robinja - Posted - 10/17/2010:  20:44:08

The tune of the week this week is Possum on a Rail. I learned it from the Mississippi Possum Hunters' recording, which was recorded in Memphis, TN, on May 28, 1930. They recorded three other sides at that session (Mississippi Breakdown, The Last Shot Got Him, and Rufus Rastus), which is their entire recorded output. The fiddler for this group was Lonnie Ellis, and John Holloway accompanied him on cello. (I never actually noticed this - will have to go back and listen!) Ellis and Holloway were from near Winona, MS, which is north of Jackson. (Information is from the liner notes to Mississippi String Bands, Volume 1, which I HIGHLY recommend.)

According to the Fiddlers' Companion, the tune was a composition of Lonnie Ellis. You can read the full entry here:
ibiblio.org/fiddlers/PORT_POY.htm

The tune is in the key of G, and I play it in standard tuning. The structure of the tune is AABB, except there is a slight variation in the second A part.

This tune is one of my favorites. It is challenging without being too difficult. The B part is very similar to "Boil Them Cabbage Down", so there's not much melody to learn - just a shuffle-y chord progression followed by a slide up to a unison on the high E (which is a lot of fun!). The A part is not difficult melodically, either, but it is a little syncopated - the fiddler comes in a little ahead of the beat in several places, and then there's the twist that the 2nd A variation provides. It's not the easiest tune to pick up for an accompanying guitarist, I've found.

The syncopation, slides, and shuffles provide a lot of energy, and this tune always seems to please other jam-mates and audiences.

For your listening pleasure, the original recording:

honkingduck.com/78s/listen.php?s=20001B

or

youtube.com/watch?v=EiKxmXijZGw

Here's a video of me playing it with my fiddling mentor, Mick Kinney, my husband Dean on banjo, and G.P. Lewis on guitar (not pictured):
youtube.com/watch?v=JvHIQuCunww

And I have also uploaded an MP3 to my homepage:
fiddlehangout.com/myhangout/mu...sp?id=214

There are some other great versions on Youtube. Feel free to link your favorites!

Judy

Edited by - robinja on 10/17/2010 20:49:18

RobBob - Posted - 10/18/2010:  06:20:53

Great tune Judy, it is one we play with our pals from PA. It is one of their favorites.

carlb - Posted - 10/18/2010:  07:17:57

quote:

---

Originally posted by RobBob

Great tune Judy, it is one we play with our pals from PA. It is one of their favorites.

---

bj - Posted - 10/18/2010:  07:43:44

I must have played this tune somewhere sometime. I picked up the fiddle and it was already under my fingers! Good one, Judy!

wormbower - Posted - 10/18/2010:  08:28:00

Thank you!! I was just lamenting this morning what I thought was the death of TOTW! Great tune and nice fiddling!

Paul

vrteach - Posted - 10/18/2010:  10:10:57

Good tune. I think I've played along with it, but I'm glad to have it brought back to my attention.

There is a nice youtube of Chirps Smith & Dave Landreth at:

youtube.com/watch?v=RfTP1QxSwCg

jb - Posted - 10/18/2010:  10:50:00

we also play this in our jams, One can hear a slowed down version/tutorial at stringband.mossyroof.com/#GTunes and at melbay.com/festivaltunes_fiddle.asp
if my links can be trusted. there is an underline (_) between festivaltunes and fiddle that doesn't quite show up. For notation it's in Phillips Traditional Fiddle tunes Volume One. Also glad to see the return of TOTW jb

dancinbear - Posted - 10/18/2010:  13:48:46

Thanks so much for posting a TOTW. Maybe somebody here wants a crack at it next week? Email me

vrteach - Posted - 10/18/2010:  15:48:05

You can also hear the original recording in mp3 format at junberry78s:

juneberry78s.com/otmsampler/ot...t283.html

ChickenMan - Posted - 10/18/2010:  16:47:39

Yes! One of my faves. I love the simplicity of it. I never tire of hearing it and it was on my 'list' of 'so many tunes...'. Now it's in my bag.

bsed - Posted - 10/18/2010:  17:07:58

quote:

---

Originally posted by wormbower

Thank you!! I was just lamenting this morning what I thought was the death of TOTW! Great tune and nice fiddling!

Paul

---

Edited by - bsed on 10/18/2010 17:08:45