Peggy Bulger: Hello?   [applause]

Welcome everybody.
Oh, it's great to see such a great crowd out today.
It's hard to believe, but this is our final homegrown concert
for 2007, so be looking.
We'll be announcing our homegrown concerts for 2008 coming up soon.
For those of you who don't know me, I'm Peggy Bulger, and I'm director
of the American Folklife Center here at the Library.
And many of you know that every month, we try to bring here
to the Coolidge Auditorium some of the very best of traditional music
and dance throughout the nation,
and we record these concerts for the collections.
And we're hoping that, you know, a hundred, two hundred years from now,
somebody'll want to know what was the greatest, you know,
traditional music that was going
on in the United States way back in 2007.
And they'll be able to look at this and enjoy, as you will today,
some of the most amazing musicians.
I have two quick announcements that I need to get out of the way.
One is, if you have a cell phone -- and I'll have to do this when I sit
down -- please turn it off.   We would really appreciate it.

And also, as you came in -- some of you may have picked it up and some
of you may have not -- but we have a little audience survey
that we'd love to have you just fill out, even if you filled it
out on a different concert that you came to.
We're really trying to find out how people find out about our concerts
and how we can do better in letting the word out.
And I have to say a big thank you to Mary Clifton, WAMU,
who are our media sponsors for this, and they've been giving us a lot
of free PSA, so thank you Mary.   [applause]

So, we work collaboratively to bring these folks to you
with the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center,
and I want to also give them a plug.
At 6:00 tonight, if you would like to hear more of Gandy Dancer,
they'll be playing at the Millennium Stage up at the Kennedy Center,
and that works out really well.
We also work to bring the people that you see here at these concerts,
we work with a network of folklorists who are out there,
on the ground, doing fieldwork and really getting most
of the folks out who need to be seen.
And in this case, we have somebody doing double duty.
Gerry Milnes, who is also a member of the band, is also the unofficial,
if you will, West Virginia state folklorist.
He's the folklorist who works at Augusta Heritage Workshop
up in Elkins, West Virginia, and he's been collecting and working
as a folklorist as well as a musician for many, many years.
So, we're very glad to have Gerry here, and I'm going to bring out --
usually I bring out the state folklorist first,
and they give a little speech, speechify if you will --
but in this case, I'm just going to bring out the whole band,
best old time string band music from West Virginia, Gandy Dancer.
[applause]   [pause]

Gerry Milnes: Hello everyone!   We're real proud to be here.

As Peggy said, we're all from West Virginia,
and this institution actually has paid a lot of attention to our state
over the last 40 years or so, and some of that may surface right here
in the set that we'll do today.
So we're happy to be at the Library of Congress, and we're happy
to play you some music for your lunch hour entertainment.
So here we go.   Male Speaker: One, two, three, four.

[music]   [applause]


Male Speaker: Thank you.
We, whether good or bad, switch around a lot, so don't be alarmed.
Typically, most of them drift back at some point
with another instrument in their hand.
So once we get the banjo retuned in two
or three hours [laughs] we're going to try a tune that we have --
I don't know, this is not your basic vegetarian-type tune, I guess.
We like to do a lot of butchering songs.
This is a butchering song, I guess.   Male Speaker: First of many!

Gerry Milnes: Well, the fellows that did that wonderful study here
about the Hammonds family are both in the audience here,
so that makes us a little nervous.
The Hammonds family that everybody knows about were
from Pocahontas County, West Virginia, but there was also a part
of that family in Randolph County, where I live.
And one very prolific singer, and ballad singer, banjo player,
storyteller by the name of Currence Hammonds,
and I learned this tune from Currence.
It's actually a tune that comes from the British midlands,
but it has been many versions of it around being played
for a long time in this country.   It's called "The Darby Ram."

[music]
Gandy Dancer: [singing] As I was down to Darby, was on a market day,
saw the biggest ram, sir, that was ever fed on hay.
And then he rambled, then he rambled,
then he rambled 'til the butchers cut him down.

Well, the horns on that ram, sir, they reached up to the sky,
the eagles built their nests in them,
for I heard the young ones cry.
And then he rambled, then he rambled,
then he rambled 'til the butchers cut him down.

Well, the wool on that ram, sir, it reached down to the ground,
the foxes they would hide in it, for I chased them with my hounds.
And then he rambled, then he rambled,
then he rambled 'til the butchers cut him down.

Well, the man that cut that ram's throat was drownded in the blood,
half the town of Darby washed away in the flood.
And then he rambled, then he rambled,
then he rambled 'til the butchers cut him down.

It took all the boys in Darby to haul away his bones,
took all the girls in Darby to roll away his stones.
And then he rambled, then he rambled,
then he rambled 'til the butchers cut him down.

And then he rambled, then he rambled,
then he rambled 'til the butchers cut him down.
[applause]   Male Speaker: Thank you!

A lot of our music comes from kind of the coming of the industrial age
to West Virginia, I guess, the late 1800s, early 1900s,
because a common tie amongst us individuals here on stage is
that a lot of us learned music from people who were born
about that period of time and learned their music there.
Gerry mentioned the Hammonds family were very well known,
but there were lots of others like them who weren't so well known.
But a lot of our music comes from that,
and it's sort of our common tie for the band
and indirectly is the reason for the name of the band.
The band is called "Gandy Dancer" because it's a term that kind
of springs out of that period in time of the coming
of the railroads coming into West Virginia.
And a lot of the railroad workers were Italian immigrants
and some Irish immigrants who were, in slang terms, the gandy dancers,
so that's the name of our band.
But here's a tune that's a little newer than that
from the Delmore Brothers of the '30s,
called "The Sand Mountain Blues."   [music]

Gandy Dancer: [singing] I'm standing by the railroad,
waiting for a train, I'm going to catch
that midnight train, never come back again.
It's a lonesome feeling, Sand Mountain blues.
I went to the gypsy to hear what she would say,
she said that girl don't love you, and you better be on your way.
You're going to be sorry for breaking my heart.
Now I've got no place to go, but any old place will do,
I'm leaving old Sand Mountain just getting away from you.
You're going to be sorry for breaking my heart.

There's other girls around here, I could love them too,
but every time I see you, it makes me sad and blue.
It's a lonesome feeling, Sand Mountain blues.
Now when it makes you lonesome to hear that freight train blow,
then you'll know I'm riding, but I don't want to go.
It's a lonesome feeling, Sand Mountain blues.
When it's raining on Sand Mountain, raining soft and slow,
then maybe you'll remember that night you made me go.
You're going to be sorry for breaking my heart.

I am just a poor boy, work's my middle name,
I guess that's why you said goodbye, but I love you just the same.
You're going to be sorry for breaking my heart.
But if you ever need me, then maybe I'll come back,
I hear that train a-coming, it's down the track.
It's a lonesome feeling, Sand Mountain blues.

It's a lonesome feeling, Sand Mountain blues.

[applause]
Gerry Milnes: We're going to try a couple of fiddle tunes here
that come from a couple of different fiddlers of the region.
If you are a fiddling buff, you've probably heard of Doc Roberts,
who is from over in Kentucky.
We're going to play a tune that came from him.
It's called "New Money."
And then we're going to follow that up with a tune
from a West Virginia fiddle player named Ed Haley.
Ed was originally from Logan County, West Virginia.
He was a blind fiddler, made his living throughout his life
with a tin cup and a fiddle and played around a lot
of different areas in central West Virginia.
He would show up at stock sales and auctions and things like that,
about any place where a gathering was happening,
a gathering of people.
He ended up living a lot of his life in Ashland, Kentucky,
which is just across the Sandy River there, from West Virginia.
And the good news is that Ed Haley made a lot of home recordings due
to the good work of some fine people.
Those recordings are now available,
and I guess I could give John Hartford a lot of credit for that,
who was very involved with that project.
So, a tune called "New Money" and followed
up with one called "The Cherry River Rag."

Male Speaker: [inaudible] Male Speaker: One, two, three.

[music]   [applause]

Male Speaker: Thank you!
Male Speaker: Yeah, we like those old fiddle tunes too.
We're going to get geared up here and do yet another tune.
Male Speaker: We're going to go back to butchering here.
Poor animals on our sets.
We keep going back to the Hammonds family.
Most of us got to spend some time with them when we were much younger.
This is one I got off of Maggie
and Sherman Hammonds both, one called "Joe Bones."
[music]
Gandy Dancer: [singing] Had a calf I know that'll die,
I had a calf I know that'll die, had a calf I know that'll die,
you can tell right well by look in its eye.
Asked my kinfolks to come in, asked my kinfolks to come in,
asked my kinfolks to come in, oh, to help me kill and skin.
Walk ol' Joe Bones, walk away, walk ol' Joe Bones, hop all day,
walk ol' Joe Bones, walk away, walk ol' Joe Bones, hop all day.

All the butchers come blocking around,
all the butchers come blocking around,
all the butchers come blocking around,
and lassoed it upon the ground.
They got mad enough to fight, they got mad enough to fight,
they got tied enough to fight,
'cause we robbed them of their rights.
Walk ol' Joe Bones, walk away, walk ol' Joe Bones, hop all day,
walk ol' Joe Bones, walk away, walk ol' Joe Bones, hop all day.

First the ax and then the knife, first the ax and then the knife,
first the ax and then the knife, to kill that calf, take its life.
Keep one quarter, yes I will, I'll keep one quarter, yes I will,
keep one quarter, yes I will and sell the rest, kaiser veal.
Walk ol' Joe Bones, walk away, walk ol' Joe Bones, hop all day,
walk ol' Joe Bones, walk away, walk ol' Joe Bones, hop all day.

[applause]
Male Speaker: Hoom laka laka laka, hoom laka laka laka.
We're in C right now.   Male Speaker: One of the hard things

about having a banjo that's shared amongst every member of the band is
that everybody's using a different tuning pretty much when they go
to it, so it kind of slows us down on stage.
I see a lot of old friends here, most of them right
up in the first few rows.
I know at least half of the first row here, the first several rows.
Good to see you here.
Guys, are we doing "Bully of the Town" next?
Male Speaker: Yes man.   Wait, wait.

Male Speaker: Wait.
Gerry Milnes: This song I guess goes back to the minstrel stage and seems
to have been real popular
with old-time fiddle players throughout the early radio age,
and was recorded by some of the old string bands.
Seems to be lots of different sets of words to it.
I think these verses are just verses I've picked up here
and there from different people.   Mark's going to play a little bit

of three finger-style banjo on this one.
It's called "Bully of the Town."   Male Speaker: One, two, three.

[music]
Gandy Dancer: [singing] I'm looking for that bully,
that bully of the town, I'm looking for that bully,
but that bully can't be found, I'm looking for the bully of the town.
Every night I'm walking round this town,
looking for that bully all around, somebody's going
to land upside down, 'cause I'm looking for the bully of the town.

There is a certain fellow, been hanging round this town,
he think that he's the toughest thing that ever came around,
they've got him branded as the bully of the town.
Every night I'm walking round this town,
looking for that bully all around, somebody's going
to land upside down, 'cause I'm looking for the bully of the town.

Well, he walks into a joint, and he lays his money down,
he orders up a drink and starts shoving folks around,
he's got them buffaloed, this bully of the town.
Every night I'm walking round this town,
looking for that bully all around, somebody's going
to land upside down, 'cause I'm looking for the bully of the town.

Well I ain't no tough guy, I don't mean to brag, but whenever I get
through here, there won't be no bully drag,
I'm looking for the bully of the town.
Every night I'm walking round this town,
looking for that bully all around, somebody's going
to land upside down, 'cause I'm looking for the bully of the town.

It's when you see me coming, raise your windows high,
when you see me leaving, you're going to hang your head and cry,
I'm looking for the bully of the town.
Every night I'm walking round this town,
looking for that bully all around, somebody's going
to land upside down, 'cause I'm looking for the bully of the town.

[applause]
Male Speaker: Well, while I have this in my armpit,
I'm going to do another one.
There's a -- my strap's a lot longer than this one.
You don't usually see a banjo with a chinrest on it,
but I guess this could use one.
I didn't want to risk mine on the flight, so anyway.
We're going to do one that was done by a wonderful banjo player
from West Virginia by the name of Don Stover
who was a great claw hammer-style player
and a great three finger-style picker.
He played for many years with the Lily Brothers
from southern West Virginia and I guess this qualifies
as a ballad inasmuch as it tells a story.
And this is called, "I Picked Up a Hammer
and I Knocked Him In the Head."
[laughter] Male Speaker: We just about didn't get this one
through security coming in here.
Male Speaker: The B string blues, first.

Male Speaker: There we go, close enough.
[music]
Gandy Dancer: [singing] I was born in West Virginia,
times were rough, we couldn't buy bread.
I seen that whistle pick running up the holler, I picked up a hammer
and I knocked him in the head, I picked up a hammer


Worked all day digging them taters, I was glad to get in bed,
seven little buds were in there with me, I picked up a hammer
and I knocked them in the head, I picked up a hammer


Old Bill Wilson lost his sweetheart, Old Bill wished that he was dead,
though I'd do old Bill a favor, I picked up a hammer and I knocked him
in the head, I picked up a hammer and I knocked him in the head.

I was born in West Virginia, times were rough, we couldn't buy bread.
I seen that whistle pick running up the holler, I picked up a hammer
and I knocked him in the head, I picked up a hammer


I picked up a hammer and I knocked him in the head,
I picked up a hammer and I knocked him in the head.
[applause]   [pause]

Male Speaker: I knew we should've gone with the large-print setlist.
[laughter] Gerry Milnes: I knew an old guy from the Greenbriar County,
West Virginia, right along the Pocahontas County line.
His name was Jim Nicely.
Jim sang a lot of really great old songs that he'd learned
from an uncle, and he learned songs in the logging camps,
and he said that he learned this one in about 1912,
in a logging camp there on Cold Mountain.
And it's called -- I guess this song itself probably again goes back
to the minstrel stage, but it's been out there in folk tradition
for a long time, taking on many different variations
and actually this one mentions a Mr. Rockefeller.
I'm sure it's not our illustrious senator
of today, but a rich ancestor.
So this one's called "Walking in the Parlor."
Male Speaker: One, two, three, four.   [music]

Gandy Dancer: [singing] I was born in old Virginia and my head is full
of knowledge, I'd rather go to preschool than any other college,
now I'll tell you, for a fact, this world was made
in the twinkle of a whack.
Walking in the parlor, walking and I say, walking in the parlor
to hear the banjo play, walking in the parlor to hear the banjo ring,
and to watch the boy's finger as he picks upon a string.

This world was made in six days and finished on the seventh,
according to contract, it ought to have been the 11th,
the carpenter got drunk and the mason wouldn't work,
and the quickest way to finish was fill it up with dirt.
Walking in the parlor, walking and I say, walking in the parlor
to hear the banjo play, walking in the parlor to hear the banjo ring,
and to watch the boy's finger as he picks upon a string.

Well, first they made the earth and then they made the sky,
then they made the mountains and hung them up to dry,
they made the stars out of old witch's eyes, to give a little light
when the moon don't rise.
Walking in the parlor, walking and I say, walking in the parlor
to hear the banjo play, walking in the parlor to hear the banjo ring,
and to watch the boy's finger as he picks upon a string.

Well Adam was the first man and Eve was another, Cain was a bad man
because he killed his brother, Old mother Miller couldn't sleep
without a pillow, And the worst man that lived was old Rockefeller.
Walking in the parlor, walking and I say, walking in the parlor
to hear the banjo play, walking in the parlor to hear the banjo ring,
and to watch the boy's finger as he picks upon a string.

[applause]   Jim Barton: Thank you.

While these guys are switching stuff around,
I'd like to introduce everybody who isn't busy.
Down on this end, holding the banjo now I think,
Ron Mulinex [spelled phonetically] from Blue Field.
[applause]
Jim Barton: Next on fiddle in the green hat, from Harmony,
West Virginia, Dave Boone [spelled phonetically].
[applause]
Jim Barton: From Elkins, West Virginia, fiddle, director of --
Male Speaker: That place.
Jim Barton: -- that place in Elkins, Gerry Milnes.
[applause]
Jim Barton: My right, holding the guitar now,
from Charleston now, right?
-- he used to be from Carl Slains [spelled phonetically] --
Mark Payne.   [applause]

Jim Barton: And I'm Jim Barton [spelled phonetically]
from St. Albans, West Virginia.   Together we're Gandy Dancer.

Thanks for coming out.   [applause]

Gerry Milnes: We're going to slip over in Kentucky now,
do a couple Kentucky tunes learned off of recordings
from a fiddler name John Salyer,
"Trouble in Mind" and "Jenny Get Around."
Male Speaker: One, two, three, four.   [music]

[applause]
Male Speaker: Next we'd like to do "Sourwood Mountain," which is one
that is probably one of the most common old time tunes that there is,
but we're going to do a couple different versions of it.
And the first version is not nearly as common as the second, I guess.
It's a version that comes from down in southwest Virginia.
Are we ready, Mark?   Mark Payne: I'm in tune.

[music]
Gandy Dancer: [singing] I went up on Sourwood Mountain
to give my horn a blow, and I thought I heard my true love say,
"That's coming from my bow."
Chickens crowing on Sourwood Mountain,


He arrived and on the hillside, I was already in, I loved you once
with all my heart, but I'll never love you again.
Chickens crowing on Sourwood Mountain,


Sixteen miles away from home, and chickens crowing today,
somebody's upstairs with my true love, he'd better be getting away.
Chickens crowing on Sourwood Mountain,


Oh, my true love's a brown eyed daisy, hey de lie, di-diddle-um day.
If I don't get her I'll go crazy, hey de lie, di-diddle-um day.
Chickens crowing on Sourwood Mountain,
hey de lie, di-diddle-um day.
So many pretty girls you can't count them, hey de lie, di-diddle-um day.

[applause]
Gerry Milnes: Most all the tunes and songs we do are pretty old,
but this one is actually not old at all,
although we all think it sounds like an old song.
There was a musician lived in this area a long time ago and was
around West Virginia for quite a while
and now has moved down to North Carolina.
His name was Craig Johnson.
He wrote a really beautiful tune -- a song, really --
about the closing of the Mauer Lumber Company [spelled
phonetically] which took place in Cass, West Virginia, in 1958.
Hundreds of employees were laid off.
It was the biggest lumber operation in the state.
And a lot of peoples' fate was more or less cast to the wind.
And Craig met an old man who sort of told him his life story,
and this is Craig's version of his life story.
We call it "Piney Mountain."
Gandy Dancer: [singing] Sit down buddy, and we'll drink and smoke,
woman, don't you weep for me, my hands can't fiddle
and my heart's been broke, you damned old piney mountains.
I lost my fingers at a Galax mill, buddy, sing a sad old song,
and my heart got broke in the yew-pine hills,
Lord, and my time ain't long.
I started into logging when I was in my prime, woman, don't you weep
for me, itching up the spruce to the big drag lines,
you damned old piney mountains.
When the skidders start to bucking when the gears come down, buddy,
sing a sad old song, making God's own thunder on the new-cut ground,
Lord, and my time ain't long.
We was fighting over nothing and drinking too hard, woman,
don't you weep for me, riding up the camp on a flat-wheel car,
you damned old piney mountains.
I was thirty years hanging on the old chain brake, buddy,
sing a sad old song, got laid off and paid off in '58,
Lord, and my time ain't long.
And the skidders got sold to a scrap iron yard, woman, don't you weep
for me, and I moved down in Virginia when the times got hard,
you damned old piney mountains.
Then I lost my fingers to a steel band saw, buddy,
sing a sad old song, now my fiddles just hangs untuned on the wall,
Lord, and my time ain't long.
Now it's all grown up on the logging road, woman, don't you weep for me,
and the wildflowers bloom where the big Shays blowed,
you damned old piney mountains.
And there's nothing left for me but to drink and smoke, buddy,
sing a sad old song, my hands can't fiddle and my heart's been broke,
Lord, and my time ain't long.   [applause]

Male Speaker: Thank you all.
Ron's going to do some major tuning here.
He's going to do really a common old tune, but him and Mark's worked
out a great arrangement of it.
We're going back off and let them do it.
[laughter] Male Speaker: I see a lot of familiar faces out here.
I'd love to stick around and say hi and everything,
but I got our schedule, where I think we're going
to be immediately whisked off and go to another thing we got to play,
and then we'll be at the Kennedy Center tonight.
Any of these tunes you want to hear again, come to the Kennedy Center,
we're going to do them again.
Gerry Milnes: Actually, I think we're being whisked off
to Senator Byrd's 90th birthday party.
Male Speaker: Shh!   It's a surprise, don't tell him!

Mark Payne: It's a surprise party.
Male Speaker: But don't tell him, it's a surprise.
Male Speaker: Well.
Maybe. Male Speaker: You can't get there from here, man.
Male Speaker: We're close.   Sound close to you.

Male Speaker: Just warp it one time.   Like that.

Male Speaker: I think it's getting fatigue in the wood, you know,
from being changed so many times today.
This is a tune that I don't really have a good name for,
because I've heard it called a lot of things,
none of which really fit real well,
but we just call it "The Lonesome Rambler."
And there are versions of it that come from --
I've heard it in West Virginia, in Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina,
but I guess this is probably mostly a Kentucky version, kind of a cross
between Kentucky and West Virginia versions
that I've learned along the way.   Are we ready?

[music]
Gandy Dancer: [singing] Come on you lonesome ramblers,
and gather around me now.
I once, I once went rambling, I rambled with a rambling man.
I once had pretty fine clothes to wear,
and a pretty fine horse to ride.
But now I've got no money, and no fine clothes to wear.
I once had plenty of money, I had friends standing all around.
But now my pocketbook is empty, not a friend on earth to be found.

My papa taught me plenty, my mama taught me more,
said if I didn't quit my rowdy ways,
there'd be trouble knocking at my door.
I sit here, alone in this old jailhouse,
40 dollars won't pay my fine.
Corn whiskey has done ruined my body,


Now let's listen to the bluebirds singing,
don't you hear that mournful sound.
They're preaching this rambler funeral,
in that lonesome graveyard ground.
Go and dig a hole in the meadow, dig a hole in the cold, cold ground.
Go and dig a hole in the meadow, and watch this poor rambler go down.
[applause]   [pause]

Male Speaker: Okay, we're going do --
I think we got time for just two more or a couple more,
so we're going to do those.
If any of you are interested in our recordings, you can come down here
and talk to us as soon as we're done.
We've got a couple of quick moments that we can hang around,
and then we're -- as I think someone said --
going to go someplace that's not here.
And then later on they're going to another place that's not there.
This is one that we like to do, and I think we basically got this off
of Melvin Wine, sort of, kind of, didn't we at some point?
I know most of us did anyway.
I don't know how often it's actually sung.
I think Melvin played it as a fiddle piece, but I'm going to try
to sing it if I can remember the words and don't hyperventilate.
This is called, "I'd Rather Be an Old Time Christian
Than Anything I Know."   [music]

Gandy Dancer: [singing] In this world, I've tried most everything,
and I'm happy now to say, there's nothing like religion
in the good old-fashioned way.
I'm walking in the old time way, and I want the world
to know I'd rather be an old time Christian than anything I know.
I'd rather be an old time Christian than anything I know.
There's nothing like an old time Christian
with a Christian love to show.
I'm walking the grand old highway and telling everywhere that I go,
I'd rather be an old time Christian than anything I know.

There's many things I'd like to be as my journey I pursue,
I'd like to be a leader, like a mortal would do.
I'd like to be a millionaire with a fortune to bestow,
but I'd rather be an old time Christian than anything I know.
I'd rather be an old time Christian than anything I know.
There's nothing like an old time Christian
with a Christian love to show.
I'm walking the grand old highway and telling everywhere that I go,
I'd rather be an old time Christian than anything I know.

Well the world's been bright since I got right,
I sing and pray and shout.
All my burdens have been lifted since the savior brought me out.
I'll sing his praises far and near, as I travel here below,
and I'd rather be an old time Christian than anything I know.
I'd rather be an old time Christian than anything I know.
There's nothing like an old time Christian
with a Christian love to show.
I'm walking the grand old highway and telling everywhere that I go,
I'd rather be an old time Christian than anything I know.
[applause]   Male Speaker: Thank you so much.

We're going to try to do one last fiddle tune here.
I know you've all got a lot of work waiting for you in other parts
of this building, so we'll let you get back to that.
Thanks again for asking us to come.
This is really an honor for us to play here.
Male Speaker: Very much, thank you.
We're going to close with one we learned off of Frank George,
I think the only tune we've learned off of somebody still living.
Do one called "The Dusty Miller."   Male Speaker: One, two, three, four.

[music]   [applause]

Male Speaker: Thank you all very much.
Male Speaker: Thank you very much.   Peggy Bulger: Gandy Dancer.

Thank you all for coming.
Those of you who are interested in music, come quickly down.
We've got a few minutes before we have to get out to Senator Byrd.