Annotation:Midnight Serenade (1)
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MIDNIGHT SERENADE [1]. AKA and see "Too Young to Marry (1)," "Chinky Pin," "Sweet Sixteen," "Fourth of July," "Farmer Had a Dog (The)," "Yellow Eyed Cat," "Buffalo Nickel (1)," "My Love is but a Lassie Yet (1)/My Love She's but a Lassie Yet," "Lead Out," "Hair in the Butter," "Old Mose," "Ten Nights in a Bar Room," "Richmond Blues," "I'm My Momma's Darling Child," "Darling Child."
"Midnight Serenade" was the theme song of the Old Virginia Fiddlers, Patrick County, Virginia, a group consisting of John Watts "Babe" Spangler [1] (fiddle, Meadows of Dan, Virginia) and Dave Pearson (guitar), who recorded four sides for OKeh Records in 1929 (although two were unissued). J.W. learned to fiddle from his father, Wallace Spangler, a well-regarded fiddler from the area. In the mid-1920's Spangler (1882-1970) was known as the "Old Virginia Fiddler" on his broadcasts for the Corn Cob Pipe Show over WRVA in Richmond, Virginia. In 1940 Spangler recorded some tunes for WPAQ, Mt. Airy, N.C., that were later released by Country Records.
The tune, which has gone by a variety of names, is a derivative of the Scottish tune "My Love is but a Lassie Yet," and is usually known by old-time musicians as "Too Young to Marry" today.
Source for notated version:
Printed sources:
Recorded sources: County 201, "The Old Virginia Fiddlers: Rare Recordings." County CD-3502, "Rural String Bands of Virginia." Okeh 45387 (78 RPM), The Old Virginia Fiddler (1929). Outhouse Records 1001, "Virginia Roots: the 1929 Richmond Sessions".
See also listing at:
Hear Babe Spangler's 1929 recording on youtube.com [2], and at the Library of Virginia [3]