Adam Kiesling - Posted - 01/06/2012:  16:37:58

Hello

"Indian Squaw" is tune I've been messing around with on the banjo for the past couple of weeks, though it's been a favorite tune of mine for a few years. It comes from the playing of fiddler Ed Haley. Here's the page from the Fiddler's Hall of Fame, and here is some of the information that John Hartford compiled.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find an online version of Mr Haley playing the tune, but here is one from Bobby Taylor that I think hews pretty closely to Haley's:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=dAvaTdLeKQE

"Indian Squaw" was released on the Rounder re-issue (called "Forked Deer") of Mr Haley's material, but it's out of print (as is the second volume of material, Grey Eagle"). The liner notes are available here (you'll have to scroll down to the "DIsc 2" area for "Indian Squaw").

Here's what the Fiddler's Companion has to say about the tune:

INDIAN SQUAW [1]. AKA - "Indian Girl." Old‑Time, Breakdown. G Major. GDad. AB (Titon/Greene): ABC (Titon/Haley). Source Alva Greene’s version is a simplified version of Ed Haley’s “Indian Squaw,” and Greene may have learned it directly from him. There is some discrepancy: Titon believes Greene’s piece is a version of Haley’s “Indian Squaw” tune, while John Hartford and Mark Wilson independently write that it is more similar to Haley’s “Indian Nation.” This opinion may also be the result of listening to two different field recordings of Greene playing the tune—Wilson himself recorded Greene for Rounder 0376, while Titon’s version was notated from Chris Delaney’s 1973 field recording. It was a showcase piece for Haley (born in Hart’s Creek, W.Va, lived near Ashland, Ky.), who was the only fiddler to record the ‘C’ part, probably original with him. Sources for notated versions: Alva Greene (Sandy Hook, Elliot County, Ky., 1973) [Titon]; Ed Haley (Ashland, Boyd County, Ky., 1946) [Titon]. Titon (Old-Time Kentucky Fiddle Tunes), 2001; Nos. 69A & 69B, pg. 98. Rounder 0361, Bruce Molsky - “Lost Boy” (1996). Rounder 0376, Alva Greene (et al) – “Traditional Fiddle Music of Kentucky, vol. 1: Up the Ohio and Licking Rivers” (1997). Yodel-Ay-Hee 003, “Dirk Powell and John Hermann” (1992). Reed Island Rounders – “Goin’ Home” (2002).

INDIAN SQUAW [2]. Old-Time, Breakdown. G Major. GDad tuning. AB. Some similarities to Alva Greene’s version, although Stamper’s apparently was derived from a song. Stamper whistled to the ‘B’ part of the tune, and sang to the ‘A’ part:

***

Way down yonder on the Arkansas,

Two old Indians and one old squaw,

Sitting on the banks of the Arkansas.

***

Jeff Titon (2001) finds nearly the same lyric in a song called “The Bank of the Arkansas” printed in Lomax and Lomax’s Our Singing Country (1941, pgs. 68-69), although Titon says tune that appears with that song is the same as that of Clyde Davenport’s “Cornstalk Fiddle and a Shoestring Bow.” Source for notated version: Hiram Stamper (Hindman, Knott County, Ky., 1986) [Titon]. Titon (Old-Time Kentucky Fiddle Tunes), 2001; No. 69C, pg. 99.

Here are a couple of other versions from the DLA that are mentioned above (I'm guessing that Art Stamper's version is based on his father's).                 

Alva Greene

Art Stamper

Lastly, I humbly submit my own version:

Indian Squaw

LyleK - Posted - 01/06/2012:  17:35:32

Hi Adam,

A most excellent pick and masterfully played on that Brooks banjo.  Incidentally, I have sometimes heard this in A and Art Stamper's version does seem to be in that key.  Also, his version doesn't sound much like his father's.  And thankfully, *.mp3s are available for all of the tunes in Titon's book (see slippery-hill.com/Titon/) so all three versions (including Haley's) can be listened to.

RG - Posted - 01/06/2012:  18:02:13

Great tune, love Alva Greene's version, learning that on fiddle right now...

Adam Kiesling - Posted - 01/06/2012:  22:02:31

Hi Lyle...thanks for the note and the link! Lots of great tunes on there.

Here's the link to "Indian Squaw" as done by Ed Haley:

slippery-hill.com/GDAD/IndianSquaw.mp3

Edited by - Adam Kiesling on 01/06/2012 22:03:23

Julian44_4 - Posted - 01/07/2012:  03:07:07

Tab for Indian Squaw is in Steve Parker's book with CD Clawhammer Banjo String Band Favorites

janolov - Posted - 01/07/2012:  04:24:53

There is a tab by Ken Perlman in Banjo Newsletter December 2009

stevel - Posted - 01/07/2012:  05:49:04

Great tune. One I had planned on working on this weekend!

This is also on Mac Benfords CD/tab book tribute to Ed Haley; Half Past Four.

Jason Wilkerson - Posted - 01/07/2012:  06:21:55

Nicely done, and a fine sounding banjo....whyte laydie?

Tamarack - Posted - 01/07/2012:  06:29:19

Adam -- thanks for another fine TOTW. I really like your version -- very clean and nicely paced (a Sunday afternoon tempo as compared to a Saturday dance tempo)

Paul Roberts - Posted - 01/09/2012:  14:09:33

A lovely exemplification of solo melodic clawhammer.

I wonder if it would be worth linking tunes on this forum to Sound-off where I'm sure others, who don't normally frequent this section, might more readily dial into the offerings, here. Just a thought.

PauL

vrteach - Posted - 01/15/2012:  12:33:15

I worked out a simplified version by playing along with the Bobby Taylor video that Adam provided.

I'm sitting at work doing something else on the weekend, but I knew I would have some free time so I brought in my Tradesman.

Indian Squaw

majikgator - Posted - 01/15/2012:  14:48:53

NIce job Adam and  well played. Yet another tune i wasn't familiar with.