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RG - Posted - 08/11/2017: 00:04:34
Well, here goes...
The distance between old-time and early BG isn't very far...some of the best old-time was early BG and some early BG was the best old-time in my opinion, so without further ado, I present "My Long Journey Home" as this weeks TOTW.
I've always liked this song, it was a favorite of my papa Hocutt who was born in 1899 and passed away in 1970. He was a great grandpa who had lived a hard life, having lost a leg below the knee when it was crushed in a railroad coupling while working for the Frisco RR in 1918. I spent a lot of time with him as a kid, and since he had been born in rural Alabama just outside of Birmingham, he was a big old-time music fan...Carter Family, Delmore Brothers, Blue Sky Boys, Jimmie Rodgers and The Monroe Brothers, Charlie and Bill, and he used to play and sing these songs a lot when I was little...I'm thankful that he did and I cherish those memories.
Charlie and Bill recorded this song for RCA/Bluebird in Charlotte NC on February 17, 1936, at the height of the Great Depression, and then the Stanley Brothers kind of made it their song and it became a BG standard...but it's one of those great songs that fits both genres to a tee...
Not much else to say, it's in G and easy as heck to play, I do it in 2 finger thumb lead, but it fits right into CH as well...sing it out and have fun...
Monroe Brothers youtube.com/watch?v=v3mpsorJM2Q
Doc Watson & Bill Monroe youtube.com/watch?v=EIsDyBxPujM
Stanley Brothers youtube.com/watch?v=HgR9LUEpDlk
Edited by - RG on 08/11/2017 00:05:19
JanetB - Posted - 08/12/2017: 12:00:04
That's great picking and singing, RG. My husband and I used to sing this one -- we should revive it -- and our band also sang Gotta Travel On regularly. Wayne Erbsen, on page 121 in his book called Rural Roots of Bluegrass wrote: "Originating back as far as 1890, 'Long Journey Home' was earlier known as 'High Sheriff' and 'Deadheads and Suckers.' The Prairie Ramblers recorded it in July of 1935 as 'Big Ball in Texas,' and that may be the source of the Monroe Brothers' version. In their very first recording session of February 27, 1936, the Monroe Brothers chose 'My Long Journey Home' as the first song they ever recorded. The Delmore Brothers recorded it in July of 1938 under the title 'Big Ball of Texas.'"
Bill Monroe said of this song, "That comes from Kentucky. Everybody back there in my early days, they all knew that old song."
Here's a clawhammer arrangement in double c tuning. Get ready for some high notes that went all the way up my small-scale Docs' Banjo neck.
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