Annotation:Home Brew Rag (1)

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HOME BREW RAG [1]. Old-Time, Country Rag. USA; north Georgia, Kentucky, West Virginia, Missouri. F Major (Milliner & Koken, Phillips/1995): F Major ('A' part) & B Flat Major ('B' part) {Beisswenger & McCann, Phillips/1989}. Standard tuning (fiddle). One part (Phillips/1995): AB (Beisswenger & McCann, Phillips/1989): AA'BB'BC (Milliner & Koken). A country rag piece frequently recorded in the 78 RPM era, and widely disseminated. It was, for example, in the repertories of North Georgia fiddler Lowe Stokes and his North Georgians, The Cherokee Ramblers, The Roanoke Jug Band and West Virginia's Tweedy Brothers. Many modern versions can be traced to Lowe Stokes (1898–1983), a north Georgia fiddler who was a member of the famous Skillet Lickers but who also fronted his own bands and made recordings in his own name. "Home Brew Rag" was originally recorded in Atlanta on Halloween, 1927, and was (with "Unexplained Blues") his first recording as leader, although it featured a jazzy clarinet played by Stranger Malone (his group the North Georgians also included Clayton McMichen and Hoke Rice). Beside Lowe Stokes, Gutherie Meade (Country Music Sources, 2002) finds early 78 RPM recordings of the tune by the McClung Brothers & Cleve Chaffin (1929), and by Kentucky fiddler Doc Roberts (1934). Missouri fiddler H.K. Silvey called the tune "Fruit Jar Rag." There are lyrics to the melody (sung by the Roanoke String Band, for one), that begin:

Well, I've never been drunk but about one time,
And it think it was on home brew;
If you drink any brew yourself,
You know just what it'll do.
Think I'll go home now
And make me a barrel or two.
Ick-poo, home brew,
You know just what it'll do.

Lowe Stokes

Sources for notated versions: Lowe Stokes and His North Georgians [Phillips/1995]; H.K. Silvey (b. 1924, late of Theodosia, Mo.), who had it from his uncle, Jess Silvey, who learned it from Stokes' recording [Beisswenger & McCann]; Tweedy Brothers (W.Va.) [Milliner & Koken].

Printed sources: Beisswenger & McCann (Ozarks Fiddle Music), 2008; p. 129. The Devil's Box, Winter, 1983; p. 24. Milliner & Koken (Milliner-Koken Collection of American Fiddle Tunes), 2011; p. 302. Phillips (Fiddle Case Tunebook: Old Time Southern), 1989; p. 22. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes, vol. 2), 1995; p. 64.

Recorded sources: Champion 16048 (78 RPM), The Tweedy Brothers (1930). Columbia 15241-D (78 RPM), Lowe Stokes and His North Georgians (1927). Document DOCD 8045, "Lowe Stokes, vol. 1: 1927–1930" (reissue). Gennett 7240 (78 RPM), 1930, Tweedy Brothers (three W.Va. brothers, Charles, Harry, and George, who played twin fiddles and piano). OKeh 45393 (78 RPM), Roanoke String Band (1929). Rounder 0437, H.K. Silvey – "Traditional Fiddle Music of the Ozarks, vol. 3: Down in the Border Counties" (2000. Various artists).

See also listings at:
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [1]
Hear the Tweedy Brothers' recording at Slippery Hill [2] [3]

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