Twelvefret - Posted - 02/27/2009:  05:00:08

Apparently there was a Joe Clarke and he was murdered. This tune became popular according to Wikepedia among some Eastern Kentucky soldiers during the first world war circa 1918.

I used a Noel Booth 13" fretless Antebellum banjo strung with synthetic gut strings. For you non banjo types, the larger the rim, the deeper the tone.


http://www.hangoutstorage.com/fiddl...52722009.mp3

chuck

Chuck Naill
http://chucksmusicpage.blogspot.com/

TimK - Posted - 02/27/2009:  09:06:22

Great sounding banjo Chuck. I prefer that "original old time sound" to a modern resonator banjo with steel strings.

TImK

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Wrangle up yer mouth parts, drag yer banjer out, tune yer ole geetar till it twangs right stout, for the snow is on the mountain and the wind is on the plain, so we''ll cut the chimny''s moanin with a livelier refrain.

Fiddlepiper - Posted - 02/27/2009:  21:45:00

Old Joe Clark was written prior to 1840. He was an African-American. I like that old timey plunky banjo sound. I play Scruggs Golden Deluxe...like Gibson sound.

Terry

Twelvefret - Posted - 02/28/2009:  02:57:45

quote:

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Old Joe Clark was written prior to 1840. He was an African-American. I like that old timey plunky banjo sound. I play Scruggs Golden Deluxe...like Gibson sound.

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DougD - Posted - 02/28/2009:  05:51:09

Really nice sounding banjo, Chuck. Did you choose to play it in D to get an even deeper tone?

As far as the tune, its history does seem obscure, but apparently its not too old, and the melody shape makes a Kentucky origin, or African American influence seem plausible, IMO. In this case I think the Fiddler's Companion is more interesting than wikipedia: http://www.ibiblio.org/fiddlers/OLDHA_OLDMRS.htm

Or you can just accept Darrell Scott's take on it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eX64uMmpyA

We do know that Stephen Foster wrote "Old Black Joe" in 1860.

Twelvefret - Posted - 02/28/2009:  09:03:19

quote:

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Really nice sounding banjo, Chuck. Did you choose to play it in D to get an even deeper tone?

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Edited by - Twelvefret on 02/28/2009 17:15:23

DougD - Posted - 02/28/2009:  11:37:44

Yes, I read that too. Its kind of interesting that that historical marker is in Sexton's Creek, Clay county, KY - not too far from Renfro Valley in Rockcastle county, where Manuel "Speedy" Clark performed for many years in character as "Old Joe Clark." He was originally from Johnson City, TN, but created the character at Renfro Valley. He used to hire the Roan Mountain Hilltoppers to play up there sometimes.
http://www.renfrovalley.com/enterta...e_clark.html