Old-Time TOTW
Old-Time TOTW #330 is Farewell Trion from the playing of Alabama fiddler Taylor Floyd “Mack” Blalock (6 May 1914—11 December 1987). He was the son of Taylor Blalock (1876-1933) and Ida B. Finster (1878-1965). His first wife was Flora Geraldine King (1916-2010). In 1971, he married Lula Blackburn McGee (1919-2002). Above information from Ancestry, Family Search, and public documents.
Blalock learned tunes from his aunt Ann Blalock of Lookout Mountain as well as his uncles Alfred and Henry Blalock. In 1929, his uncle Joe was written about in one of the local papers:
During the past year the convention lost its oldest fiddler in the death of Uncle Bill Lyons. Taking the honor this year... was Uncle J.M Blalock...of Lookout Mountain, who first attended the convention twenty years ago when he was 55, and Monday night at the ripe old age of 75 as he deftly drew his bow over the fiddle in "Rye Straw" and "Sally Good-un." Although Uncle Jim's fingers, under the weight of 75 winters, have begun to lose some of their nimbleness and elasticity, he was able to catch the swing and rhythm of those old-time tunes that inspired the steps of the old-fashioned quadrille.
The above information comes from Traditional Tune Archive.
Joseph Murray “Joe” Blalock (27 January 1854—13 June 1931) was born Haywood, Chatham County, North Carolina, and died in Lookout Mountain, Walker County, Georgia. He was the son of James Madison Blalock (1815-1895) and Elizabeth Lucinda Cathey (1824-1897). He married Mary Elizabeth Ellison (1864-1942) on 30 April 1882, in Chattooga, Georgia. (source: Ancestry, Family Search, and public documents)
Joe Murray composed Farewell Trion upon returning to Alabama after being laid off from a mill in Trion, Georgia. James Bryan added the third part that is traditionally played with the tune. (information from Traditional Tune Archive)
Joining me are friends Stephen Rapp on banjo (Kent, OH) and Michael Seiser on guitar (Cleveland, OH).
Paul Kirk has been playing bowed string instruments since 1980 and has been teaching them privately, in classroom settings, and in workshop formats since 1988. He studied music theory, composition, music education, music history, and musicology at Cleveland State University. While at CSU, Paul played violas da gamba, krummhorns, and recorders in early music ensembles. He was a founding member of Good Company: A Vocal Ensemble and has founded many of his own bands over the years including A Hundred Thousand Welcomes Celtic Ensemble, Knives and Forks English Country Dance Ensemble, and Down the Road Old-Time String Band. He has composed over 500 folk tunes in a variety of styles.
Paul has closely studied the music from Appalachia, the history of American old-time fiddling, source fiddlers, as well as the social aspects of the music. Since July 1, 2018, he has been creating and sharing videos each Sunday through his Old-Time Tune of the Week series on YouTube. Paul puts a great focus on fiddle bowing patterns and techniques and has devised practical methods for teaching with excellent results. One of his specialties is teaching old-time fiddle to crossover students, especially those coming from a background in classical violin and other musical traditions.
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In 2022, Paul was designated as a master old-time fiddler and received a Traditional Arts grant from the Ohio Arts Council to work with an apprentice of his choice.
Paul taught viola, choir, music history, and assisted with drama and art for ten consecutive summers at orchestra and fine arts camps for The Music Settlement when it was known as Cleveland Music School Settlement.
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