Virgil Anderson – On the Tennessee Line

Virgil Anderson - On the Tennessee Line photo by E. Gomez
I think Virgil Anderson is my favorite banjo player right now. He’s great. I picked up this old out of print County LP last summer when I was at the Clifftop banjo and fiddle convention and I’ve been listening to it a lot ever since. Virgil Anderson has such a mellow feel, very bluesy and laid back. This record is great for the early morning and late at night, or any time!

The material on this record was recorded, I believe in the late 1970’s, by folklorist Bobby Fulcher. Bobby Fulcher also produced a film called “Chase the Devil: Religious Music of the Southern Appalachians (1986) which features great footage of Virgil Anderson.

CLICK HERE to download On the Tennessee Line
If you have problems downloading this leave a comment
or email me at DownHomeRadio@hotmail.com .

See below for the back of the record and notes:

Virgil Anderson - On the Tennessee Line LP back, notes, etc. photo by E. Gomez
Click to enlarge

Links:

Recent podcast with Bobby Fulcher – I just listened to this, Bobby Fulcher is awesome, and he plays some incredible field recordings on here, although they are abbreviated. Well worth listening.

13 Comments

  1. lindsay burke

    virgil anderson was my great grandfather. He passed away in the 90’s so i didnt get t see him much with me being born as of 1991 but from what i remember he was a very enjoyable person to be around and a great banjo player

  2. Brian Smith

    Very good, thank you. I play clawhammer banjo and this is a treat to hear. The track names aren’t named. I can figure out the ones with lyrics but not the instrumentals. Can you help me out please? Thanks!

  3. People have always asked me “Who is Virgilio Anderson?” but now I realise it should have been “Who is Virgil Anderson?” I am clearly his namesake as my father loves playing his banjo.

    ‘Station House Blues’ is one of my all-time favourites but does anyone know if he ever recorded ‘Battenburg Cakewalk Blues’?

    Virgilio Anderson
    Macedonia

  4. Camila Gossage

    Virgil Anderson is my great great uncle… I am so happy to have found this online finally! My mom (Ruth Anderson) and her mom (Hallie Anderson) both had this record and I hadn’t seen the cover since I was a kid, brings back so many memories, thank you!

  5. admin

    Awesome. Very happy you found it. Regards to you and your family. Virgil was just great, a joy to listen to and a big influence on my own banjo playing.

  6. i liked to hear grandpa;after supper setting onthe porch he played sometime when we visited.sometimes dad ralph burke ;would holler real loud. grandpa laughed and played harder;sometimes;itsounded like two instruments;IT WAS GOOD>tom burke

  7. Michael Baird

    I recently found out about Virgil Anderson on ‘The digital library of appalachia’ … I heard ‘Come All You Rambling Ramblers’ and was instantly hooked. From what I could tell he was nearly in his 80’s at the time of these recordings which were made at Berea College Celebration of Traditional Music in the 1980’s.

    This music is fabulous and can be found here if you search Virgil Anderson:
    http://www.aca-dla.org/

    To all of his relatives: please post more material, pictures or whatever. It would be great to learn more about this wonderful musician.
    Thanks, Michael Baird
    baird.michael@gmail.com

  8. I remember Virgil very well my family grew up a few miles down river from him. we spent a lot of time listening and playing music
    at his home. His nephew Daniel troxell and I spent the night with him and Mable when I was 14yo. Virgil spent the night telling stories and playing music. The next day it was 14 below 0 windchill
    my mom called Mable and told her to see that I was warm. She sent me home with one of her dresses over my clothes and a bonnet on my head. I had a full mustache at 14 so I hid in the woods every time a car passed. Virgil and Daniel both laughed until tears rolled down their face.

  9. admin

    That is a really great story! Thank you for writing in and telling it. Virgil’s music is some of my very favorite, he seems like a wonderful guy.

  10. I am the youngest of the Anderson children .
    This brings back so many – many memories of my dearest
    Dad , and Uncles Clyde and Ralph Troxell.
    My mother Mabel , a sister to the Troxell brothers.

    I miss then so much, It is very sad to not be able to
    just go back, and sit with those dear loved ones, and
    pat a foot on the porch.

    We will see them again in GODS time.

    Thanks to all who have these kind words, and keeps the
    music alive. pdandkatie@outlook.com

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