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Jim_VA - Posted - 02/02/2024: 04:37:41
This week’s TOTW is “Boatin’ Up Big Ole Sandy” which comes from the fiddle playing of Foy James “Papa Jake” Lewis of Carroll County, Virginia. Papa Jake was born in 1923 and died, aged 86 years, in 2009. He played an amazing, simple, and rustic style of fiddle, as captured in a jam session from 2005 in this YouTube clip. (youtu.be/tHgSIerSEy4) Papa Jake claimed that he “made” this tune, which starts at 16:46 in the video. I learned the tune from the playing of David Bragger, who learned it directly from Papa Jake.
The Big Sandy river is a tributary of the Ohio river in western West Virginia, and its large watershed extends through West Virginia, Kentucky, and Virginia.
“Boatin’ Up Big Ole Sandy” is in the key of D, and has the standard AABB structure. “Boatin’ Up Big Old Sandy” is a completely different tune from “Boating Up Sandy” in A modal.
Here is my take on "Boatin' Up Big Ole Sandy": youtube.com/watch?v=wINWnb2F0-8
In my recording, the banjo is tuned aDADE, and I play the tune in both first position and second position, a good exercise for learning the fretboard! I think the B part shares a lot in common with other D tunes, but I would like to hear if anyone knows of a similar tune! I have played it at some jam sessions, and it is relatively easy to learn. Have fun with it!
Edited by - Jim_VA on 02/02/2024 04:42:00
JanetB - Posted - 02/03/2024: 15:57:19
Thanks for a new fiddler source and a fine little tune, Jim. You play it very nicely and inspired me to try an up-the-neck version, too. I used open C tuning, gCGCE, though it would need a capo to get to the key of D. We can ask @RG for any further information he may have, as he works a lot with David Bragger, who learned it directly from Papa Jake.
Edited by - JanetB on 02/03/2024 15:58:36
Jim_VA - Posted - 02/04/2024: 10:32:38
That is a lovely version on the tune, Janet! The open tuning must open a lot of new possibilities.
RG - Posted - 02/04/2024: 11:50:38
Learned this tune on the fiddle years ago from David Bragger who had visited Papa Jake in 2002-03 or somewhere thereabouts, haven't played or heard it in a while, which I'll rectify today. Great TOTW, thanks for posting Jim.
