zach w - Posted - 10/27/2023:  08:47:25

This week's TOTW is ‘Washington Court House’ which comes from Ohio fiddler Estil Adams. 

There isn’t a lot of information available about Estil Adams on the Internet. The Field Recorders’ Collective is still trying to get family permission to release Estils recordings.  Most of what I could find were inquiries about him and references to Slippery-hill.com and the Fieldrecorderscollective.com. I decided to reach out to Brad Kramer, who runs the blog site glorybeamingbanjo.blogspot.com and has done research on Ohio Fiddlers. He generously provided the following information:

Most of the information about Estil comes from Jeff Goehring who recorded Estil between 1983-1985. Estil was from Washington Courthouse, Ohio, in Fayette County located between Columbus and Cincinnati. His father also played fiddle and moved from Kentucky to Ohio, but the dates are unknown. Estil didn't have a name for the tune when it was recorded so Jeff Goehring named it “Washington Court House”. 

Goehring described Estil’s repertoire as "very rare," and his style as reminiscent of early stringband recordings, "perhaps as the result of playing in a band and listening to 78 recordings" and notes that he had an "Interesting style; nice touch; pretty unique sense of phrasing and melody." 

I also reached out to the Field Recorders Collective who provided the same general information. I wish I could have found more info but unfortunately we'll probably have to wait for the recordings of Estil to be released.

Brief info about Washington Court House from Wikipedia:

Officially named Washington as far back as 1910, the "Court House" suffix was used to distinguish the city from other places in the state with "Washington" in their name (Ohio also has an Old Washington, New Washington, Washingtonville, and Port Washington).^[6] The suffix is attributed to settlers who had come from Virginia, where "Court House" was used with county seats (e.g. Appomattox Court House).^[6] "Washington C. H." was added to maps and postal guides, and the de facto use of "Washington Court House" persisted over time.^[6] The name was made official when the city adopted a new charter in the early 2000s.^[a] "Washington Court House" is the longest city name in the state of Ohio.

Recordings and videos: 

Jeff Goehring - Washington Courthouse

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  slippery-hill.com  has a shorter version of the above recording

  
  

Claire and Walt - Washington Courthouse 

Soundcloud - Scott Rucker - Mandolin and Guitar

Henry Barnes - Washington Courthouse 

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  Henry Barnes is a terrific Fiddler from Washington Courthouse, Ohio. In 2019, through the Ohio Arts Council, he was able to record a series of podcasts and workshops highlighting various fiddle players from Ohio. Estil Adams was featured in Episode #2 which includes interview recordings of Estil's nephew Joe Adams. Henry Barnes OAC podcasts 

  
  
  
  
  

Standard Notation is available at oldtimefiddletunes.net.

This is an Addendum to my TOTW post.  I’ve received additional information and permission from the Field Recorders Collective, specifically Susie Goehring, Jeff Goehrings widow and former member of the Red Mule String Band, to share some notes he had taken during visits to record Estil Adams. 

Estil’s father also played fiddle and moved from Kentucky to Ohio when he was a young man. His Fathers name isn’t mentioned. Estil was born and raised in Ohio and had a brother named Frank who also played fiddle. It isn’t Clear if he had other siblings.  Estil and his brother played together as the Adams Brothers.  Another string band they were a part of were known as the Mylo Boys, a group sponsored by Mylo Fertilizer Co.  In bands he depicted himself as a comic character, buck and wine dancer, and did back-step. He could play multiple instruments including the banjo, mandolin, guitar, sing harmony, and would switch instruments in performances. The group played on the radio as well as dances and community events. His musical influences are listed as his Father, an uncle named Steve Gorman, as well as traditional groups such as the Carter Family, Blue Sky Boys, and Stoneman Family. His uncle Steve played Schottisches and Hornpipes.  Estil had an interesting and very rare repertoire that also included most of the standards and common tunes. He liked to compose and explore variations on tunes. And finally he was a farmer by trade.

My tab and Recording:

Edited by - zach w on 10/28/2023 18:26:17

Washington Courthouse tab

VIDEO: Washington Courthouse
(click to view)

JanetB - Posted - 10/28/2023:  15:09:22

Nice job, all around, Zach -- tune choice, your playing, the examples and even the limited amount of info about the tune. Estil Adams must have certainly used a lot of eighth notes, which I needed to eliminate a few of for the sake of ease in clawhammer. I began arranging in open G tuning, but, once again, went for the easier fingering in a double C equivalent (dGDGA) in order to play in the key of G on the cello banjo.



Coincidentally last night we watched a movie called "Washington's Armor", about a young George Washington and his guide, Christopher Gist, who were helping the British crown and the Ohio Company in your neck of the woods (or at least in the territory that would become Ohio). Have you heard of the book by the great fiddler, Christian Wig, called Annosanah, A Novel Based on the Life of Christopher Gist?

Edited by - JanetB on 10/28/2023 15:13:55

Washington Court House (TOTW)

Washington Court House (CH) tab