This one’s for anyone who likes rummaging the archives and field recordings.
I think I might have found an earliest extant recording of the well-known tune “Dink’s Song” (AKA “Fare Thee Well”) hiding at the Folklife Center. The song was originally recorded by J. Lomax along the Brazos River in either 1909 or ‘06 from what I can gather, and was published lyrically in 1917 and again with music in 1934.
It seems that just two years later—and several years before Libby Holman and Josh White recorded the tune for Decca—John Lomax made a cameo on a field recording that Charles Seeger was making of Penelope & Rebecca Tarwater for the Special Skills Division of the Resettlement Administration in Washington D.C. He sung “Dink’s Song” from direct recollection, and “Buffalo Gals” as well.
To my knowledge it’s the earliest known example to be dedicated to record, and if you’re familiar with its lore as a “lost tape” (Edison cylinder rather) and its charming, haunting beauty, then a rendition from Lomax himself before the introduction of any commercial recordings to color its essential character should be exciting us all.
I’ve written the Folklife Center, who would need to grant permission before it could be digitized and sent to me online, but while I’m waiting to hear back I thought I’d give anyone familiar with browsing in person the opportunity to scope it out for yourself, and perhaps report back if there’s something to it.
Here’s the archival particulars:
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catalog.loc.gov/vwebv/search?s...rmalink=y
lccn.loc.gov/2014655344
Local shelving no.
LWO 4872 r142A
AFS 02086-02089
AFC 1939/028
Related names
Tarwater, Penelope, performer.
Tarwater, Rebecca, performer.
Lomax, John A. (John Avery), 1867-1948, performer.
Seeger, Charles, 1886-1979, collector.
United States. Resettlement Administration.
Performer
Penelope Tarwater, vocals; Rebecca Tarwater, vocals, banjo; John A. Lomax, vocals.
Summary
Collection of recordings of songs and banjo music performed by Penelope and Rebecca Tarwater of Rockwood, Tennessee. Recorded in Washington, D.C., by Charles Seeger for the Special Skills Division of the Resettlement Administration, June 2, 1936. AFS 02088 B has two songs performed by John A. Lomax recorded by Charles Seeger on June 2, 1936.
Contents
Skip to my Lou -- Heaven, heaven -- Old Joe Clark -- Skip to my Lou (2 takes) -- Barbara Allen -- This train don't carry no gamblers -- Dear old Tennessee -- My horses ain't hungry (with harmonica) -- You gonna reap just what you sow -- I wouldn't mind dyin' if dyin' was all / performed by Penelope and Rebecca Tarwater -- The buffalo skinners ; Dink's song / sung by John A. Lomax -- My horses ain't hungry -- You gonna reap just what you sow -- I wouldn't mind dyin' if dyin' was all / performed by Penelope and Rebecca Tarwater.
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Here are some further resources for the history of this singularly touching number:
bluegrassmessengers.com/us-ver...song.aspx
jopiepopie.blogspot.com/2013/0...1942.html
And the LOC listing, including catalog card:
loc.gov/item/afc9999005.9500
Always so grateful for the incredible cultural resources preserved through the LOC and the Folklife Center. For those interested there’s also a bulk of Lomax recordings available at:
culturalequity.org/
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