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JanetB - Posted - 01/21/2013: 12:37:52
The simple beauty of these tunes stands out when I listen to Dwight Diller playing what he learned from his neighbors long ago. Both of them have unusual 5th string tuning. Dead Man's Peace uses the tuning fCGCD. Calloway uses eCGCD.
The title for Dead Man's Peace came out different on my media player than the usual "Dead Man's Piece." I like its meaning more.
Calloway may qualify for me as one of five tunes Dwight Diller recommended I choose and practice daily to develop better rhythm. It has few notes, so relies on rhythm and accents to impart its melody. For the sake of comparison I'm including two recordings of Calloway--one on a Bart Reiter Whyte Laydie with its tone ring and the other on my simple and lightweight openback with no tone ring.
Lee Hammons, 1971. He was a neighbor of the Hammons family Dwight Diller visited often, but wasn't related.
Edited by - JanetB on 01/21/2013 13:02:38
Steve Jeter - Posted - 01/21/2013: 13:36:16
I really like all 3! esp Calloway, kudos!
bhniko - Posted - 01/21/2013: 15:43:36
My ears are happy. You make anything you play sound good.
The Whyte laydie does ring out...but the openback harkens to that old time sound coming from someone's front porch.
JanetB - Posted - 01/22/2013: 06:13:35
Thanks for commenting, Steve and Richard. Ken (kenelk) noticed the similarity of Calloway to Wade Ward's Half-Shaved tune and I listened and agree. Wade was from Virginia, the neighboring state to the Hammons. This tells me the tune is older and had already traveled during the 1800's. Wade claimed that it came from a Black dance tune and the title suggests it (I don't use the last "n" word in "Half-Shaved"). He plays more rapidly than Dwight Diller, as did Lee Hammons. I like Dwight's slower clarity in Calloway.
I actually like Dead Man' Peace more than Calloway. It has a melody that's unique and beautiful. Calloway has more rhythm and a simpler melody.
I'm curious about Lee Hammon's other tunes (I think there's 13 of them recorded and available in CD format through Elaine Diller). Are they all as pretty as these first two of learned?
SCclawman - Posted - 01/22/2013: 06:57:55
Janet,
I listened to Dead Man's Peace 5 times in a row, and I'm currently on my 3rd listen through Calloway.
Both tunes are awesome (never heard either before), but I have to say that Dead Man's Peace is my favorite by far. Sometimes you hear a song where the melody just grabs a hold of you and won't let go. Dead Man's Peace did that for me. It's a beautiful song. You played it wonderfully.
On Calloway, I think I liked the recording with the tone ring the best.
You mentioned Dwight's clarity in one of your posts, and I just want to add that I think you play with unbelievable clarity as well. Crisp, clean, clear. Three great qualities to have, and you've got them all.
Great post with some great music to listen to this morning. Thanks Janet.
Steve Jeter - Posted - 01/22/2013: 07:02:51
Janet, I bet you already have Jericho Road,, but if not Dwight has a binch of sweet tunes on there.
SCclawman - Posted - 01/22/2013: 12:51:24
Ok, I may be totally off on this.
On Dead Man's Peace, it slightly reminds me at times of Down to the River to Pray. Mainly the line/melody "studying about that good old way"
Anybody else hear that?
JanetB - Posted - 01/23/2013: 06:36:57
Thanks for your comments, gentlemen. Steve, I don't have Jericho Road but it's easy and reasonable to get it from Elaine Diller. Travis, you've got me playing Down in the Valley to Pray. I can sing along when the B part begins and the banjo plays harmony to the words "When I go down in the valley to pray." Their cadence is similar.
