RG - Posted - 09/13/2018:  22:37:08

This TOTW is a little bit of a detective story that started with the following inquiry on BHO a couple of weeks ago...

banjohangout.org/topic/343895

Most of the background info is in that thread, so I won't repeat it... however, the OP posted two links, one to Pat Conte youtube.com/watch?v=LBthRMZRGqI& and one to Frankie Basile youtube.com/watch?v=ZFvHnllw2_c both great players, and both playing a "Half Shaved" that is definitely NOT Wade Ward's "Half Shaved" (from "High Atmosphere" "Uncle Wade" etc.), which it turns out is really a version of "Lost Indian."  Confused yet?  It gets better.

On the FRC Harold Hausenfluck banjo CD fieldrecorder.bandcamp.com/alb...ecordings Harold plays two versions of "Half Shaved", one attributed to Wade Ward, and one attributed to one of my favorite OT banjo players, the unsung Dent Wimmer of Floyd, VA (if you have not heard Mr. Wimmer play, please rectify that immediately by listening to  the old Rounder Records out of print release "Old Original's Volume 1 & 2 timesaintliketheyusedtobe.blog...l1-2.html and at the Musical Traditions link referenced below... but I'm skipping ahead).  

On Harold's CD, both  versions of "Half Shaved" are played in similar tunings, but differ slightly, especially in the corse part of the tune.  I could not locate a recording of either gentlemen playing the tune as Harold recorded it, but about a week ago finally found a recorded version of Mr. Wimmer playing it on a Musical Traditions Records (out of the U.K.) release of the Mike Yates Appalachian recordings from the late 70's early 80's (some REALLY great stuff)  mustrad.org.uk/records.htm The full title of the tune is one of those unfortunately named 19th century tunes, ironically, probably of Black origin (as in Oscar Wrights "Shaving A Dead Man" now known far and wide as "Protect the Innocent" and "S.A.D."), but finally, here was Dent Wimmer playing the tune as Harold and Frankie seemed to interpret it.  Mike's liner notes to the tune read:

"This is something of a rarity - at least on record.  The late Wade Ward of Independence, VA. played a similar named - though different - piece on the album High Atmosphere (Rounder CD 0028).  However, Fields Ward, who knew and played Dent's tune, told us that Uncle Wade was confusing two tune titles and that the item on the High Atmosphere album is incorrectly titled."

So there it is, mystery solved by none other than Uncle Wade's nephew (at least for now)... so the question remains, does anyone have a recorded version of Wade Ward playing the "Half Shaved" as played by Dent Wimmer?"  Pat Conte plays the tune more like Harold plays the Wade Ward version, so somewhere out there Wade's version must be around, or perhaps Fields recorded it?  

Anyway, the tunes differ in approach enough to make an interesting comparison between Dent and Uncle Wade's styles, and approaches to old-time banjo in general.  They lived about 55 miles apart (Independence VA & Floyd VA respectively, and the use of tunings by both players is interesting as well and helps to illustrate how you can get different "atmospheres" as Wade put it just through the use of different tunings, a real staple of OT Southern Mountains banjo  Additionally, because of the distance involved, it would seem that this tune may have been more prevalent at one time, and maybe dates to an older origin, but regardless. Wade Ward AND Dent Wimmer are two of my biggest banjo influences so how could I resist not posting this one?  So, without further ado, I give you the "real" "Half Shaved"... which is a nifty little trance type banjo tune that's real easy to play...

So we'll start with Dent Wimmer's version, in which the banjo is tuned to... get ready... eC#F#BE.  All you really have to know about this version of the tune from a left hand perspective is the index starting at the first string second fret, and the middle finger on the second string third fret... to get started, hold this shape and then move it up to the index on the second string second fret, and third string third fret, and then once more move it up to the third string second fret, fourth string second to third fret... the rest all all open strings.  If you start with that shape, the tune just plays itself practically.  It's crooked in that he plays 2 fine parts and 3 coarse parts, although sometimes on the recording he just plays 1 fine part and 3 coarse parts.  Think more brushes and drop thumb on the first and second strings, a little different than how Wade Ward approached a tune...

With Uncle Wade's version, you pretty much do the same thing, but Uncle Wade re-tuned his banjo to... here we go again... g#EF#BE... so he tuned the fifth string up to g# and the fourth string up to E to play an open note in the coarse part (the main difference in the tune) and instead goes back down to the third string second fret, second string second fret and then the third string third fret for the second part of the coarse part... honestly, I'm making it sound WAY more complicated than it is, but in Wade's tuning, with the E and g#, the tune takes on a different kind of sound with that open fourth string E than with Dent's lower tuning... and think single string and drop thumbing on the first and second strings, moving up to the second and third strings... a typical (to my ears) Wade Ward sound...

Also, with both of these tunings, you have to get close and then tune by ear... both of them would sound better on a fretless banjo...

Whew!  Finally got through all that... so here are my two versions as played on my '74 Ome X tone ring resonator banjo... hope you have fun with this little banjo tune...

Edited by - RG on 09/16/2018 20:32:20

Dent Wimmer's "Half Shaved"

Wade Ward's "Half Shaved"

Cyndy - Posted - 09/13/2018:  23:12:13

Wow! There's something about these two tunes that makes me feel like they're "regular" clawhammer tunes turned inside out, almost to the point of being disconcerting. But in an intriguing and wonderful sort of way! Why is that?

I've got to go back to the write up and read more carefully and then do some more listening.

Lots of food for thought here and I love that. Thanks! And nicely played, by the way. I want to acquire that perfect strum one of these days. :)

RG - Posted - 09/13/2018:  23:49:15

Thanks for the kind words! I know exactly what you mean Cyndy, which is why I couldn't wait to post this TOTW... and I would love to hear your take on them!

I am a sucker for plain old banjo tunes, not fiddle tunes played on the banjo (although as you know I love those too), but idiosyncratic weird tuned BANJO songs... they just fit my personality I guess, which explains a lot if you know me personally-hahaha!

jack_beuthin - Posted - 09/14/2018:  07:19:55

Weird tuned BANJO songs?! My morning just got sidetracked. Great exposition RG (and playing too). I play WW's mis-titled Half Shaved, and have had this one simmering on the list. Totally inspired to get on it now!



Here is a little something about the eC#F#BE tuning that makes it a little less mysterious. Start with the better known "Open D" tuning (f#DF#AD). Now drop the 3rd string from F# to E, and you have the "DEAD" tuning (f#DEAD).  Now, in the DEAD tuning, drop the 4th string from from D to B and you are in one of the "Cumberland Gap" tunings (f#BEAD).  Lastly, the eC#F#BE tuning used on Half Shaved is just this Cumberland Gap tuning taken up one whole pitch to play in E rather than D.  So basically, the Dent Wimmer Half Shaved tuning is just a variant on the "Open D" tuning (and raised a whole step).  Okay, so maybe your head hurts even more now, but the point is that this "odd" tuning was probably not just some random thing.

If I recall correctly, Harold Hausenfluck also used eC#F#BE to play Cumberland Gap on FRC 702.

And also for clarity the WW's mistitled "Half Shaved" (aka, Lost Indian) is played in a variant of the Double C tuning where the fifth string is dropped to E from G (eCGCD).  Harold did the same.

Thanks RG!

Edited by - jack_beuthin on 09/14/2018 07:20:15

Adam Harr - Posted - 09/14/2018:  09:44:00

Awesome TOTW! I got turned on to Dent Wimmer's Half Shaved ... by Mac Traynham's version, which he calls Half-Shaved Yuppie. It's on his excellent CD "I'm Going That Way."

Mac's recording led me to a recording of Dent Wimmer playing it, which you can find in the collection Far In The Mountains. More info on that collection here: mustrad.org.uk/articles/mountain.htm

Thanks to RG for filling in the gaps between these tunes!

Chadbanjo - Posted - 09/14/2018:  09:52:40

Great right up and pickn RG. Anything Ward grabs my interest.

So theres no recording of Ward playing it...could it be a case of being passed down. Wonder how Hausenfluck came across it...unlikely ward himself.

RG - Posted - 09/14/2018:  11:40:25

Thanks for the kind words Jack, Adam and Chad!

Jack, you are exactly right, that tuning is most definitely a variant of "Cumberland Gap" tuning and also correct, sure it's not by chance... interesting how that fifth string gets tuned up or down a lot, Roscoe did that in "Hills of Mexico" with the fifth timed to "a" (aDGCD) and sometimes to "f" (fDGCD), which is what I imagined Wade did when he tuned the fifth up to g# and the fourth to "E"... gives you that nice open string that Wade loved having in his playing. The song is interesting in that it seems to have been somewhat common for both of those guys to have been playing it 55 miles apart, yet there is virtually nothing on record from "original" sources except for the MTR recording of Dent. Lastly, would love to hear your version(s)!



Thanks for mentioning Mac's version Adam, I didn't list any contemporary versions and I probably should have... Dan Gellert also pointed this one out in the original thread by Lucas Pasley store.cdbaby.com/cd/lucaspasley

Edited by - RG on 09/14/2018 11:51:33

JanetB - Posted - 09/14/2018:  13:40:03

Nice, RG, and so many interesting links to read and hear. I chose to try Harold Flausenfluck's Dent Wimmer Half Shaved. He used f#DEAD, raised a note. I see that RD Lunceford recorded what I think is the Wade Ward version on his Drop Thumb CD. I have the tab book and will give it a try in the "Half Shaved" tuning f#DADE. Thanks for the step-by-step tuning connections, Jack!

Half Shaved (Dent Wimmer) (TOTW)

Half Shaved (Dent Wimmer) CH tab

RG - Posted - 09/14/2018:  19:41:30

Thanks you Janet, enjoyed your take on the tune! RD's version is indeed "Half Shaved/Lost Indian", please post that one when you work it up...

mbuk06 - Posted - 09/15/2018:  12:00:23

Here's my playing of Half Shaved (coincidentally on my Mac Traynham fretless):

Edited by - mbuk06 on 09/15/2018 12:01:26

Half Shaved

 

RG - Posted - 09/15/2018:  12:15:55

Great tune Mike & great playing, I haven't heard Mac's version, it seems much different than either Dent's or Wade's... very interesting...

mbuk06 - Posted - 09/15/2018:  12:26:01

Thank You kindly, Rick. Just by way of a curious compare/contrast I also play the Wade Ward version that is actually Lost Indian:

Lost Indian

 

RG - Posted - 09/15/2018:  12:31:37

Yep, Wade's "Half Shaved/Lost Indian" is one of my favorite tunes, well done...

Dan Gellert - Posted - 09/15/2018:  14:58:26

quote:

---

Originally posted by Cyndy

Wow! There's something about these two tunes that makes me feel like they're "regular" clawhammer tunes turned inside out, almost to the point of being disconcerting. But in an intriguing and wonderful sort of way! Why is that?

 

Edited by - Dan Gellert on 09/15/2018 15:00:10

Chadbanjo - Posted - 09/16/2018:  18:08:45

Tuned my machine up this afternoon to give it a go. Althouh im all crooked with it so far..when you get in the groove with this...man its good.



These kinda tunes..what can you say.

Point being..tune your banjo to the tuning. To good.

Edited by - Chadbanjo on 09/16/2018 18:17:17

Cyndy - Posted - 09/16/2018:  18:27:02

Oh, help! I was just thinking I might sit down and try to learn the tune from a Dent Wimmer recording and I can't seem to find one online for purchase or otherwise.

What am I missing?! Can anyone point me in a productive direction?

RG - Posted - 09/16/2018:  18:55:48

Cyndy, sorry, I have a bad link in my original listing, here is the link to the Musical Traditions downloads page, it is on "Far on the Mountain" Vol 1 & 2... a bargain at 4 pounds!

 

mustrad.org.uk/records.htm

Cyndy - Posted - 09/16/2018:  19:33:01

Thank you! I can't WAIT to listen to all the tracks! :)

RG - Posted - 09/16/2018:  20:28:34

There is some REALLY great stuff on there... Vols 3-5 too...

Chadbanjo - Posted - 09/17/2018:  09:08:14

Appearently Hausenfluck did learn directly from Wade Ward..i figured unlikely... and many other greats of the past. Theres a small bio underneath the recordings stating that.

Chadbanjo - Posted - 09/17/2018:  09:27:44

The download links for Old Original's Volume 1 and 2 dont work for me. Is it just my machine...

RG - Posted - 09/17/2018:  10:03:38

Chad, try this one, it just worked for me...

timesaintliketheyusedtobe.blog...l1-2.html

Interesting about Harold and Wade since Wade passed away in 1971.  Harold would have been 19 so the timing does work out... 

Chadbanjo - Posted - 09/17/2018:  13:11:34

That link worked fine. Its the two links to the files on that page that wont work for me. Looks like the files were taken down.

If any of you have these maybe pm me and send them to my email.

JanetB - Posted - 09/17/2018:  14:26:21

I was able to purchase and download Far in the Mountains from the UK company linked above, for $5.27, with the Dent Wimmer recordings.  There are liner notes available in an included link.  Upon first listening, it sounds like the version Harold Flausenfluck recorded.

What I've also found intriguing is learning about Harold Flausenfluck.  He was born in 1952 and became blind due to being given "too much oxygen" by doctors, affecting his retinas.  His father gave him a harmonica when he had just entered school and he took to old-time music, learning fiddle in 1968 at festivals.  Mark Campbell wrote in the Field Collectors liner notes he was influenced by Glenn Smith, Joe Birchfield and the recordings of John Carson.  In 1969 he began banjo, learning from his Aunt Lou McCray and Glenn Smith and later from Matokie Slaughter, Wade Ward, Tommy Jarrell, Ike Frost, Enoch Rutherford, Rufus Quesinberry, and Kyle Creed.  He recorded with Abe Horton of Fancy Gap, VA and made several recordings for Heritage Records.  In 1984 Harold won the banjo championship in Galax and in 1990 the fiddle championship.  

Sadly, Harold suffered a stroke in 1999, leaving his left side paralyzed, but he resumed playing harmonica and could still have a radio station and operate a ham radio..  Here's a video interview in an assisted living home.  Perhaps some readers here are familiar with Harold Flausenfluck and can tell us more about him. 

When you listen to Harold's recordings, available at the Field Recorders Collective in a link above, he introduces each tune with some background.  He plays both versions of Half Shaved.  I liked the Wimmer one best.

RG - Posted - 09/17/2018:  14:57:37

Those FRC recordings are from cassette tapes Harold used to make for banjo instruction Janet, that's why he gives the spoken introductions to tunes and discusses tunings. He did the same thing for fiddle. His recordings with Abe Horton are a lot fo fun too (both "Cornbread, Molasses and Sassafras Tea" & "Sweet Sunny South") & Harold's fiddle CD on FRC is also highly recommended, some great playing on that one as well...

fieldrecorder.bandcamp.com/alb...heritage-recordings

 

Edited by - RG on 09/17/2018 14:58:18

Cyndy - Posted - 09/17/2018:  19:09:15

The liner notes for Far in the Mountains : Volumes 1 & 2 tell this story:



"Sam Connor lived at Copper Hill in Floyd County.  After recording a number of his fiddle and banjo tunes he insisted that we went to the small town of Floyd to meet his friend, the banjo-player Dent Wimmer.  Dent had just come out of hospital, following a serious operation, and I was hesitant about him playing.  But, as soon as he saw Sam getting out of the car with his fiddle case, I heard him call to his daughter, asking her to bring his banjo.  Their duets were breathtaking, and it was hard to realize that Dent was still very ill."



Checking FamilySearch, a seventy-year-old Dennis Omer Wimmer, of Floyd, Virginia, died 30 October 1979, just short of three months after the recordings appear to have been made. I'm not sure, but I’m thinking this was "Dent." If so, I’m glad he had the energy and desire to pick up the banjo that day. His playing has really made our week, hasn't it?! (If this is not the right person, please post a correction.)



The death certificate is available here (but it’s necessary to have a free account to view it): familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:...c=2377565

mbuk06 - Posted - 09/18/2018:  06:17:08

On this thread that positions Wade Ward and Dent Wimmer side-by-side in the same artistic space there is no way we can properly and decently let the appraisal of these wonderful tunes go by without taking the opportunity to acknowledge the original sources and influence of local black musicians on both, but especially Dent Wimmer's playing style. Specific elements of Dent's banjo playing come from nowhere else. In regard to Dent, he and others refer to the Smith brothers who were African Americans living in and around Floyd County and who played for local dances and frolics. No doubt there were countless anonymous others in black communities (there certainly were around Ararat and the Stuart areas in neighbouring Patrick County) in every county playing, as they themselves related, almost exclusively with other black musicians. It does highlight how our modern map of 'celebritised' white players - the 'old timers' - is itself a selective construct; a filtered fragment of the overall soundscape and what was really going on in parallel in the same geographical landscapes but separated by the socially-constructed artificial barrier of race. Not to mention the many unknown poor whites whose playing would no doubt have blown our socks off but who were also never recorded.



Given wider society's historical willful 'blindness' in regard to black endeavour and achievements: segregation, racism and an almost total ignoring and denigrating of African-American lives and cultural heritage it is in those white players who had direct contact and picked up ideas from black players that we hear fragments of that denied musical culture and feel it's very real vibrant presence.

Edited by - mbuk06 on 09/18/2018 06:31:00

Chadbanjo - Posted - 09/22/2018:  16:50:07

No doubt Dent and Wade would have given a shout out to all those of any background for passing what is.. on. Sure they did...just wasnt in writing.

Before i tune my old machine back in a more familiar tuning, ill post a take of this very cool tune.

Half Shaved

 

RG - Posted - 09/23/2018:  17:41:45

Great version Chad1 Assuming that's the RB100, sounding good!