gospel

A Visit with Joe Thompson

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[Photos by E. Smith]

On a beautiful day in early June my band The Dust Busters paid a visit to the home of Joe and Polly Thompson.  Joe Thompson is 91 and lives outside of Mebane, NC.  He has been playing fiddle since he was 5 years old, way back in 1923 and is perhaps the very last traditionally schooled African-American fiddler in the world. Joe is a World War II veteran and is long retired from his job at a furniture factory.  He continues to play music at home and at gigs including taking his music to Carnegie Hall in New York City, the National Folk Festival and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., and the International Music Festival in Brisbane, Australia.  In 2007 Joe Thompson was honored with the National Heritage Fellowship award from the National Endowment for the Arts.  The Carolina Chocolate Drops have spent a lot of time with Joe and have learned a lot from him.  They continue to present many of his tunes in their performances.  We met Joe at the 2nd Black Banjo Gathering, held in Boone, NC in March of this year.

Joe Thompson with The Dust Busters Joe Thompson with The Dust Busters

We sat around the Thompson’s picnic table in the field behind their house and played a number of tunes as Joe recalled his musical family and his upbringing.  Joe and Polly were tremendously nice and hospitable and we were really touched and honored to spend time with them.  Here are some excerpts from the long afternoon that we spent at the Thompson’s home.

Big thanks go to Joe and Polly’s friend Larry Vellani for bringing us to their home that day, and a shout out goes to our friend Steve Kruger who joined us with his banjo and guitar.

Here’s the songs we played that you’ll hear on this recording:

I Shall Not be Moved
John Henry
Dona Got a Ramblin’ Mind
Goin’ Down the Road Feelin’ Bad
Lights in Valley
Georgia Buck
Molly Put the Kettle On
Ladies on the Steamboat
Molly Put the Kettle On
I’ve Got Oil in my Vessel
Careless Love

More photos below:


And don’t forget to check out our friends at the Old Time Herald Magazine – www.oldtimeherald.org – lots of great articles, reviews and more!

Ernest V. Stoneman: A Rare Find!

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Ernest V. Stoneman LP Front by you.

Here’s an LP from Ernest V. Stoneman, “The Unsung Father of Country Music.” Stoneman made records starting in 1924 through the end of his life in 1968.  These recordings were made near the end of Stoneman’s life and were lost until a decade after his death.  This excellent record, released by Stoneman’s daughter, came out in the early 1980’s.  It features Stoneman solo, singing old-time gospel and spirituals and playing the autoharp.

Ernest Stoneman was a very prolific recording artist, recording in a number of different combinations over his long career.  During the years 1925 through 1929 Stoneman recorded more than 200 songs. He played the guitar, autoharp, harmonica, banjo, and jew’s harp, and also served as an A&R man.  He was responsible for arranging the Victor Records recording sessions for Ralph Peer in Bristol, TN in 1927 where Jimmie Rodgers, The Carter Family, Alfred G. Karnes and many other amazing old time musicians made their debut recordings.

Click Here to download Lp cut up into tracks.

See below for liner notes and track information: