 | |
37 | Old Missouri | Harry Elie (GH) | 03/18/79 | 72 | Hear |
38 | Old Plantation | Harvey Taylor | 05/06/75 | 80 | |
39 | 40 Miles from Georgetown Without any Whiskey | Ben Woods (GH, LS) | 03/21/76 | 89 | |
40 | Red Bird | Harvey Taylor | 05/06/75 | 80 | |
41 | Nonsense (original) | Jim Newton (1) | 10/21/79 | 78 | |
42 | Goin' Down to Cairo | Noah Beavers (GH) | 04/28/79 | 81 | |
CD 3
Track | Title | Performer(s) | Date | Age | Clip |
1 | Hell Among the Yearlings | Harry Jones (MW) | 1950s | 50s | |
2 | Old Mother Flannigan | Harvey Taylor | 05/06/75 | 80 | |
3 | Give the Fiddler a Dram | Noah Beavers (GH) | 04/28/79 | 81 | Hear |
4 | Rollin' the Logs (original) | Cliff Pulliam (GH, LS) | 01/27/76 | 64 | |
5 | Straw Bonnet | Harvey Taylor (GH) | 04/28/79 | 84 | |
6 | Eagle Creek | Jim Reed (GH) | 02/05/77 | 74 | Hear |
7 | Evalina | John Gibson (GH) | 03/19/77 | 70 | |
8 | Humpback Mule | Harvey Taylor (GH) | 07/03/78 | 83 | |
9 | Fox Chase (GDAD) | Noah Beavers (GH) | 04/28/79 | 81 | |
10 | Old Gray Horse | Harry Jones (MW) | 1950s | 50s | |
11 | Bonaparte's March | Harvey Taylor | 05/23/75 | 80 | |
12 | Little Bird in the Ash Brook (AEAC#) | Jess Abbott | 05/23/77 | 84 | |
13 | Jackson County (original) | Noah Beavers (NW) | 02/25/78 | 80 | |
14 | Shell Corn | Harvey Taylor (MW) | 1950s | 60s | Hear |
15 | Old Mose | Howard Sims (DB) | 03/23/77 | 80 | |
16 | Sal's Got a Wooden Leg | Arlin Dietz (JH) | 08/78 | c. 70 | |
17 | Sugar in My Coffee | Harvey Taylor (GH) | 04/14/79 | 84 | |
18 | Wild Goose | Harry Jones (MW) | 1950s | 50s | |
19 | Blind Bull | Odie Griffith | 12/01/76 | 60 | |
20 | None of Your Business | Noah Beavers (GH) | 04/28/79 | 81 | Hear |
21 | Ground Hog | Harvey Taylor (GH) | 04/14/79 | 84 | |
22 | Old Joe Clark | Orval Hale | 04/28/79 | 68 | |
23 | Rocky Bluff | Noah Beavers (KA) | 04/29/89 | 91 | |
24 | Lost Indian II | Harvey Taylor (GH) | 04/14/79 | 84 | |
25 | Sugar Foot | Harry Elie | 03/18/79 | 72 | |
26 | Green Valley Waltz | Mike Wilson (hca/gtr) | 1950s | ? | Hear
| 27 | Lone Prairie | Harvey Taylor | 10/75 | 81 | |
28 | Pond Creek Bottom | Otis Reynolds | 12/03/77 | 78 | Hear |
29 | Fox Chase | Vince Uselton | 05/20/77 | 73 | |
30 | Scotland Yard | Harvey Taylor (GH) | 04/23/77 | 82 | |
31 | Benton | Jim Reed (GH) | 02/05/77 | 74 | |
32 | Winter Night Waltz | Everett Fulk (GH) | 01/11/77 | c. 70 | |
33 | Butterfly Schottische | Harvey Taylor (GH) | 04/14/79 | 84 | |
34 | Grotts | Stelle Elam | 10/75 | 73 | |
35 | Leather Britches | Noah Beavers (GH) | 04/23/77 | 79 | |
36 | Ida Red | Harvey Taylor | 1950s | 60s | |
37 | Pompy Stole a Hog | Dave Spaugh | 1972 | 78 | |
38 | Bear Pen Holler | Harry Jones | 1957 | 57 | Hear |
39 | La Gui-Annee | (2) | c. 1950 | var. | |
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