Mark Johnson - Posted - 04/01/2011:  07:42:51

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I'm a tiny bit ill-prepared for this TOTW as I'm a bit ill myself, so I'm going to fall back on one of my go-to tunes to make it easy on myself.

Rock Andy is a tune easily in my top 5. I'm hearing it more and more in the community, but it still isn't as popular or widespread as it deserves to be.

The tune comes from Kentucky, and specifically from one Owen "Snake" Chapman. There is a nice little bio of Mr. Chapman along with reviews of his two cds here: mustrad.org.uk/reviews/snake_ch.htm

Here's a quick link to the Fiddler's Companion entry for the tune in question: ibiblio.org/fiddlers/ROC.htm#ROCK_ANDY

Scholars more knowledgeable than I in such matters seem to think that the "Rock Andy" is a corruption of "Rock Candy", which in turn is a now-forgotten dance form.

And now for the Good Stuff:

You can hear a pretty good snippet of Owen Chapman playing it on Amazon.com: amazon.com/gp/product/B0010V1A...u_dp_trk2


There are a handful of YouTube videos:

The Orpheus Supertones at the 2009 Clifftop Finals: youtube.com/watch?v=v3OB4lyv9D...e=related

An unknown pair jamming in a kitchen: youtube.com/user/wvg4800#p/u/4/Nqa6O6PzxQ8

Our own Mark Ralston doing his awesome video self duet: youtube.com/watch?v=-OR4c2-Uwa...e=related

Our own Me doing a sort of rushed job of it: youtube.com/watch?v=hCA9o5msW7...e=related

Hangout search shows a handful of MP3's too:

Mark Ralston again: hangoutstorage.com/jukebox.asp...D%3D12123

The long-lost Steve Srubas: banjohangout.org/myhangout/mus...t=Search#

Dean Barber (fretless in Texas) hangoutstorage.com/jukebox.asp...D%3D15887

And finally one more me: hangoutstorage.com/jukebox.asp...D%3D20995

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Edited by - Mark Johnson on 04/01/2011 07:47:58

cmic - Posted - 04/01/2011:  08:08:01

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beautiful tune. I really enjoy (particularly the way you play it).
I'm gonna try this ASAP. As a noobie, I'll try to find a tab first 8)
--
cmic 1 y newbie

vrteach - Posted - 04/01/2011:  08:53:04

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Great tune that I wish I heard more often. I've had your version of Rock Andy on my mp3 player for several years, but I've not played the tune. Except maybe once playing along with LyleK. It's about time I tried, so maybe this weekend.

An administrative note, I've set up a TOTW group: banjohangout.org/group/tuneoftheweek

When I update the TOTW index, I'll also link the new totw entry to that group, and members of that group get a notification of the new totw.

agent369 - Posted - 04/01/2011:  09:02:42

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Cool tune! Really like the way you play it.

Off topic...are you playing this weekend in Wichita?

Back on topic... any tab out there for this tune? thanks Lance

Mark Johnson - Posted - 04/01/2011:  09:08:31

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I uploaded a .tef tab into the Tab Archive.

Shortcut: banjohangout.org/tab/browse.as...er&v=2414

I intended to print a pdf and attach it to this post, but for some reason tabledit isn't letting me print to PDF at the moment. If someone else should want to post the pdf in the thread here, they have my full blessing.

Sorry, the rest of the Kansas City Bear Fighters will be rocking the Orpheum this weekend without me. I have a few prior engagements this weekend, and the boys have figured out they can play without a banjo... !!!???

agent369 - Posted - 04/01/2011:  09:17:27

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quote:

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Originally posted by Mark Johnson

they can play without a banjo... !!!???

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As the best actor in the movie, "the hangover" would say....That's ludicrous!! Maybe when the REAL Winfield comes up in September I'll see you. Say hello to Ike for me and thanks for the work on this tune.

hendrid - Posted - 04/01/2011:  09:46:43

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Another one: youtube.com/watch?v=Y5W_H2eK_-Q

GSCarson - Posted - 04/01/2011:  10:21:59

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Thanks Mark, I keep forgetting about this tune and I really like it. I remember the first time I heard it, you played it for Russ and I at Banjo Camp North whenever that was .....

banjered - Posted - 04/01/2011:  10:40:43

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trying the tab link, I get...

Error Summary
HTTP Error 404.0 - Not Found
The resource you are looking for has been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable.
Detailed Error Information
Module IIS Web Core
Notification MapRequestHandler
Handler StaticFile
Error Code 0x80070002
Requested URL hangoutstorage.com:80/banjohan...42011.tef
Physical Path D:\banjohangout.org\storage\tabs\r\tab-rock-andy-14860-4549142011.tef
Logon Method Anonymous
Logon User Anonymous

Hoss - Posted - 04/01/2011:  11:26:14

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Yep. Problems here too banjered. I imagine Eric is working on it. Hope it gets fixed soon!

J-Walk - Posted - 04/01/2011:  12:02:37

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Good choice, Mark. I've never tried this tune, but I've been having fun with it all morning.

It's also on Jane Rothfield's "I Fiddle They Banjo" album. Jimmy McCown plays a low-tuned banjo that sounds awesome.

ramjo - Posted - 04/01/2011:  12:28:42

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Here's a .pdf of Mark's tab.

Rock Andy tab (PDF format)

Castania - Posted - 04/01/2011:  13:07:01

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Not sure if this is permitted . . . if not, I apologize. If so, and you want this . . . get it soon. Either way, I'll probably have a need for the storage space and will have to remove the file.

This is a video of Paul David Smith who was a student of Snake Chapman. (Seems like someone told me he was the only student of Snake, but that may not be the case.)

I'm sure many of you have heard Paul David: he was won several banjo and fiddle contests in Eastern Kentucky and West Virginia. He competed last year at Clifftop (again), this time taking fourth overall and second in the 60+ category. No offense to anyone, but he is my favorite fiddler: his touch is graceful, spot-on pitch, and always tasteful. Not only that, he is a true gentleman. I think this video was recorded at AppalShop in Whitesburg, Ky -- but I'm not sure.

pages.suddenlink.net/castania/...kandy.wmv

Anyway . . . enjoy. (You should be able to right-click the link and choose "Save.")

Ken

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Edited by - Castania on 04/01/2011 13:12:02

ZEPP - Posted - 04/01/2011:  13:16:21

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Great tune with some great playing by all. Mark, you always blow me away with your take on things. Great job.

Cheers,
ZEPP

mojo_monk - Posted - 04/02/2011:  04:49:02

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Thanks for that video, Ken. Paul Smith is one heckuva banjo picker as well. He plays in a very interesting 3 finger style.

I am an enormous fan of Snake Chapman's fiddling - especially the tunes he wrote about his cats. They're typically in very strange modes and/or unusual keys, making the sound of his fiddle very distinctive. He is one of those fiddlers you can easily pick out of a crowd. I highly recommend everything the man recorded.

Last but not least, here's a recording of Snake Chapman & Mr. Smith from the Digital Library of Appalachia as recorded by Bruce Greene in Pike County, Kentucky 6-8-89: tinyurl.com/3smnwoo.

There are 11 more tracks on the DLA, each of them worth more than their salt: tinyurl.com/3uymseq

Great choice, Mark.



-Sean
Thumb-Lead Banjer

LyleK - Posted - 04/03/2011:  05:23:29

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quote:

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Originally posted by Castania
I'm sure many of you have heard Paul David [Smith] ... No offense to anyone, but he is my favorite fiddler

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None taken. His "Devil Eat the Groundhog" CD is fantastic, and has two "Rocky Andy" tracks to boot. The first one is in his unique (as Sean mentioned) 3 finger style. In the liner notes he indicates that he worked this style out because he was trying to "sound like Earl" but in the end came to his own way of playing three finger by way of thumb lead two finger after people told him you're supposed to use picks and three fingers if you're going to play like Earl. And the second "Rock Andy" track is of him and Snake on fiddle with guitar backing. Thanks Mark for this TOTW, the great recording, and the tab.

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Edited by - LyleK on 04/03/2011 05:24:57

john fincher - Posted - 04/03/2011:  07:46:34

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Great tune and new to me. Fun to play too. Thanks Mark.

Kitt - Posted - 04/03/2011:  14:55:21

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Just a rumor note on the origin of the title. A BHO member, Fretlessin Texas, has a version of the tune on his music page. He includes a description from someone in his band about the origin of the tune haven come from a slave owner who taught his slave to throw rocks at Andy. I guess someone didn't like Andy. Or maybe Andy was a chicken eating dog or something. Anyway, that's the rumor.

Thanks for the tune, Mark, and yeah, you're playing is inspirational. Not only because it sounds great, but because you make it look so easy. One thing I keep telling myself - and I really do believe this - is that this banjo playing is going to become very easy over time. Watching you, and some others, reinforces that encouraging belief.

biscuit joiner - Posted - 04/03/2011:  17:50:41

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quote:

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Originally posted by Castania

Not sure if this is permitted . . . if not, I apologize. If so, and you want this . . . get it soon. Either way, I'll probably have a need for the storage space and will have to remove the file.

This is a video of Paul David Smith who was a student of Snake Chapman. (Seems like someone told me he was the only student of Snake, but that may not be the case.)

I'm sure many of you have heard Paul David: he was won several banjo and fiddle contests in Eastern Kentucky and West Virginia. He competed last year at Clifftop (again), this time taking fourth overall and second in the 60+ category. No offense to anyone, but he is my favorite fiddler: his touch is graceful, spot-on pitch, and always tasteful. Not only that, he is a true gentleman. I think this video was recorded at AppalShop in Whitesburg, Ky -- but I'm not sure.

pages.suddenlink.net/castania/...kandy.wmv

Anyway . . . enjoy. (You should be able to right-click the link and choose "Save.")

Ken

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Thanks for posting that Ken--Paul David might be my favorite, too. I don't know if you watched the band competition at Clifftop last year, but he played with some other folks and did a fantastic 'Carroll County Blues'--not a tune I normally think about, but it was so smooth I was completely transfixed.

aeroweenie - Posted - 04/03/2011:  18:55:53

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Mark - I really like this tune, I've never heard of it before. I will make it my next song, hope you don't mind me trying to copy you!

Mark Johnson - Posted - 04/04/2011:  07:44:09

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I'm glad this one is getting such a good response. It's really a great tune from a great fiddler. [And many thanks to those who sprinkled in the kind words for me personally... it really means a lot.]

Castania: thanks for posting that! It's not only permitted but a most welcome contribution.

I hadn't thought about the tie in to the old-time three finger thread, but it's right there waiting. Paul's elegant accompaniment of Snake on these albums is can really make the recordings, and it's such a rare thing these days [OT, non-Scruggs, 3 finger].

Kitt: Mr. Chapman says his father sang these lyrics to the tune:

Massy he bought me
Then Massy he sold me
Then they took me down by the riverside
And learned me how to rock Andy.
***
Cho.:
You can rock them ladies but you can’t rock me (x3)
I’ll learn you how to rock Andy.

... which sort of suggests the interpretation you mention about slaves and throwing rocks. But apparently the more scholarly interpretation is that the name stems from a forgotten dance form (according to a Mark Wilson, who appears to be a professor of Philosophy at the University of Pittsburgh and the supervisor of the North American Traditions series for Rounder Records.)

I haven't heard anyone re-insert the lyrics. Someone out there wanna put the lyrics back in this one?

trick420 - Posted - 04/04/2011:  17:00:50

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Great tune! I've been playing it pretty much non-stop for the last couple of days.

So fun...

Jeff