Annotation:Hog Trough Reel

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HOG TROUGH REEL. AKA - "Hog-Trough Reel." AKA and see "McMichen's Reel," "McMitchen's Reel." American, Reel (cut time). G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB'. "Hog Trough Reel" was recorded for Gennett Records by Clayton McMichen's Georgia Wildcats in New York City in August, 1932, and released on several subsidiary labels such as Crown, Melotone, Varsity, Beacon and others. The tune, whose composition is credited to McMichen, was also recorded by Pat O'Daniel and The Hillbilly Boys [1], a Texas string band who recorded for Vocalion in the late 1930's. In 1938 O'Daniel became a candidate for Governor of Texas and used the band in his campaign stumps. He was elected to that office, and later served as Senator from the state. Each of the band members received patronage jobs after his election, and O'Daniel kept them around to broadcast music from the steps of the Governor's mansion as they helped to remind the public of his populist roots.

The Hillbilly Boys

However, O'Daniel never invited them inside , and kept them at a distance. When he became Senator, he insisted they go to Washington D.C. as part of his entourage, but never told them what salary they could expect, although he did threaten to end their state jobs if they chose not to go.

Clayton McMichen

Source for notated version: Clayton McMichen [2] (1900-1970, north Georgia) [Milliner & Koken]

Printed sources: Milliner & Koken (Milliner-Koken Collection of American Fiddle Tunes), 2011; pp. 300-301

Recorded sources: Crown Cr 3385/Gennett 7011 (78 RPM), Clayton McMichen's Georgia Wildcats (1932). Marimac 9054, The Ill-Mo Boys - "Fine as Frog Hair" (1995).

See also listing at:
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [3]
Hear The Hillbilly Boys recording at the Internet Archive [4]
Hear Clayton McMichen's recording at Slippery Hill [5] [6] and youtube [7]

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