ROOTS OF AMERICAN FIDDLE MUSIC
Old Time Music Recordings, Photos, And Information

How to put a skin
head on your banjo by S.S. Stewart

Rare 1914 Photo!

Thanks to Russell McClanahan
Courtesy of Rome Area History Museum

Early Fiddlers of the 1920's and their stories...

Pope's Arkansas Mountaineers member Lee F. "Tip" McKinney was interviewed in 1972 and gave this fascinating narrative of the band and the circumstances surrounding their brief and only recording session on Monday February 6, 1928 in Memphis, Tennessee resulting in only six issued discs.

Read or download complete article here

AMAZING FACTS
of the old time musicians
unearthed...
CLICK HERE!

ORPINGALIK
The Netsillk Eskimo
Songs are thoughts sung out with the breath when people are moved by great forces and speech no longer suffices

Early recorded country music of the 1920's and 1930's, particulary of the southeastern states, is what is commonly referred to as "old time music". The stringband tradition composed often of banjos, fiddles, and guitars flourished for a brief time as the recording industry cashed in on the many country musicians eager to strut their stuff in the recording studio. The industry went on to make millions as the vast majority of these recording artists received very little return for their efforts.

     These recordings formed the true backbone of country music today, and in fact inspired the emergence of the Bill Monroe's bluegrass of the 1940's, as well as Texas swing, and early country blues. Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead in their earlier years always had a sprinkling of old time music such as the following selections. I have linked to samples of some of the earliest recorded versions:

How TALL was Willie Narmour?