I had been perusing Slippery Hill some weeks ago when I happened upon this waltz after listening to some others. While the tunes I’ve presented in the past were ones that I already knew much ahead of time, this one I did not and decided to learn it in order to present it.
I initially learned it from this recording:
Hollow Rock Stringband: https://www.slippery-hill.com/content/henry-reeds-waltz
A bit of a presence is found on YouTube for it:
Don Borchelt: https://youtu.be/NBRUbLJXPik?si=wFeLR6rBRUufz627
From Don’s video description:
“Alan Jabbour recorded the great Henry Reed playing this tune in two different sessions in 1967. Jabbour's notes just identified it as "a waltz," but Reed later told him that it was named after another fiddler who would play it constantly.”
Ken Perlman: https://youtu.be/gS3yMutx8ko?si=tATurpetocJx4ijV
Description from Ken’s video:
“The tune was named for Grover Jones because he was always asking local fiddlers to play it. Jones was also famous for finding the largest "alluvial" diamond in North America.”
Alan Jabbour (fiddle): https://youtu.be/b4839Q0XJp4?si=xkaTIIJhR1x4h04W
A banjo short from Skyler Westebbe: https://youtu.be/zMYaMavg91s?si=WIFEwp6_NEwWIBS6
Fiddle with banjo backup (Everett and Emily Elam): https://youtu.be/jLBGA85PWY8?si=pOXFvQFj-SI66LfM
Finally, my take of it on a recently completed fretless mountain banjo: https://youtu.be/K7fxw_iWukM?si=J3Vop7bOveTLYmPF
It seems to reason why Grover favored this tune…
Feel free to post your thoughts, recordings, additional info, etc.
Noah, I’ve loved this waltz since I first heard Alan Jabbour play it at the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes in 1979! But I could rarely get any fiddlers to learn the tune, and to this day only know a very few people who play it. Thanks for posting it as a TOTW, and for the links, includiing your own lovely rendition on the fretless banjo!
Edited by - BrendanD on 10/09/2025 23:19:37
quote:
Originally posted by BrendanDNoah, I’ve loved this waltz since I first heard Alan Jabbour play it at the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes in 1979! But I could rarely get any fiddlers to learn the tune, and to this day only know a very few people who play it. Thanks for posting it as a TOTW, and for the links, includiing your own lovely rendition on the fretless banjo!
Thanks, Brendan!
I played this waltz for some music buddies of mine last Tuesday evening per our weekly jam and Ed remembered playing/backing it on guitar with Israel Welch on fiddle. He thought it went by another name, Mockingbird Hill, but that's a different waltz in D as I ended up finding, but it wouldn't surprise me Israel knowing both of them.
(On a side note, and speaking of birds, there's a waltz composed by Tom Thrush (who Tom and Israel Welch learned from), called the Whippoorwill, or something along that line, and I'm hoping to find the music and/or a recording of it. There's an interview with Israel that I've listened to via Augusta Heritage Center, with him saying he couldn't remember it, having not played it for close to 20 years, and that his brother Tom had written it down along with someone that I can't quite tell who he said (sounded like he said Walt -- possibly Walt Dixon, I'm thinking) that lived in Fountain near Keyser who also figured it out and wrote it down.
If anyone would know of any music/recordings for the Whippoorwill waltz from Tom Thrush, I'd appreciate it being shared.)
That's interesting information, Noah. Hopefully you'll hear more regarding your query. I thought your rendition on the mountain banjo was stupendous and the tune looked challenging to play. It so happens that Challenging Tunes is the current theme for Tune of the Month on the Facebook group called Clawhammer Rules. Seeing how I had to memorize it because of that tricky-up-the-neck part, this week's project is now a video with no reference to the tab (and I only play each part once).
Thanks for the inspiration! Hope you enjoy.
Nice arrangement, Janet. You're right that this is a challenging tune to play. I started some tab and have gotten bogged down. I think your tab fit the bill.
David
Beautifully played, Janet! And ues, this is a challenging tune to play well on the banjo!
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Originally posted by JanetBThat's interesting information, Noah. Hopefully you'll hear more regarding your query. I thought your rendition on the mountain banjo was stupendous and the tune looked challenging to play. It so happens that Challenging Tunes is the current theme for Tune of the Month on the Facebook group called Clawhammer Rules. Seeing how I had to memorize it because of that tricky-up-the-neck part, this week's project is now a video with no reference to the tab (and I only play each part once).
Thanks for the inspiration! Hope you enjoy.
Thanks, Janet! I just played what felt natural while learning it with the higher notes prior to seeing how other folks went about it (some much more melodic like Ken Perlman's arrangement), though I was pretty close to what others were doing with it. And, it did help having some muscle memory having learned initially on a fretted banjo, and side dots on that mountain banjo. Janet, it sounds like you got all of the notes, and it sounds great. I feel that I omitted a couple, but got the basis of the tune.
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Originally posted by Noah Cline(On a side note, and speaking of birds, there's a waltz composed by Tom Thrush (who Tom and Israel Welch learned from), called the Whippoorwill, or something along that line, and I'm hoping to find the music and/or a recording of it. There's an interview with Israel that I've listened to via Augusta Heritage Center, with him saying he couldn't remember it, having not played it for close to 20 years, and that his brother Tom had written it down along with someone that I can't quite tell who he said (sounded like he said Walt -- possibly Walt Dixon, I'm thinking) that lived in Fountain near Keyser who also figured it out and wrote it down.If anyone would know of any music/recordings for the Whippoorwill waltz from Tom Thrush, I'd appreciate it being shared.)
Noah, have you thought to ask Gerry Milnes about Tom Thrush? I've never heard about him, but I'll bet Gerry has! He did suggest once that my wife Maxine and I should try to visit Israel Welch, but to my regret, we never did. Did you know Israel?
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Originally posted by BrendanDquote:
Originally posted by Noah Cline(On a side note, and speaking of birds, there's a waltz composed by Tom Thrush (who Tom and Israel Welch learned from), called the Whippoorwill, or something along that line, and I'm hoping to find the music and/or a recording of it. There's an interview with Israel that I've listened to via Augusta Heritage Center, with him saying he couldn't remember it, having not played it for close to 20 years, and that his brother Tom had written it down along with someone that I can't quite tell who he said (sounded like he said Walt -- possibly Walt Dixon, I'm thinking) that lived in Fountain near Keyser who also figured it out and wrote it down.If anyone would know of any music/recordings for the Whippoorwill waltz from Tom Thrush, I'd appreciate it being shared.)
Noah, have you thought to ask Gerry Milnes about Tom Thrush? I've never heard about him, but I'll bet Gerry has! He did suggest once that my wife Maxine and I should try to visit Israel Welch, but to my regret, we never did. Did you know Israel?
Actually, I hadn't thought about it. The interview I referenced was done by Gerry in 1997, so that might be a possibility to ask him. Thinking more about it, I may reach out to Bill Wellington as I know he did recordings of and interviews with Israel and brother Tom in the late 70s-early 80s for the Grant County Arts Council and Goldenseal. I unfortunately didn't get to meet Israel as I didn't start playing banjo until 2008, and he passed away in 2003. However, after moving to WV in 2012, I've gotten to play with several folks that played music with him, and still do on a weekly basis.
quote:
Originally posted by Noah Clinequote:
Originally posted by BrendanDquote:
Originally posted by Noah Cline(On a side note, and speaking of birds, there's a waltz composed by Tom Thrush (who Tom and Israel Welch learned from), called the Whippoorwill, or something along that line, and I'm hoping to find the music and/or a recording of it. There's an interview with Israel that I've listened to via Augusta Heritage Center, with him saying he couldn't remember it, having not played it for close to 20 years, and that his brother Tom had written it down along with someone that I can't quite tell who he said (sounded like he said Walt -- possibly Walt Dixon, I'm thinking) that lived in Fountain near Keyser who also figured it out and wrote it down.If anyone would know of any music/recordings for the Whippoorwill waltz from Tom Thrush, I'd appreciate it being shared.)
Noah, have you thought to ask Gerry Milnes about Tom Thrush? I've never heard about him, but I'll bet Gerry has! He did suggest once that my wife Maxine and I should try to visit Israel Welch, but to my regret, we never did. Did you know Israel?
Actually, I hadn't thought about it. The interview I referenced was done by Gerry in 1997, so that might be a possibility to ask him. Thinking more about it, I may reach out to Bill Wellington as I know he did recordings of and interviews with Israel and brother Tom in the late 70s-early 80s for the Grant County Arts Council and Goldenseal. I unfortunately didn't get to meet Israel as I didn't start playing banjo until 2008, and he passed away in 2003. However, after moving to WV in 2012, I've gotten to play with several folks that played music with him, and still do on a weekly basis.
Another person I can think of who might know about Tom Thrush or Israel Welch is Jimmy Triplett, who now lives in Alabama. If you want contact info for either Jimmy or Gerry, let me know, and I can send it to you.
New information came to me in yesterday's mail. All issues of Goldenseal are now online and searchable.
Another person I can think of who might know about Tom Thrush or Israel Welch is Jimmy Triplett, who now lives in Alabama. If you want contact info for either Jimmy or Gerry, let me know, and I can send it to you.
Thanks, Brendan. I've reached out to Bill, so I'll see where that goes. I'll take you up on your offer if I don't find what I'm hunting for.
Since I've created a bit of drift per my inquiry (just thought I'd ask while I was thinking about that), I thought I'd share some articles on the Jones' Diamond: https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/entries/1011
https://www.appalachianhistory.net/2018/05/i-wish-theyd-threw-it-in-new-river.html
