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1920 - How common family bands??
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1920 - How common family bands?? |
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Subject: 1920 - How common family bands?? From: wilco Date: 18 Nov 06 - 06:40 PM It seems that family bands used to be much more common than they are now. Recently, I was reading an interview with Norman Blake, where he commented on this, in the context of performing primarily with his wife, at this point in his professional life. Norman sugested that they began to disappear when radio appeared, with commercial recording. What happened?? I've been promoting family bands in my music store the last few years, using a few bands as examples. We have lots of children who are students, and many of them are home-schooled. Any suggestions of good examples of family bands. I use the Lovell Sisters, from a nearby community, as an example. They won the Prarie Home Companion teen competion last year. They're great role models. Thanks!!!! Steve Daugherty East Tennessee |
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Subject: RE: 1920 - How common family bands?? From: Leadfingers Date: 18 Nov 06 - 06:45 PM Recalled from the good old days when I was a fairly serious brodcaster doing a folk programme and a programme of all 78 rpm records in the Middle East in the late sixties , apart from the Carter Family , there was a nice crowd called the Stoneman Family , some of whom where still playing Folk for real at the time ! |
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Subject: RE: 1920 - How common family bands?? From: GUEST,Scoville at Dad's Date: 19 Nov 06 - 03:11 PM Lots of family bands around the South (the ones with which I am most familiar are old-time, bluegrass, and Cajun) but not many that perform at the national level or in a "high profile" commerical context as the Carters did. I sort of get the feeling that anyone looking to start out these days has to streamline things into the most marketable channel as fast as possible, which may not always be compatible with family interests (my family would be hard to sell--we're not cool, we're not pretty, we can't sing like Emmylou Harris, and we all have the same eccentricities). |
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Subject: RE: 1920 - How common family bands?? From: Rowan Date: 19 Nov 06 - 05:13 PM It was 1979 before I found out that my paternal grandmother's extended family had played all around Gippsland as the Holmes Family Orchestra in the 20s. There seemed no evidence of this in the 50s, apart from an old and cracked fiddle (with its "Stradivarius" label inside) in my father's garage. I couldn't get anyone to fix it and it got lost. Radio and 78s may have caused their demise. The Wise Family Band is probably a really good current example of the genre in Australia. Cheers, Rowan |
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Subject: RE: 1920 - How common family bands?? From: JennieG Date: 19 Nov 06 - 07:32 PM Rowan, don't forget the Somers Family too - lovely people, and good musos. They live near Dorrigo. Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: 1920 - How common family bands?? From: Padre Date: 19 Nov 06 - 08:54 PM Here are a few that I found from that time period; Eck Robertson and his family - Arkansas The Shelor Family - Patrick County VA The Ray Brothers - Mississippi The Shepherd Brothers - Kentucky Carter Brothers and Son - Mississippi Hoyt Ming and his Pep Steppers - Mississippi Fiddlin' Powers and Family - Russell County VA Weems String Band - Tennessee The Happy Hayseeds (The Lamm Family) - Oregon |
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Subject: RE: 1920 - How common family bands?? From: Rowan Date: 19 Nov 06 - 11:06 PM Thanks JennieG. I've not heard of them, which is a bit strange, since they're only a hop, step and a jump away! I'll try and look them up. Cheers, Rowan |
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Subject: RE: 1920 - How common family bands?? From: wilco Date: 20 Nov 06 - 05:39 PM I notice that most of the bands on Padre's list were from the southern USA. I wonder if this is a regional phenomenon, since these family bands are very common around here. Guest's comments (Scoville...), about streamling to become marketable, suggests two thoughts. Many of the "Brother acts" of the 1930 to 1950 period grew out of larger family bands: Louvin , Binks, Bales, Stanley, McGees, etc. Did they streamline to become marketable or to cut costs? Also, who cares if you have a national or regional market? Many of these family bands are very good and entertaining. Steve Daugherty |
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Subject: RE: 1920 - How common family bands?? From: Hawker Date: 20 Nov 06 - 05:50 PM Here In Cornwall, our family still play as a band and have done for about 30 years, (I married into the family 17 years ago and joined the band) We are known as the Cavaliers. Didn't the Mc Peake family play together - and Waterson-Carthy et al? there are still several - The Copper family spring to mind - and the late Bob Cann's Band the Dartmoor Pixie Band has some of his family members playing together in the line-up. Cheers, Lucy |
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Subject: RE: 1920 - How common family bands?? From: Herga Kitty Date: 20 Nov 06 - 06:03 PM I remember from about 25 years ago the Fairlands Family Band, who'd moved from Harrow to Cheddar... (Blakeney-Edwards). Kitty |
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Subject: RE: 1920 - How common family bands?? From: GeoffLawes Date: 20 Nov 06 - 07:13 PM Scan Tester the grand old Sussex anglo concertina player had a family band, Testers' Imperial,which played for dances in the twenties but packed up in 1931 The book about him, 'I Never Played To Many Posh Dances', comments 'Eventually,perhaps because of the depression, the bottom fell out of band work', though Scan's band went on longer than many and later broke up for family reasons. |
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Subject: RE: 1920 - How common family bands?? From: Rowan Date: 20 Nov 06 - 10:34 PM The Nariel Creek Band was always centred on a family band; first the Klippel family and then the Simpson family. The most recent generation of the Simpson family often plays as two separate bands. Ray and Ian Simpson are both excellent players of Anglo concertina and Ian makes both Anglo concertinas and really good (wooden) whistles. Cheers, Rowan |
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Subject: RE: 1920 - How common family bands?? From: M.Ted Date: 20 Nov 06 - 11:54 PM There were Clarence and Roland White, in the Kentucky Colonels, and there is the Skaggs Family--I think it is probably pretty common still for people to play music with family members--only thing is that families tend to be smaller-- |
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Subject: RE: 1920 - How common family bands?? From: Splott Man Date: 21 Nov 06 - 03:58 AM Never Mind The Bocs - Wales The KilBrides - Wales. Three brothers. They go right back to their family band, Juice of Barley, formed in 1975. The Deighton Family - Yorkshire. What a fine band they were! Does there have to be more than one generation? The Good Brothers - Toronto. Their kids are now The Sadies. The Beach Boys. |
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Subject: RE: 1920 - How common family bands?? From: wilco Date: 21 Nov 06 - 11:58 AM You know, the fact that "families are snmaller now" might be a good part of the answer. Apparently, from the above responses in the UK, it isn't an Aappalachian USA phenomenon. Steve |
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