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Latest revision as of 16:17, 4 October 2024

Composed by Braxton County, West Virginia, old-time fiddler Ernie Carpenter (1909-1997).

According to the booklet accompanying Carpenter's LP, the story behind the tune is one of a difficult adjustment to a forced change in Ernie's life. He had worked most of his life for the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company in Clarksburg, prior to retiring in 1972 to his home in Braxton County, West Virginia.

He was a regular visitor during his working years to his homeplace on the Elk River, and was witness to the planning and construction of the Sutton Dam by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the river during the 1950's and 1960's.

Unfortunately, this resulted in the flooding of his boyhood home and the surrounding area, despite the efforts of himself and neighbors to forestall the project through a lobbyist. He refused the government's initial offer for his land (they didn't offer him anything for his house), and took the case to court.

He was able to gain a marked increase in the money he eventually was paid through this process, although he had to pay legal fees out of his pocket. He stayed in his Elk River homestead while the dam was being constructed, even though most of his neighbors had already left. Workmen blocked the roads in and out of the area, but Carpenter found alternate routes until they too were closed off.

"I was the last person out of there," he said," I went ahead then and tore the old place town and brought it up here. Part of its in this house." Of the tune, he remarked: "I was sittin' here one day, an' I had the blues. I reckon as bad as anybody could, thinkin' about my old homeplace up on the Elk River. I started sawin' on the fiddle an' that's what I came up with."

...more at: Elk River Blues - full Score(s) and Annotations

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{SheetMusic
-|f_track=Back Up and Push.mp3
+|f_track=Elk River Blues.mp3
-|f_pdf=Back up and Push.pdf
+|f_pdf=Elk River Blues.pdf
-|f_artwork=Organgrinders.jpg
+|f_artwork=Ernie Carpenter.jpg
-|f_tune_name=Back Up and Push
+|f_tune_name=Elk River Blues
-|f_track_title=Back_Up_and_Push_(1)
+|f_track_title=Elk River Blues
 |f_section=abc
-|f_played_by=[https://soundcloud.com/thegreatamericanstringband The Great American String Band]
+|f_played_by=[https://soundcloud.com/jatek-zenekar Jatek Zenekar]
-|f_notes=In the photo is Bert Layne, Lowe Stokes, unknown, Clayton McMichen and Claude Davis
+|f_notes=Ernie Carpenter (1909-1997)
-|f_caption=The Organ Grinders featured fiddlers Bert Layne and Clayton McMichen, while another Skillet Lickers fiddler, Lowe Stokes, played the organ on this cut (more prominent in the second strain of the tune on the recording).
+|f_caption=According to the booklet accompanying Carpenter's LP, the story behind the tune is one of a difficult adjustment to a forced change in Ernie's life.
-|f_source=[https://soundcloud.com/thegreatamericanstringband/back-up-and-push Soundcloud]
+|f_source=[https://soundcloud.com/jatek-zenekar/elk-river-blues Soundcloud]
 |f_pix=420
 |f_picpix=200
-|f_article=[[Back_Up_and_Push_(1) | '''Back Up and Push''']]
+|f_article=[[Elk River Blues | '''Elk River Blues''']]
-"Back up and Push [1]" was first recorded by the Georgia Organ Grinders in Atlanta in 1929 for Columbia Records.  The group was one of the several Skillet Licker off-shoot groups, whose members combined and recombined in different formations for various ventures.
+Composed by Braxton County, West Virginia, old-time fiddler Ernie Carpenter (1909-1997).
-The Organ Grinders featured fiddlers Bert Layne and Clayton McMichen, while another Skillet Lickers fiddler, Lowe Stokes, played the organ on this cut (more prominent in the second strain of the tune on the recording).
+According to the booklet accompanying Carpenter's LP, the story behind the tune is one of a difficult adjustment to a forced change in Ernie's life. He had worked most of his life for the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company in Clarksburg, prior to retiring in 1972 to his home in Braxton County, West Virginia.
-The 1929 session was their only recording date, and they cut six side, all issued by Columbia Records.
+He was a regular visitor during his working years to his homeplace on the Elk River, and was witness to the planning and construction of the Sutton Dam by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the river during the 1950's and 1960's.
-A later Skillet Lickers ensemble, led by Gid Tanner, recorded a version in 1934 (backed with "Down Yonder") that became the third best-selling country music record for that year. Gid's son, 17 year old Gordon Tanner, played uncredited fiddle lead at the session, according to researcher Tony Russell.
+Unfortunately, this resulted in the flooding of his boyhood home and the surrounding area, despite the efforts of himself and neighbors to forestall the project through a lobbyist. He refused the government's initial offer for his land (they didn't offer him anything for his house), and took the case to court.
-The jazz-influenced tune is now widespread, having been popularized by bands such as Bill Monroe's and Benny Martin's, and influential fiddlers Kenny Baker, Buck Ryan, and others.
+He was able to gain a marked increase in the money he eventually was paid through this process, although he had to pay legal fees out of his pocket. He stayed in his Elk River homestead while the dam was being constructed, even though most of his neighbors had already left.  Workmen blocked the roads in and out of the area, but Carpenter found alternate routes until they too were closed off.
-The second part of some versions is little more than a 'double shuffle' (aka hokum shuffle or OBS/Orange Blossom Special shuffle) on the chords F, C and G.
+"I was the last person out of there," he said," I went ahead then and tore the old place town and brought it up here. Part of its in this house." Of the tune, he remarked: "I was sittin' here one day, an' I had the blues. I reckon as bad as anybody could, thinkin' about my old homeplace up on the Elk River. I started sawin' on the fiddle an' that's what I came up with."
 }}