Mtngoat - Posted - 02/14/2014:  17:21:39

TOTW  02-14-2014     John Henry

I’ve chosen John Henry for this installment of TOTW.   I am a bit surprised that it has not been featured before and I’m hoping for a lively discussion with many performance submissions.

Scholars generally agree that John Henry originated in the decades between 1870 and 1890 and that the protagonist is African-American.  Everything else beyond these basic facts has been subject to contentious debate for almost a century.

Researchers are divided as to whether the story is a myth or chronicles an actual event.  There are disputes about John Henry’s birth place (Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Virginia), the location of the contest (Alabama, Virginia, West Virginia), and even if he was tall of stature or short.

I’ve known John Henry since childhood but writing up this TOTW led me into the fascinating background of the song and I recommend anyone with an interest in American music delve into the subject at some of these websites: 

Matteson art :  Summarizes the research and provides lengthy discographies and bibliographies.

George Mason University History News Network :  An academic bar room brawl between the leading proponents of today’s most widely held views.

West Virginia Encyclopedia :  Provides a social and historical perspective of the forces that drove development of the legend.  A short snippet of a 1930’s work song is provided along with some related photos and art.

John Henry Project :  Photos of the Coosa tunnel in Alabama and the oldest known manuscript of John Henry.  Discusses the song in a racial context and provides lyrics and recordings from diverse sources.

Black and White Traditions in Appalachian Music :  An introduction to the subject.

Musicologists believe John Henry is an amalgamation of African and European musical traditions forged on railroad construction crews, prison chain gangs, and in coal mines.

A lyric for John Henry was first published by W.T. Blankenship in 1900, but the song was obviously well known before that time.   One Illinois source reportedly learned the song around 1894 while an Alabama construction worker claimed to have heard it in 1909.  Folklorist Dr. Josiah Combs collected a complete version in Kentucky in 1913 and court records report a Georgia man was convicted of disturbing the peace that same year for singing John Henry at the top of his lungs.

W.C. Handy copyrighted a score of the tune in 1922 and the first commercial recording was by a Euro-American from Georgia named Fiddlin’ John Carson (b 1868) in 1924.  The first recording of an African-American performance was by Texan Ragtime Henry Thomas in 1927. 

A version of John Henry is included in just about every published tab collection and an internet search will certainly turn up several more. 

The sheer number of John Henry recordings made choosing examples difficult but I finally settled on these:

Joe and Odell Thompson : My personal favorite.

Tommy Jarrell : A clawhammer Top Ten.

Joe Craft :  Arkansas Round Peak?  Recorded around 1960, this reminds me of Jarrell’s version, although somewhat less refined.

Glen Smith :  Uses rhythmic brushes to good effect.

Rebekah Wieler : Hard driving.

Clifton Hicks : Slow driving

Homer Walker : A story told with banjo accompaniment, a beautiful intertwining of instrument and voice.

Dock Boggs :  Takes a while to load.  Perhaps not one of his best vocal efforts but the signature banjo style is evident.

Roscoe Holcomb : Almost too much.

Uncle Dave Macon :  One of the first banjo versions, recorded in 1925.

Effie Pearson : Two styles of playing.

John Henry is known around the world.  When I lived in Germany I would visit a town on the Rhine that had a riverside promenade.   One morning an elderly gentleman with a small dog sat down on the far end of my park bench.  We nodded at each other but sat in silence until the dog walked over to me for some attention.  That broke the ice a bit and I summoned up the courage to try my survival German.  He had a few words of English so we managed a rudimentary conversation.

I came to understand that he was a widower with a daughter living in Chicago.  To make the point he used his arms and hands to simulate firing a Tommy gun and said “Caponi,  Caponi.”   I told him I was from Kentucky and he started swinging his arms like a steel driver.   “Ja”, he said “John Henri, John Henri.”

Happy Valentine's Day

Edited by - Mtngoat on 02/15/2014 19:57:23

Brooklynbanjoboy - Posted - 02/15/2014:  02:28:59

Very complete inventory of various renditions of the tune.  And great story at the end of your TOTW essay.  Thanks for sharing.

I always liked the Pocahontas County WVA version that Dwight Diller played, called "John Henry Blues."  It has elements of the mainstream folk version of the tune, but a pulse and texture of its own:

janolov - Posted - 02/15/2014:  06:03:59

I found this version of the song John Henry: maxhunter.missouristate.edu/so...aspx?id=6 (there is both a sound clip and sheet notation). It is no banjo and it sounds some different from the versions that can be found today on BHO, still it based on the same melody.

Marc Nerenberg - Posted - 02/15/2014:  12:59:29

Here's my version, recorded about 5 years ago. I worked out this version after reading the book: STEEL DRIVIN' MAN - JOHN HENRY - THE UNTOLD STORY OF AN AMERICAN LEGEND (Oxford University Press, 2006), by historian Scott Reynolds Nelson, who believes he has found the real historical John Henry. While there is much dispute between different historians who each think they’ve found the actual guy, I think this one is a compelling story about real people that takes place shortly after the Civil War. While many of the lines are traditional, a little more than half of the lyrics in this version are my own, based on the book.

It's played on my 1909 Fairbanks tuned eAEAE, with the first and fifth strings being the same note. The banjo, however, is capoed at the 3rd fret, but the fifth string is not raised correspondingly - which is what I generally do, i.e. leave my fifth string as an E no matter what tuning or capo position I am using on the other strings thus: eCGCG.

John Henry (The True Story of a Steel Drivin Man)

Brooklynbanjoboy - Posted - 02/15/2014:  15:02:00

Marc.  Great stuff.  Inventive tuning.  Well played. 

Here's my quick and dirty version shot between shoveling 12 inches of weather off my sidewalk and driveway, and remodeling the bathroom. 

Banjo is more fun than chores.

JanetB - Posted - 02/15/2014:  16:00:17

Another great Tune of the Week to enjoy and for continuing my learning journey.  After reading about the controversial origins of John Henry, I'd go with the Big Bend Tunnel in West Virginia, though of course no one can ever know for sure.  At the least they've allowed the legend of John Henry to used in beneficial ways for tourists and history buffs.  I have literature in my classroom about John Henry, but he's equated more to a Paul Bunyan tall tale and the facts that are believable are meshed with the impossible, but entertaining story line. 

I recorded this one on a Gold Tone cello banjo and now look forward to learning more from the excellent links posted by Mtngoat.

John Henry (CB)

Mtngoat - Posted - 02/15/2014:  17:30:52

Lew, Marc, and Janet,

Great performances as always!   Each is unique but true to the original.  Marc, your lyrics mesh seamlessly with the traditional.song. 

Based on limited research I'd pick the Coosa Tunnel in Alabama as the site of the contest but, as Janet said, no one will ever know for sure.

Thank you all for contributing.

Mtngoat - Posted - 02/15/2014:  19:33:58

I normally don't post performances but I was inspired by those excellent ones submitted thus far and decided to record this simple version while playing around with the tune a few minutes ago.  Not much to it but fun to play.

Edited by - Mtngoat on 02/15/2014 19:39:11

John Henry

banjoike - Posted - 02/15/2014:  19:41:52

Here is my attempt.

John Henry

John Gribble - Posted - 02/16/2014:  01:49:15

What a great tune and piece of heritage. The second half of the "C" version started in Pete Seeger's banjo book was the first bit of music I ever worked out on my own. I still remember how angry I was that he had only given half the song. In retrospect, I see what a gift that was. I've been working things out for myself for 50 years now.

Bisbonian - Posted - 02/16/2014:  05:40:32

I woke up this morning, pulled a home-made banjo that I hadn't played in a while down off the wall, and tuned it real low...dADF#A, and played a really slow version of John Henry while I woke up.  Then I waddled over to the computer, fired up the BHO, and found this post!  It's not a song I play often, but it has struck my fancy again, lately...I played it a couple of evenings ago with the banjo across my lap, and with a slide...dobro style.

In my collection of Old Time Music, I have tried to keep a maximum of ten versions of each song, with a wide diversity of styles.  I've had a hard time with a few songs, whittling it down to just ten, but I bit the bullet, and got it done.  Except John Henry.  I have 60 versions of John Henry in my iTunes, and I love them all, including Dock Boggs and Roscoe Holcomb.  Obviously, I don't have a clue what "too much is.  One of two with an asterisk next to it, meaning "I gotta learn this version", is Marc Nerenberg's.  I think Marc has captured something unique. I haven't gotten around to actually learning it yet, but I did put up my own version on the YouTube, a few years ago.

youtube.com/watch?v=PdUyPCfCVrM

Lot's of great versions here in this post, and with only 60 in my collection, you know I want to hear some more!

Edited by - Bisbonian on 02/16/2014 05:45:47

rgoad - Posted - 02/16/2014:  05:41:32

This is a special tune for me.  I wanted to learn claw hammer banjo and found an instructor.  He would noodle tunes a bit sometimes to demo points about tuning, rhythm, etc.  He slid into John Haenry one time and I felt that right into my gut.  I knew then I had to learn claw hammer if it was the last thing I do. 

Chadbanjo - Posted - 02/16/2014:  10:11:20

What cool tune, so many good versions. Pickn it out this morning, fun tune.

Mtngoat - Posted - 02/16/2014:  13:34:55

Great pickin' Banjoike and Bisbonian!   Ike, I like your variations and that mountain banjo is a fine piece of workmanship Bisbonian.

Thanks for contributing.

Chadbanjo - Posted - 02/16/2014:  15:30:24

Been havn a good bit of fun passing this Sunday by with this tune today.  Any thing bluesy and has a cool lyrics, gona reel me in .

John Henry

Davidschultz42 - Posted - 02/17/2014:  11:00:35

quote:

---

Originally posted by Brooklynbanjoboy

Marc.  Great stuff.  Inventive tuning.  Well played. 

Here's my quick and dirty version shot between shoveling 12 inches of weather off my sidewalk and driveway, and remodeling the bathroom. 

Banjo is more fun than chores.

 

 

 

Play hard,

 

Lew

Wow!  What a beautiful  version.  I play mostly 3 finger picking.  I was wondering how you get so many notes in when it doesn't seem like you are dropping your thumb.  Is that all from pull-offs and hammer-ons, or do you flat pick some with your fingers (plucking up and down). I hope this doesn't sound like a dumb question.  Thanks for any feedback you can give. I love your sound. David S

majikgator - Posted - 02/17/2014:  13:51:59

Thanks for the great TOTW, everybody has their favorites and you certainly gave some good ones. i am a little partial to Paul Brown's version on his Red Clay Country CD but i am a big Paul Brown fan. It is astounding that it hasn't been picked as a TOTW before now so thanks again, a great, great old time song.

atleson - Posted - 02/17/2014:  14:38:59

I'm impressed with all the versions and their variety.  I've always been partial to Tommy Jarrel's and Dwight Diller's playing, and thallye version i learned long ago in WV is similar to Dwight's terrifically fine version.  Anyone have an idea of Dwight's tuning?

jim

Brooklynbanjoboy - Posted - 02/17/2014:  15:09:03

Diller tunes to f#ADAD

I think you could also do it in g#BEBE

RG - Posted - 02/17/2014:  15:27:55

Oscar Wright from around Princeton WVa used to play a version of John Henry in eBEBE...so you could tune that 5th string g# to e for another version...

ChuckJo - Posted - 02/17/2014:  19:07:14

Great discussion, with wonderful entries from the all the usual suspects and a few other suspicious characters.

Tony Trischka and I played this at Suwannee Banjo Camp a couple of years back (suwanneebanjocamp.com  This year it is April 11-13, in Live Oak, Florida).

VIDEO: Tony Trischka and Chuck Levy Play John Henry at the Suwannee Banjo Camp 2012. (click to view)

Randy Adams - Posted - 02/18/2014:  03:30:17

John Henry...great tune and I have surely enjoyed listening to all the versions posted so far. There are some great players hanging out here...f'sure. I made a video of JH in Dec '09 played on a fretless cigar box banjo. 

VIDEO: John Henry (click to view)

Brooklynbanjoboy - Posted - 02/18/2014:  03:41:36

I never heard a better sounding fretless cigar box banjo. 

vrteach - Posted - 02/18/2014:  07:26:27

I had it sitting around, so here's a version I did on my CEB-5 (GoldTone 5-string cello banjo) about 45 minutes after it arrived from Zepps country music to my workplace several years ago.

 

John Henry CEB-5

Tom Kidwell - Posted - 02/18/2014:  09:05:42

My favorite version was recorded by Ralph Stanley back in the 1970's.  I nearly drove off the 

road the first time I heard it on the radio (WPFB Middletown, Ohio).

Tom  Kidwell

Brooklynbanjoboy - Posted - 02/18/2014:  09:25:10

This remains my favorite:

Tom Kidwell - Posted - 02/18/2014:  09:57:39

Nope. Ralph did a clawhammer version about 1973 with Curly Ray Cline that would knock your
socks off. I will look around for a copy.

Tom Kidwell

Brooklynbanjoboy - Posted - 02/18/2014:  13:11:46

Is this it?

artistdirect.com/nad/window/me...9,00.html

 

Mtngoat - Posted - 02/18/2014:  16:07:58

Wow!  I hadn't checked in for a couple of days.  Thanks for all the wonderful performances and discussion.

RatLer - Posted - 02/20/2014:  04:48:12

Such a fun tune to play and so many versions. So, here's one more....!!!

John Henry