JanetB - Posted - 03/15/2013:  05:55:32

Many a-time a tune grabs me and I’ll listen over and over.   Richmond, the TOTW, as played by Adam Hurt with Beth William Hartness on his newest release “Fine Times At Our House” is one of those tunes.  It has a cheerful melody with a delightful, brief tweak of the double tonic note.  Here’s a sample of Adam’s version: clawhammered Richmond

Researching Richmond sent me sleuthing and led me to some other great players.  In my query to Adam I was referred to Bruce Molsky who’d recorded Richmond on his great CD “Contented Must Be.”  His liner notes referred me to Andy Cahan, a banjo player who has been around for a long while but who I’d not heard of before.  Andy had learned it from Roscoe Parish (1897 – 1984) in Coal Creek, Virginia, whose recordings are included in the Milliner-Koken  American Fiddle Tunes  book.  Andy and Alice Gerrard  had collected tunes from Roscoe in Coal Creek, Virginia in the 80’s. 

Roscoe didn’t remember the name of this tune so Andy and Alice called it Cuckoo’s Nest due to its similarities.    You can hear Alice on fiddle with BHO’s own Gail Gillespie on youtube: Alice Gerrard and Gail Gillespie playing Roscoe Parish's "Cuckoo's Nest"

I was surprised at Roscoe’s Cuckoo’s Nest being the same basic tune as Adam’s and Bruce’s Richmond and have since researched both tunes to tie them together, and further, to understand why the version of Cuckoo’s Nest I learned years ago sounds so different.

Furthermore, Richmond as played by Bruce and Adam is totally different from another Richmond, the popular breakdown played in the Blue Ridge Mountains, which modulates from the key of D to A and uses no double tonic, myxolydian scale.  Gail Gillespie shared with me a recording of her band playing this breakdown as “Old Richmond” and you can hear it played by Otis Burris on the Slippery Hill website, a tune also included in Milliner-Koken’s book:  #904,a different Richmond.

Here is the TOTW Richmond:   Bruce and the Bee Catchers playing Richmond (with Tashina and Tristan Clarridge).  Played in A, like Cuckoo’s Nest, it uses the flatted 7^th note to produce that ear-catching, pleasant Celtic feel.  Only played briefly as a single G note in the 6^th measure of the A part and 3^rd and 6^th measure of the B part, it adds appeal.

At this point of my research I came to realize that Cuckoo’s Nest has much variation.  There are two settings in O’Neill’s Music of Ireland  (1903) and O’Neill claims the song goes back a written source in 1723.   They’re slightly different from others who you can listen to on the Slippery Hill website:   #s 307, 488, 489, 752--Roscoe Parish, Ed Haley, Dan White fiddling Cuckoo's Nest.  

 The Cuckoo’s Nest that I’ve recorded on BHO (similar to the many other BHO versions) doesn’t equate to any of the above, but sounds more like Bill Northcut on the Slippery Hill website:  #753, Bill Northcut fiddling "Cuckoo's Nest".  It has a prominent double tonic, myxolydian sound and it’s been a revelation to me that it’s not the same Cuckoo’s Nest prevalent in American fiddling.

In learning about Richmond, or Cuckoo’s Nest,  I also learned more about Roscoe Parish.  Andy Cahan and Alice Gerrard spent much time with him between 1981 and 1984, hearing and recording a huge repertoire of tunes and songs, often with his sister Leone, too.  Andy and Alice produced an album in 1986 called “The Old Time Way” plus an extensive booklet Roscoe’s life, as well as Luther Davis.  This booklet is a hard-to-find treasure, and contains information about Roscoe and his family history.  The Parish’s valued education and hard work.  They played music at home and for dances and community events.  Roscoe and his sister, Leone, continued playing as the years went by, living on the family farm all their lives.  Roscoe taught in the local one-room schoolhouse for a year; Leone taught for 35 years.  He and his brother worked on automobile engines for a living.

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Here are some memorable quotes from the booklet The Old Time Way, The music and times of Luther Davis, Roscoe Parish, Leone Parish by Andy Cahan and Alice Gerrard (1986):

Leone:  Roscoe was often sick as a child, and the doctor wouldn’t let him work….The doctor found out Roscoe could pick a little tune on the banjo, and he’d just rare back and say, “If I could do that I’d never work another lick.”

Roscoe:  I didn’t feel like buying a banjo, so I made me one, and I had the satisfaction of knowing I made it.  I got a cat skin or a groundhog skin, and put it on.  It’s not a bit of trouble to dress the hide.  You’d better soak the blood out with burnt water first, and hang him up, and let him hang about an hour every day…Doctor Cox said that music was better than medicine.  If you get down with the blues, you’re sick all over before you know it.  But if you play the fiddle or the banjo and you enjoy it, you never get blue.  And it will rest you more than anything…. Dad used to know a lot of them Scotch-Irish tunes….Now them old songs—young people was playing ‘em when I was a boy and they’re still good.  That’s what makes ‘em better—if they’ll stand the hard work of time, they’re alright….

Soon after producing the album, Andy taught the tune to Bruce.  Later Claire Milliner and Walt Koken learned it from Bruce’s version and include it in their “Just Tunes” CD.  Alice is keeping it alive by playing it at old-time music camps and workshops, and Adam Hurt has recently recorded it, too.

Bruce mentions in his liner notes that this tune was played in the Ozarks as “Richmond” and mentioned Fate Morrison may have played it, but I couldn’t find a recording or information.  Bruce’s liner notes mention other related tunes that came from Scotland.  I’d credit Bruce with re-naming what Roscoe learned as Cuckoo’s Nest, though Bruce has a few different rhythmic passages in the A part.   As Bruce puts it, “Apparently I’ve mixed up a few of the notes of that tune with another version from Fate Morrison of Arkansas.”  The B part has an extra half-measure.

 The most magnificent recording of Richmond I found is of Bruce Molsky with the Berklee World Strings, also featuring Daryl Anger and Bryce Milano:  Berklee School of Music playing Richmond

Here’s John Lamancusa’s  link to Richmond in the Old Time Reels section, as played by Claire Milliner and Walt Koken:  Claire Milliner and Walt Koken playing Richmond.  You can also see the helpful notated version on John’s website:  John Lamancusa's site with notation and midi file

BHO’s John Walkenbach learned it from the “Just Tunes” CD: J-Walk's Richmond video

Richmond’s story is one more example of how fiddle tunes change and evolve, both in melody and title.   Here’s my version and tab.  Thanks to Alice Gerrard who graciously shared the photos of Roscoe and Leone.  Hope you enjoy and give it a try! 

Edited by - JanetB on 03/15/2013 06:06:59

Richmond

Richmond tab

Roscoe Parish and his sister, Leone Parish

Roscoe Parish

spittenkittens - Posted - 03/15/2013:  06:56:28

WOW that was quite a post! a lot to listen to and I like all of of it.

raybob - Posted - 03/15/2013:  07:07:49

Excellent!  Thanks.

bhniko - Posted - 03/15/2013:  09:11:30

I would like to be in your music class.

ScottK - Posted - 03/15/2013:  10:03:30

Great research and write-up, Janet!  Thanks!

Three years ago (  ...  Time flies when you're having fun!   ) I submitted Luther Davis' Flying Indian for a TOTW.  In the research for that I found the web site D Tunes of Roscoe Parish and Luther Davis from OTMCN 2006, Alice Gerrard and Brad Leftwich that you'll probably enjoy.  I also found some photos of Luther Davis by Don Mussell.  Don has more photos of old time players here.

Cheers, Scott

jamesd - Posted - 03/15/2013:  10:36:22

Great selection in Richmond.   And very good playing of the tune.  Thanks for giving me another tune to learn.

J-Walk - Posted - 03/15/2013:  16:32:57

I really like your version, Janet. And, a very interesting write-up.

There's another recorded version by Nate Leath on his Rockville Pike CD. It starts out with Tatiana Hargreaves singing: "Goin' down to Richmond, have a little fun. Next time I go there I won't forget my gun. ???? over on the hill 'cause I'm mad about the money in my grampa's will."

JanetB - Posted - 03/15/2013:  16:45:47

Thanks, John, for that link, and the kind words on this thread.  A 13 year-old fiddler recorded that CD?  Wow!  It sounds very much like the way Bruce Molsky plays it.  Yigal Zan commented that it's very much like Miles Krassen's version of Cuckoo's Nest.  (I consider Miles a hero--his excellent 1974 book Clawhammer Banjo was a tremendous teaching tool for me.)  I'm glad to see it's getting around.  I like Adam Hurt's clawhammer version--there's just something extra-special about it I can't pinpoint. 

ScottK - Posted - 03/15/2013:  17:15:30

quote:

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Originally posted by JanetB

A 13 year-old fiddler recorded that CD?  Wow!  It sounds very much like the way Bruce Molsky plays it. 

---

Tatiana is like no other teenager I've ever heard play old time music.  I think she's empirical evidence for reincarnation!  

Ironically, Bruce Molsky and Tatiana Hargreaves are both playing tonight at the Portland FolkMusic Society's 3rd Friday Concert, but I'm probably going to skip it to go play tunes with Ray Leach and the Portland Parlor Pickers jam.  Hard to believe I'd pass up a chance to see Bruce and Tatiana, but I've been real busy for the last month and haven't been able to play tunes with friends since Oly Old Time.  I'm really jonesin' to play tunes with some good friends, so I'm planning on doing that.

Scott

aeroweenie - Posted - 03/15/2013:  19:43:46

Really great tune, Janet, and excellent write up.  I hear similarities to Cuckoo's Nest, but Richmond is significantly different than the version of Cuckoo's Nest I'm familiar with.  I wonder if Richmond evolved from Cuckoo's Nest, or vice versa or if they are in fact unrelated tunes.  Your clawhammer version is well played and will help in learning the tune.  I really like the Molsky & Bee Eaters rendition, the cello is a nice compliment to the fiddles.

handsup8 - Posted - 03/15/2013:  20:05:24

Great TOTW, Janet. Awesome pick and top-notch research.

Andy Cahan is one of my favorite banjo players and his 1978 record with Lisa Ornstein and Laura Fishleder [recorded when they all were pretty darn young themselves and still in school at Oberlin]--"Ship in the Clouds"--is a constant in my playlists. It's available through Smithsonian here:

folkways.si.edu/andy-cahan-lau...ithsonian

Thanks for your helpful tab as well. I've been thrown by that extra half measure for a while now, and that really unlocked Molsky's version for me. Ted

Paul Roberts - Posted - 03/15/2013:  22:12:41

Interesting melody, the way it winds around.

It's fun to watch your playing leap forth and take off like a bird in flight.

Edited by - Paul Roberts on 03/15/2013 22:17:11

SCclawman - Posted - 03/16/2013:  06:45:44

Good morning Janet,

Loving the write up and the tune! 

John, enjoyed watching your video as well!

twothphry - Posted - 03/16/2013:  09:25:43

  I have a question on the tab that was posted above. In the 4th measure of the B part there seems to be some missing notes. Does the timing change for that measure or is that the way the measure is played? That seems to be the only measure that is off.

JanetB - Posted - 03/16/2013:  09:51:06

quote:

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Originally posted by twothphry

  I have a question on the tab that was posted above. In the 4th measure of the B part there seems to be some missing notes. Does the timing change for that measure or is that the way the measure is played? That seems to be the only measure that is off.

---

 Good question, Rick. The tab follows the way the tune is played.  The measure you're looking at is where I chose to indicate the half measure that in effect makes this tune "crooked."  Sometimes a tab won't put a measure marker where a tune is crooked, but then the measure will have six beats instead of four.  Mine has a two-beat measure followed by a four-beat measure.   Hope that helps.

LyleK - Posted - 03/16/2013:  09:56:05

Or written as a measure of 3/2 in an otherwise 2/2 tune.  As in Lamancusa's notation, which I've put into tablature.

Richmond

JanetB - Posted - 03/16/2013:  10:03:58

Thanks, Lyle!

Adam Kiesling - Posted - 03/16/2013:  13:43:18

Great stuff, Janet, and thanks for the well-written info!

camcumberland - Posted - 03/17/2013:  16:18:42

Great pick Janet! I gave it a try, the extra half measure kind of threw me for a loop, but I beat it out of my banjo somehow.

VIDEO: Richmond (click to view)

JanetB - Posted - 03/17/2013:  17:52:56

Great picking, Cam.  Nice slide and triplets, too.  Thanks for joining in.

EggerRidgeBoy - Posted - 03/17/2013:  18:31:01

quote:

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Originally posted by ScottK

quote:

---

Originally posted by JanetB

A 13 year-old fiddler recorded that CD?  Wow!  It sounds very much like the way Bruce Molsky plays it. 

---

Tatiana is like no other teenager I've ever heard play old time music.  I think she's empirical evidence for reincarnation!  

 

---

Reincarnation - or a botched exorcism: bluegrassintelligencer.com/?p=956

[Just as a head's up, The Bluegrass Intelligencer is a satiric, "Onion"-like website run by banjo player Geg Liszt, of the band Crooked Still.  Most of the content is pretty innocuous, but some may find parts of it mildly offensive in one way or another.]

As to Richmond itself, thanks Janet for the usual great write-up and all the wonderful versions.  It is a tune I wasn't really familiar with at all.

Edited by - EggerRidgeBoy on 03/17/2013 18:32:05

mtmncobb - Posted - 03/17/2013:  18:34:34

Good tune and a heck of a write up! I'd never heard that one before. Here's my take.

Richmond

BrendanD - Posted - 03/17/2013:  19:00:08

quote:

---

Originally posted by ScottK

quote:

---

Originally posted by JanetB

A 13 year-old fiddler recorded that CD?  Wow!  It sounds very much like the way Bruce Molsky plays it. 

---

Tatiana is like no other teenager I've ever heard play old time music.  I think she's empirical evidence for reincarnation!  

---

Funny you should say that, Scott:

bluegrassintelligencer.com/?p=956

Edit: Oops, I see EggerRidgeBoy beat me to it!

Edited by - BrendanD on 03/17/2013 19:03:36

BrendanD - Posted - 03/17/2013:  19:17:38

quote:

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Originally posted by ScottK

Great research and write-up, Janet!  Thanks!

I also found some photos of Luther Davis by Don Mussell.  Don has more photos of old time players here.

Cheers, Scott

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Hey, my (now) wife Maxine and I are in some of those photos, from a 1982 visit to Luther with a bunch of friends after Galax that year! I never did meet Roscoe and Leone Parish, though.

Janet, great writeup of one of my favorite tunes! My audio is malfunctioning just now, so I haven't listened to your version of the tune, though judging by other recordings you've posted, I'm sure it's great. By chance, I'm getting together later this week with Tashina (and maybe Tristan) for some tunes, so I'll have to get her to play this! Good timing - thanks!  

Edited by - BrendanD on 03/17/2013 19:18:23

JanetB - Posted - 03/17/2013:  19:58:45

Jedidiah (mtmncobb), your Richmond is most enjoyable.  The link to the Bluegrass Intelligencer had us laughing out loud.  Thanks to all for the musical fun and appreciation of this thread. 

Don Borchelt - Posted - 03/21/2013:  12:55:18

This is a great choice for tune of the week.  I hear it played at jams around here in Boston and have generally just faked my way through it, so I've been wanting to work it up for a long time, but I've been down for the last week with a bad cold and cough, and am going to have to miss this chance to take part.  Later on, I'm going to come back to this thread, though, and finally learn me some Richmond; what a great bunch of picking!

- Don Borchelt