Stephen Rapp - Posted - 05/12/2023:  04:48:45

I had plans on recording a different tune for this week, but haven’t managed the time. So what I decided to do is present one I did a while back that I think deserves the attention. 

This is a tune I learned during the pandemic when I was also experimenting with playing in a TFTL (two finger thumb lead) style on banjo. So I rendered it in TFTL for this old video, but it’s way easier in clawhammer style. So I’m including both TFTL as well as clawhammer versions in tablature. The tune comes from the playing of Oklahoma fiddler Eddie Kennedy. Springfield Girl is found on p. 88 of The Fiddle Book by Marion Thede. There are no source recordings and little is known of Eddie Kennedy.

I learned it from Paul Kirk, Jr who has been promoting tunes for Marion Thede’s Fiddle Book for years. He’s been compiling recordings of tunes from the book and has helped start an archive on Slipper-Hill. Slippery-Hill Marion Thede collection  The collection wasn’t published until around 1967, but most of the content was collected in the 1930s and 40s. It represents a solid collection of local repertoire from older Oklahoma fiddlers including the Collins family.

Other videos include:

A Clifftop late night jam with fiddler Mary Jane Epps playing it. Clifftop Jam She learned it from a tape that had been circulating by Tom Sauber. Tom did a whole series of recordings directly from reading Marion Thede’s The Fiddle Book. This is the recording from Tom Sauber on fiddle at Slippery-Hill: Tom Sauber   Here is fellow Banjo Hangout member Banjukebox: youtu.be/fvjBKbo_0u0  Here we have the Barn Owls: Barn Owls version

Last, but not least: Nokosee Fields in the 2018 fiddle contest at Clifftop 2018. Nokosee Fields version

Springfield Girl-Clawhammer

Springfield Girl-TFTL

VIDEO: Springfield Girl
(click to view)

 

banjukebox - Posted - 05/12/2023:  06:53:00

Great selection for TOTW! Gotta love those tunes that never resolve. A few years ago, I was at a jam (I think in Portland,OR). Where the fiddler who called this tune said that in their neck of the woods they call this one "Lisa" (Bart's sister). I'll see if I can come up with a tab that corresponds to the link to my version that you linked above.

banjukebox - Posted - 05/13/2023:  07:59:20

here's a link to that tab: Springfield Girl (TAB).

My source is the Canote Brothers. Listen HERE.

Stephen Rapp - Posted - 05/13/2023:  09:54:42

Thanks, Pat. I hadn't heard the Conote brothers version before. Comes complete with a barking dog. LOL You do a great job with it as expected.

JanetB - Posted - 05/13/2023:  14:31:23

I knew you'd pick a good one, Stephen.  The playing examples you chose, including you and Paul, are most enjoyable.  Thanks for the Slippery Hill link to the entire page for The Fiddle Book tunes.  That's a preferred resource than a book for someone like me who likes to learn by listening to a fiddler.  In this case I listened to Tom Sauber.  He actually played in the key of F, though the notes state the tune is in G.  I arranged it on cello banjo four steps down, equivalent to double C tuning and landed in the key of G.

VIDEO: Springfield Girl
(click to view)

Springfield Girl (CH) tab