zach w - Posted - 06/14/2024:  04:51:16

I've chosen “Cauliflower” for this week's TOTW.  Cauliflower is another excellent Ohio fiddle tune that comes from Jimmy Wheeler, but unfortunately I don’t have much to add about Jimmy since my Last TOTW submission. However, I do have information for the Sorghum Festival that takes place in his hometown, Portsmouth, OH. Sorghum Festival Link. I’ve been told some of Jimmy’s tunes get played there. 

From Tunearch.org CAULIFLOWER. American, Reel (cut time). G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). ABC. The tune seems unique to Portsmouth, Ohio, fiddler and instrument repairman Jimmy Wheeler's (1917-1987) repertoire.

The tabs on taterjoes.com have a C chord suggested in measures 2 and 6 of the A-part.  A local fiddler suggested using an Am chord in place of the C chord. After trying it out I liked the way the Am chord sounded, and maybe added a little tension as well.

Here are some links I found:

Jimmy Wheeler playing with Jeff Goehring on guitar:

Jimmy Wheeler - Slippery-Hill.com

Clawhammer banjo versions on YouTube:

Frank and Max Evans

Christopher Dean - Banjo

Steve Rucker - Banjo

Album versions:

Roger Cooper - Album

April Verch and Cody Walters - Album

April Verch and Cody Walters - live

A slow and fast recording including fiddle and guitar:

Lynn Frederick - fast and slow version

Links to banjo tab and standard notation:

Standard Notation - oldtimefiddletunes.net

Standard Notationl - Tunearch.org

Standard notation - Taterjoes.com (2 versions)

Banjo Tab - Taterjoes.com

Here are two versions I've recorded.

VIDEO: Cauliflower
(click to view)

VIDEO: Cauliflower
(click to view)

Mtngoat - Posted - 06/16/2024:  10:21:23

Nice videos for learning the tune.

Jim_VA - Posted - 06/16/2024:  16:04:38

The Sorghum festival looks interesting. Have you been to one?

zach w - Posted - 06/17/2024:  06:08:57

I haven't but I'm hoping to go this year.

Keith E - Posted - 06/17/2024:  09:41:36

First, thanks for your recent Jimmy Wheeler posts.

Jimmy Wheeler was really well known as a guitar repairman. Back in the early 70s, one of my buddies got him to do some work on a Martin 12 string. When my friend (we'll call him Andy, because that's his name) picked the guitar up, he was charged $2 for the repair. At the time, Andy was a bearded long-hair. He said, "Mr. Wheeler, two dollars?" meaning it seemed way to inexpensive. The response was something like "I said it's two dollars & you'll pay two dollars!"

I've spent a lot of time at Simon's Sorghum Festival over the years, but not so much recently. It's scaled back quite a bit since John Simon is no longer able to run things (it's held at his family farm). It was always a great time in a beautiful location. Hoping to make it this year.

The last time I went, probably 5 years back, a friend remarked that so many of the old guys are now gone. I couldn't help but point out that he was the old guy now (I was the slightly less old guy).