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 ARCHIVED TOPIC: Yellow Cat TOTW (OT) 02/23/2018


Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. You may, however, start a new topic and refer to this topic with a link: http://www.banjohangout.org/archive/340211

Mtngoat - Posted - 02/23/2018:  03:57:51


Yellow Cat TOTW (OT) 2/23/2018

I’ve chosen Yellow Cat for this installment of TOTW. There’s little online information about the tune other than it is most often played in D, is also known as The Old Cat Died, and is a member of a tune family that includes Cousin Sally Brown. But be warned that not all Cousin Sally Browns or even all Yellow Cats are related to this southern Appalachian version. The tune has a modest YouTube presence.

My favorite recording is by the Roan Mountain Hilltoppers, under the Old Cat Died title, on their Down Home CD but I could not find it online so we’ll settle for this solo fiddle version by Joe Birchfield: app.box.com/s/oaqbvelzyl

Mike Bostock’s banjo version is in the BHO Music Archive: banjohangout.org/song/32537

A Mac Traynham and Shay Garriock banjo fiddle duet: youtube.com/watch?v=jrAUiL34vLA

Gil McNeill and unidentified banjo picker offer this: youtube.com/watch?v=Hj4YRzDp-yA

The Black Twig Pickers do a spirited version: blacktwigpickers.bandcamp.com/...ellow-cat

Here’s a Cousin Sally Brown for comparison: youtube.com/watch?v=p9kdCwTUz9s

I didn’t find a tab for the tune.

My little group plays local festivals on occasion. Over the years we’ve had tons of requests for Foggy Mountain Breakdown or Dueling Banjos, but I can only recall two instances where we had requests for a real Old Time tune. Both times it was for Yellow Cat.

I once got roped into jamming with friends at an Audubon Society Arts Festival. I noticed an elderly lady and another woman, obviously her daughter, seemed to find an excuse to visit the Audubon tent when we played. Finally the daughter, who was no spring chicken herself, came over to ask if I would speak to her mother. I readily agreed and I’m so glad I did. She was from Virginia, was 90 years old, and the last old style Southern Belle I ever had the opportunity to meet. She was a very sweet lady.

She was interested in my banjo playing because she said her father had played banjo in the same way, by which she meant in a down picking style. She said his favorite tune was called Yellow Cat but she couldn’t remember how it went. We had a very pleasant conversation. Her accent was straight out of Gone With the Wind. The band was taking a break and the ladies wanted to walk down the aisle to visit the craft jewelers’ booths. As they were leaving, I whispered to the daughter to come back by in 15 minutes.

I kept my eyes open and when I saw them I called Yellow Cat. When they got close I could see in her eyes and body language that the lady recognized the tune even after all those years, and I could see happiness on her face. The daughter left a big tip in the Audubon bowl.

Readers are encouraged to post facts, observations, opinions, performances and tabs contributing to this thread.

janolov - Posted - 02/23/2018:  04:10:58


There is a tab by Ken Torch at Tater Joe's website (where else?):taterjoes.com/banjo/YellowCat.pdf

banjukebox - Posted - 02/23/2018:  06:36:03


Great tune! It'll be a good addition to the other "Yellow" and "Cat" tunes I know. Thanks for posting.

cmic - Posted - 02/23/2018:  09:45:00


I've always been troubled by the similarities between some tunes. Yellow cat and Cousin Sally Brown are "cousin" to my ear.

I see a Yellow Cat tab from Maya Whitmont on the mossyroof site here stringband.mossyroof.com/Yellow_Cat.png

And (related) the nice rendering of Cousin Sally Brown from David Holt on the CD "Old time Banjo Festival"



A Cousin Sally Brown banjo tab from Ygal Zan on BHO



Cheers and thanks for the music!

jack_beuthin - Posted - 02/24/2018:  07:03:57


Mtngoat, I love hearing stories that connect tunes/songs to personal experiences. Thanks for sharing your story of the Audubon Festival.



Some more background on Yellow Cat: It appears in the Milliner-Koken collection where it is sourced to both Earl Collins and Bill (Jesse) Shelor. Recordings of both are on the Slippery Hill website, and are linked below. Earl Collins (1911-1975) was born in Missouri, moved to Oklahoma as a youth, and relocated to Los Angeles during the Great Depression. I don't know that much about Bill Shelor (1894-1985) but in the Milliner-Koken book, his home is listed as Meadows of Dan, Virginia (30 some miles east of Galax).



slippery-hill.com/recording/yellow-cat



slippery-hill.com/recording/yellow-cat-0



I don't have a recoding ready to go, so for now I'll just offer up a picture on my yellow cat, Monk, with one of my banjos.  Monk has passed on but he often would sit next to me while I played.  He was as sweet as he was irascible.


JanetB - Posted - 02/24/2018:  17:17:46


Nice pick, Mtngoat, and sweet story. Here's my arrangement from Earl Collins, who recorded it in the early 1970's. I met him in 1974 and got to jam. He was very encouraging.


Mtngoat - Posted - 02/28/2018:  18:24:44


Jack I used to have a cat who would sit in my lap while I played. He was a real lovey boy too.

Thanks to all who posted. Your contributions are appreciated.

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