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COUNTRY MUSIC

BLUEGRASS MUSIC NATURAL BRIDGE BLUES

_____________________________________ SONG BACKGROUND:

Basically a string band piece with a short lyrical tribute to the Natural Bridge in Virginia. The original version, performed by its composer on fiddle with Roy Hall and His Blue Ridge Entertainers, is in the pure tradition of old-time string band music. But over the years, as bluegrass music developed out of old-time music, the piece was naturally picked up by bluegrass artists. Originally Jim Eanes only sang two stanzas of the song, then, over 60 years later the original sheet music was discovered by Ralph Berrier, Jr. of The Black Twigs and it was found to include two additional stanzas. Thirteen versions here all use the variant lyrics (see LY-CY13) as first recorded by Roy Hall and His Blue Ridge Entertainers. Only the final entry here by The Black Twigs has the complete original four stanzas. Much like the transmission of folk music, this piece is a fine example of how a particular composition got transmitted from one artist to another within the small family of bluegrass musicians over a period of more than 60 years. Several fiddlers here either came in direct contact with Tommy or got

the piece from a fiddler who had known him or they simply heard it on the radio. Natural Bridge is a natural limestone arch 215 ft (66 m) high with a span of 90 ft (27 m). It is a cave remnant, the remains of the roof of a cave or tunnel through which Cedar Creek once flowed. (Anon. 2013) During the 18th and 19th centuries it was considered one of the seven natural wonders of the new world. The oil painting is by Frederic Edwin Church in 1852. Ref: Anon. 1887, A Description of the Natural Bridge of Virginia and Its History, Billstein & Son, Philadelphia, 64p. Anon. 2013, Natural Bridge (Virginia), Wikipedia Anon. n.d. Natural Bridge Blues, Bluegrass Messengers, bluegrassmessengers Keefer, Jane 2011, Natural Bridge Blues, Folk Music Index N to Nev, ibiblio Natural Bridge, Virginia, virginiaplaces Tompkins, E.P. & Davis, J. Lee 1939, The Natural Bridge & Its Historical Surroundings, Natural Bridge of Virginia Inc., p. 130-136, 139-146

VARIOUS VERSIONS OF

NATURAL BRIDGE BLUES In chronological order by recording date

CY-BG-NBB1 United States 1941

NATURAL BRIDGE BLUES * Old-Time – Vocal & Instrumental

Comp: Tommy MAGNESS (LY-CY13)

Perf: ROY HALL & HIS BLUE RIDGE ENTERTAINERS Jim Eanes (vocal) Tommy Magness (fiddle) Roy Hall (guitar) Clayton Hall (banjo) Bill Brown (steel guitar) Wayne Watson (bass) Prod. Co: RCA Manufacturing Co.; Camden, NJ Rec. Loc: Atlanta, GA Rec. Date: Oct. 1, 1941 Brochure Notes: (LP) Ivan M. Tribe Time: 2:29 (2:26) Tommy MAGNESS 1. Original 78: Bluebird B-8863 Flip Sd: Polecat Blues 10" 78rpm 2. Reissue on LP: ROY HALL & HIS BLUE RIDGE ENTERTAINERS (ca.1979) County 406 12" 33rpm (Sd 1 – Bd 4) 3. Reissue on Boxed Set CDs: BLUEGRASS EARLY CUTS 1931-1953 – CLASSIC

RECORDINGS REMASTERED (2004) JSP 7731 (Disc 4 – Tk 12) Notes: Tommy Magness appeared on radio stations in North Carolina and in 1940 joined Roy Hall & His Blue Ridge Entertainers. He composed this piece and recorded it with them a year later (the photo shows him in 1941). “Throughout the 1940s Tommy Magness became one of the most visible fiddlers on the country and bluegrass scene: he played with three of the biggest stars of the time – Roy Hall, Bill Monroe, and Roy Acuff… His fiddling was a complex bridge between the older Appalachian folk fiddling, the new country music styles of the 1940s, and the even newer emerging sounds of bluegrass.” (Wolfe 2001) Tony Russell comments on his work with Roy Hall – “The music of Roy Hall’s Blue Ridge Entertainers, who were much loved in Virginia and the Carolinas for a few years leading up to World War II, seems to us now to be bluegrass in all but a few details, though the details are crucial. They use bluegrass harmony patterns, like solo verse with duet or trio refrain; bluegrass material, as much of it was to become; and some of the bluegrass lineup – fiddle, guitars, banjo, occasionally mandolin, bass. But the banjo is insignificant in their band sound – the tunes are carried by fiddle and dobro – and we listen to them aware that the drive and syncopation of bluegrass are still waiting in the wings.” (Russell 1982) In a Roanoke Times article Dave Freeman [founder of County Records in Floyd, VA] said about Roy’s music – “I’d call it a transitional music between old-time and modern country. There’s the traditional fiddle playing of Tommy Magness yet it has some of the earliest steel guitar on record.” (Gladden 1978) “After performing throughout the South, Tommy Magness returned his base of operations to Roanoke in 1852. Magness formed the Tennessee Cut-Ups, one of the first true bluegrass bands to regularly perform over Roanoke radio. The band featured Don and Vernon Reno.” After Don left the group he later joined up with “guitarist Red Smiley and eventually took over the Tennessee Cut-Ups when Tommy Magness left Roanoke… Tommy Magness & The Cut-Ups did an eight-month stint over WDBJ” from 1952 to 1953. (Lornel 1988) The story of how only two stanzas of the original four stanzas came to be sung here is told by Ralph Berrrier Jr. in 2004 – “Tommy Magness composed Natural Bridge Blues and recorded it with Roy Hall in 1941 in Atlanta. They brought in hotshot vocalist Glenwood Howell [actually it was Jim Eanes] to sing the song’s lone verse and chorus (sic), but when Howell (sic) got to the chorus (sic) he froze up – exactly what the band had predicted would happen; Howell had sung the song incessantly during the trip to Atlanta, and

the others told him he was practicing too much. Grandpa was there so it must be true! There was no second take and though the song’s been played steadily for the past 60-odd years, no one knew the words to the second part until we found the sheet music in an old photo album at Grandma’s house.” (Berrier 2004) The first page of the original sheet music (see below) shows Roy Hall and Tommy Magness as the song writers, but on the original 78 record and everywhere else only Magness is credited. Roy Hall should not be confused with Roy Hall, the Tennessee singer and piano player, who recorded country boogie, C & W, and rockabilly all through the 50s. Ref: Berrier, Ralph Jr. 2004, Liner Notes for The Black Twigs CD Bluegrass Early Cuts 1931-1953, Boxed Set CDs, First stanza, Allmusic (◄AUDIO SAMPLE) Cohen, Norm, JEMF Quarterly, v. 16, Issue 57, Spring 1980, p. 56 Coltman, Bob 1979, The Record Roundup, n. 13, Aug;-Oct. 1979, p. 15 Gladden, Chris 1978, Roanoke Times & World News, 24 Nov. 1978, reprinted in JEMF Quarterly, v. XI, n. 53, Spring 1979, p. 2 Lornel, Kip 1988, Early Roanoke Country Radio – Group Histories, Liner Notes with LP Virginia Traditions, Blue Ridge Institute, p. 11 Roy Hall & His Blue Ridge Entertainers LP, Discogs Russell, Tony 1982, Reviews, Old Time Music, n.37, Autumn 1981-Spring 1982, p. 26 Russell, Tony & Pinson, Bob 2004, Country Music Records: A Discography 1921-1942, Oxford University Press, p. 391 Smyth, Willie 1984, Country Music Recorded Prior to 1943, JEMF Special Series No. 14, Los Angeles, CA, p. 23 Tommy Magness, Biography, hillbilly.music Wolfe, Charles K. 2001, Classic Country – Legends of Country Music, Routledge, New York, p. 128, 130-142

_____________________________________ CY-BG-NBB2 United States 1941

NATURAL BRIDGE BLUES * Old-Time – Vocal & Instrumental

Comp: Tommy MAGNESS (LY-CY13)

Perf: TEXAS TROUBADOURS Glen Howell (vocal & bass)

Ed Newman (fiddle) Lawrence Sink (guitar) Paul Byrd (tenor banjo) Prod. Co: (LP) BRI (Blue Ridge Institute) Records,

Ferrum College, Ferrum, VA Rec. Date: Oct. 30, 1941 Matrix: Alan Stoker; Country Music Foundation Liner Notes & Booklet: (LP) Kip Lornell Time: 1:48 & (CD) 1:51 1. Original 78 Transcriptions: (?) 2. Reissued on LP: VIRGINIA TRADITIONS – EARLY ROANOKE COUNTRY RADIO (1988) Blue Ridge Institute BRI 010 12" 33rpm (Sd 1 – Bd 5) 3. Reissued on CD: VIRGINIA TRADITIONS – EARLY ROANOKE COUNTRY RADIO (1997) Global Village 1010 (Tk 5) Notes: The Texas Troubadours, a local western-influenced act in the Roanoke Valley, Virginia, “was perhaps the Valley’s favorite country group until they disbanded in 1941 (sic. 1942).” (Lornell 1988) While performing live on WDBJ in Roanoke during the late 1930s and early 1940s they would have encountered Roy Hall & the Blue Ridge Entertainers along with their fiddler Tommy Magness and thus picked up on this piece, which they recorded themselves only 29 days after Magness. A nice short version with Glen Howell singing the two stanzas as written, only adding one word – Stz. 1, Vs 2 becomes – Oh, don’t know what to do This album was selected as an outstanding folk recording by the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. The photo show the Texas Troubadours around 1936. Ref: Lornell, Kip 1988, Roanoke Country Radio from 1924-1954, The Old-Time Herald, v. 1, n. 4, May-June 1988, Galax, VA, p. 25-26 Virginia Traditions – Early Roanoke Country Radio CD, Allmusic (◄AUDIO SAMPLE)

_____________________________________ CY-BG-NBB3 United States 1971

NATURAL BRIDGE BLUES * Bluegrass – Instrumental

Comp: Tommy MAGNESS (LY-CY13) Arr: Uncle Jim O'Neal Rts: Sage Brush Music (BMI)

Perf: Buck RYAN (fiddle)

Don Reno (lead guitar & banjo) Bill Harrel (guitar) Red Smiley (guitar) Tom Kelly (steel guitar) Jerry McCoury (bass) Jim Elbert (piano) Bob Finkles (drums) Prod. Co: Dick Unteed Production Rec. Co: Rome Recording Studio Time: 2:01 1. LP: FIDDLING BUCK RYAN WITH DON RENO & RED SMILEY Rural Rhythm RRBR 244 (stereo) 12" 33rpm (Sd 1 – Bd 3) 2. Compilation CD: FIDDLE BREAKDOWN – 20 INSTRUMENTAL FAVORITES (2000) Rural Rhythm 244 (Tk 3) Notes: A high-speed rendition by this well-known fiddler. No doubt Buck Ryan picked up this tune while performing with Don Reno and Red Smiley, the former having played with Tommy Magness on a noon hour radio program on station WDBJ in Roanoke, Va. in 1952-53. Ref: Chadbourne, Eugene n.d., Buck Ryan, Biography, Allmusic

Fiddle Breakdown – 20 Instrumental Favorites CD, Allmusic (◄AUDIO SAMPLE) Fiddling Buck Ryan with Don Reno & Red Smiley LP, ibiblio

_____________________________________ CY-BG-NBB4 United States 1972

NATURAL BRIDGE BLUES * Bluegrass – Instrumental

Comp: Tommy MAGNESS (LY-CY13) Arr: Curly Ray Cline Rts: Zap Publishing Co. (BMI)

Perf: Curly Ray CLINE (fiddle)

Ralph Stanley (banjo) Roy Lee Centers (guitar) Jack Cooke (bass) Prod: Charles R. Freeland Prod. Co: Rebel Recording Co. Inc.; Mount

Rainer, MD Rec. Co: R.D. Homer Associates Rec. Date: Oct. 13, 1972 Time: 2:09

LP: MY LITTLE HOME IN WEST VIRGINIA Rebel SLP-1515 (stereo) 12" 33RPM (Sd 2 – Bd 3) Notes: “Curly Ray Cline was one of the best fiddlers in bluegrass, gaining acclaim as a member of two legendary bands, the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers and Ralph Stanley's Clinch Mountain Boys… In 1963, he left the Fiddlers for the Stanley Brothers. Following the death of Carter Stanley, Cline became Ralph Stanley's only fiddle player and played on every succeeding Stanley album” until his retirement in 1993. (Brennan 2013) Here Curly Ray and the others do a happy, carefree rendition with no vocal. The stage photo by Wayne T. Helfrich shows (l. to r.) Curly Ray Cline, Ralph Stanley, and Roy Lee Centers.

Ref: Brennan, Sandra 2013, Curly Ray Cline, Biography, Allmusic Curly Ray Cline, Biography, Wikipedia Curly Ray Cline, My Little Home in West Virginia LP, Discogs

_____________________________________ CY-BG-NBB5 United States 1974

NATURAL BRIDGE BLUES * Old-Time – Instrumental

Comp: Tommy MAGNESS

Perf: Leslie KEITH (fiddle)

John Hickman (banjo) Leonard Berline & Tom Ford (guitar) Bill Rondstadt or Roger Bush (bass) Prod: John Delgatto & Link Wray Prod. Co: Sierra/ Briar Records; Pasadena, CA Rec. Co: (?); Tucson, AZ Liner Notes: John Delgatto Time: 2:13 LP: BLACK MOUNTAIN BLUES Sierra/ Briar SBR-4201 (2 slightly different pic covers) 12" 33rpm (Sd 1 – Bd 3)

Notes: Nothing more is known about this version. Ref: Leslie Keith, Black Mountain Blues LP, Discogs

_____________________________________ CY-BG-NBB6 United States 1978

NATURAL BRIDGE BLUES * Old-Time –Vocal (?) & Instrumental

Comp: Tommy MAGNESS

Perf: Fred COCKERHAM (fiddle)

Mac Snow (guitar) Marty Snow Andy Snow Wesley (?) Prod. Co: Snowflake Records Time: (?)

LP: UNDER THE DOUBLE EAGLE Snowflake 103 12" 33rpm Notes: The renowned Fred Cockerham is backed up by the Snow Brothers of Mount Airy, NC. If the Ray Alden’s field recording of Cockerham performing this piece dates to around 1968-69 (see below CY-BG-NBB13), then this was his second version. This version has not been heard. This rare LP can go for $50. Ref: Alden, Ray n.d., Fred Cockerham, Biography, fieldrecorder Fred Cockerham, Biography, Wikipedia Fred Cockerham, Under the Double Eagle LP, CollectorsFrenzy

_____________________________________ CY-BG-NBB7 United States 1979

NATURAL BRIDGE BLUES * Bluegrass – Instrumental

Comp: Tommy MAGNESS (LY-CY13)

Perf: Woody SIMMONS (fiddle)

Loren Currence (guitar) Burt Dodrill (2nd fiddle) Jimmy Currence (banjo) Photo by Doug Yarrow Prod: Paul Reisler Prod. Co: Elderberry Records; Charlestown, WV Rec. Co: Davis & Elkins College Studio; Elkins, WV Liner & Booklet Notes: (16-page booklet) Bob Dalsemer &

Michael Kline Time: 1:57 LP: ALL SMILES TONIGHT Elderberry ER-002 12" 33rpm (Sd 2 – Bd 1) Notes: “Woody remembers hearing fiddler Tommy Magness play this tune over the radio station WDBJ in Roanoke, Va. about 1950. At that time Magness had a noon hour show with Don Reno and Red Smiley.” (Dalsemer, Liner notes) Actually, we were told by historian Kip Lornel that Magness and his group The Tennessee Cut-Ups with Don and Vernon Reno (& not Red Smiley) performed on WDBJ for 8 months during 1952-53. (Lornel 1988) “Fiddle styles vary greatly from fiddler to fiddler. Some tend to play rough, some smooth, some use a lot of bow rhythm and do very little in the way of fancy noting with the left hand, some do a lot of noting and pull a

long bow. Some, like Woody, work hard at getting a smooth, sweet tone out of the instrument, while others like more bite to the sound… A fiddler’s style is like a fingerprint – it is unique and readily identifiable to those who really listen.” (Dalsemer 1979) This is another rapid virtuoso rendition with no vocal. Woody Simmons was a long time resident of Mill Creek, Randolph County, West Virginia and in the town there is now a Woody Simmons Pavilion where bluegrass and gospel music are performed. Incidentally, back in the mid-1960s, I did a lot of caving in Randolph County with Doug Medville, Hazel Stewart, and Laurie Cameron from the Philadelphia Grotto and Dale Ibberson, Phil Gettel, and others from the York Grotto of the NSS. Dirty Bird Hole, located 5 miles southeast of Mill Creek (& some 5 miles northeast of the head of Becky’s Creek where Woody was born), was thoroughly explored and described by me. Two small, nasty caves in that county were named after me, Brison’s Bathtub and Brison’s Folly. Ref: Dalsemer, Bob 1979, Woodie’s Style in Perspective, Reprint from Goldensaal, v. 5, n. 3, Jul.-Sept. 1979 (Article included in booklet with LP album), p. 15 Kline, Michael 1979, Woody Simmons: Recollections of a Randolph County Fiddler, Reprint from Goldensaal, v. 5, n. 3, Jul.-Sept. 1979 (Article included in booklet with LP album), Online at google.fr Lornel, Kip 1988, Early Roanoke Country Radio – Group Histories, Liner Notes with LP Virginia Traditions, Blue Ridge Institute, p. 11 Medville, Douglas & Hazel 1995, Caves & Karst of Randolph County, West Virginia Speleological Society, Bull. 13, Barrackville, WV, p. 48, 50, & 68 Woody Simmons, All Smiles Tonight LP, Bluegrass Discography, ibiblio

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Drawn by W. Goodacre-Engraver T. S. Woodcock -1834 Raphael Tuck & Sons Postcard – ca.1904

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CY-BG-NBB8 United States 1979

NATURAL BRIDGE BLUES * Bluegrass – Old-Time – Vocal & Instrumental

Comp: Tommy MAGNESS (LY-CY13) Arr: Bob Carlin Rts: Vogue Music (BMI)

Perf: Bob CARLIN (vocal & fretless banjo)

Tony Trischka (banjo) Pete Sutherland (fiddle) Jere Canote (guitar) Prod: Bob Carlin Prod. Co: Rounder Records; Somerville, MA Rec. Co: WUHY-FM or Gypsy Studios Rec. Date: Aug.-Sept. 1982 Liner Notes: Bob Carlin Time: 2:08 Photo by Deborah Feingold LP: WHERE DID YOU GET THAT HAT? Rounder 0172 12" 33rpm (Sd 2 – Bd 4) Notes: Fred Cockerham was the source for this tune (see above CY-BG-NBB6). Carlin writes in the notes: "I met Fred Cockerham in the mid-70s at several concerts in and around the New York City area. We continue to be friends until his death several years ago. Fred's fretless banjo playing has been a prime source of inspiration for my playing that instrument." This is the only known version where the lead instrument is a banjo. Bob uses some of the lyrics he got from Fred (see CY-BG-NBB9), but changes four of the verses into a quandary as to what to do when stranded in southern Virginia –

I. Oh, the Natural Bridge blues is callin’ me What to do? Here I am, left to do Stranded with the car.

II. Oh, my car, oh, my car Don’t know what to do The Natural Bridge blues is callin’ me An’ don’t know where to go..

“Tommy Magness’s Natural Bridge Blues has guitar and banjo strolling along behind the nonchalant vocal.” (Crosby 1984) Seitz comments on Carlin’s banjo playing – “… what he lacks in speed and flash he makes up for in good taste and a subtle, sneaky funkiness. He’d rather use each note to its best advantage by going for feel, tone and texture rather than for speed.” (Seitz 1983) Ref: Bob Carlin, Where Did You Get That Hat? LP, Discogs Chadbourne, Eugene n.d., Fred Cockerham, Biography, Allmusic Crosby, John 1984, Record Reviews, Old Time Music, n. 40, Winter 1984, p. 21 Seitz, Phil 1983, The Record Roundup, n. 30, April-May 1983, p. 4

_____________________________________ CY-BG-NBB9 United States 1981

NATURAL BRIDGE BLUES * Old-Time – Vocal & Instrumental

Comp: Tommy MAGNESS (LY-CY13)

Perf: THE NEW RUBATONIC ENTERTAINERS Fred Cockerham (vocal & fiddle) Barry Poss (banjo) Sharon Poss (guitar) Prod: Ray Alden Prod. Co: Heritage Records; Galax, VA & Ray Alden Rec. Eng: Ray Alden (Field recorded on tape)

Liner Notes: Ray Alden Time: 2:30 LP: VISITS Fred COCKERHAM

Heritage 33 (Gatefold cover)

2 X 12" 33rpm (Disc 2 – Sd 1 – Bd 8) Notes: These 3 old time musicians played together as the New Rubatonic Entertainers from 1972 to 1974. Alden writes: "This cut is taken from a concert I organized, the tune of which Fred got from the powerful fiddler, Tommy Magness. It is one more demonstration of the large expanse of Fred's knowledge from the archaic Round Peak-Galax tunes to the modern styles of Arthur Smith-Tommy Magness. It also illustrates the close ties many of the young musicians have made with their mentors and now good friends, the older musicians." (Alden, Liner notes) Fred gives a lively performance where he changes the two stanzas to suit himself –

I. The Natural Bridge blues is callin’ me An’ I don’ know what to do Spent my cash [..….] Stranded an’ all is blue.

II. All my neighbors help me out Tell me what to do The Natural Bridge blues is callin’ me An’ don’t know where to go.

It was not possible to get the last part of the third verse in the first stanza. After his final flourish he says, “Why not?” and an enthusiastic applause follows. Fred Cockerham, better known as a great master of the clawhammer (fretless) banjo, recorded this tune himself for Alden before giving it to Bob Carlin, but Fred's version wasn't released until after his death (1980) (see below CY-BG-NBB13). However, Cockerham had already come out with a version on his 1978 LP “Under the Double Eagle” (see above CY-BG-NBB6), so that makes this one his third rendition. Ref: Fenton, Mike 1982, Visits LP, Reviews, Old Time Music, n. 38, Summer/ Autumn 1982, p. 21 Visits, Heritage 33, Rec.music.country.old-time, google

_____________________________________ CY-BG-NBB10 West Germay 1982

NATURAL BRIDGE BLUES * Bluegrass – Vocal & Instrumental

Comp: Tommy MAGNESS (LY-CY13)

Perf: Harry WEST (vocal & banjo) & Jeanie WEST (vocal & guitar) Artie Rose (dobro) Rob Edward (banjo) John Edward (bass or violin) Prod. Co: Folk Variety Rec. Date: May 1964 Time: (?) 1. LP: ROOTS OF BLUEGRASS Folk Variety FV 12028 12" 33rpm (Sd 1 – Bd 8) 2. Reissue on CD: ROOTS OF BLUEGRASS (1985) Old Homestead OHCD 90204 (Tk 8) Notes: A well-known folk-singing couple with Appalachian music roots. “Years ahead of the folk revival Harry and Jeanie West were singing and recording some of the most beautiful traditional folk songs. They are as well known for their dazzling instrumentals, as they are for their beautiful harmonizing and selection of songs.” (Stevens 2013) This version has not been heard. Ref: Harry & Jeanie West recordings, conservation-us Harry & Jeanie West, Roots of Bluegrass LP, Bluegrass Discography, ibiblio Russell, Tony 1984, Short Cuts, Old Time Music, n. 39, Spring 1984, p. 46 Stevens, Dan 2013, Harry & Jeanie West, Biography, Allmusic

_____________________________________ CY-BG-NBB11 United Kingdom 1990

NATURAL BRIDGE BLUES * Newgrass – Instrumental

Comp: Tommy MAGNESS (LY-CY13) Arr: The Waterboys Rts: Watermusic/Blue Mountain Music

Perf: THE WATERBOYS Steve Wickham (fiddle) Sharon Shannon (accordion) Anto Thistlewaite (mandolin) Mike Scott (guitar) Colin Blakey (Hammond organ) Trevor Hutchinson (bass) Noel Bridgeman (drums) Prod: Barry Beckett & Mike Scott Prod. Co: Ensign Records Ltd.; London Rec. Co: Spiddal House; Spiddal, Ireland Time: 2:06 1. LP: ROOM TO ROAM Ensign 1C 064-3 21768 1 12” 33rpm (Sd 1 – Bd 6) 2. Reissue on CD: ROOM TO ROAM (1996) Chrysalis CCD 1768 (Tk 6) Notes: Originally formed in 1983 by Mike Scott, the band has known an enormous turnover, but has mainly been composed of musicians from Scotland, Ireland and England. A string band rendition. Some spoken encouragements near the middle, "Alright, here we go…have some fun here…once you start, give 'em hell, Mac!…F-U-N." A firecracker pop sounds and the band carries merrily on. This is the only known case of the piece crossing the Atlantic. Ref: Smith, Pete; Blackman, Karen; Davis, Sylvia; Bellerose, Jennifer; & Kent, Jimmy (Editors) 1992, The Official Music Master Tracks Catalogue, 4th Edition, Waterlow Information Services Ltd., London, p. 854 The Waterboys, Biography, Wikipedia The Waterboys, Room to Roam CD, (Correct sample is at Tk 5), Allmusic (◄AUDIO SAMPLE) The Waterboys, Room to Roam LP, Discogs

_____________________________________ CY-BG-NBB12 United States 1996

NATURAL BRIDGE BLUES * Bluegrass – Instrumental

Comp: Tommy MAGNESS

Perf: Lonnie ROBERTSON (fiddle) Ralph Berrier, Jr. (fiddle) Prod. Co: Rounder Records Time: 1:40 CD: LONNIE’S BREAKDOWN – CLASSIC FIDDLE MUSIC FROM

MISSOURI Rounder (Tk 24) Notes: Robertson was a Missouri man, considered by many to be a mighty fine fiddler. The Bluegrass Messengers site gives information about “Natural Bridge Blues” and its various versions, but incorrectly credits the lyrics to Lonnie Robertson. Ref: Anon. n.d. Natural Bridge Blues, Bluegrass Messengers,bluegrassmessengers Lonnie Robertson, Lonnie’s Breakdown – Classic Fiddle Music from Missouri CD, Allmusic (◄AUDIO SAMPLE) Lonnie Robertson, Lonnie’s Breakdown – Classic Fiddle Music from Missouri CD, Amazon (◄AUDIO SAMPLE)

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CY-BG-NBB13 United States 2004

NATURAL BRIDGE BLUES * Old-Time – Vocal (?) & Instrumental

Comp: Tommy MAGNESS

Perf: Fred COCKERHAM (fiddle)

Mac Snow (guitar) Prod. Co: Field Recorders’ Collective Rec. Eng: Ray Alden Time: 2:42 CD: FRED COCKERHAM Field Recorders’ Collective FRC 101 (Tk 9)

Notes: As best as can be determined this was the first known recorded version of the piece by the renowned Fred Cockerham. Ray Alden says he started field recording Cockerham in 1968-69, but this material was not released until 2004, over 30 years later, as part of the first CD album released by the Field Recorders’ Collective. Ray Alden was the founder of the Field Recorders’ Collective. He is shown here playing with Fred. Fred changes the ideas of the original lyrics completely, keeping only the second verse of the first stanza –

The Natural Bridge is gone away An’ I don’t know what to do …

It was not possible to transcribe the remaining two verses because I just couldn’t get all the words. The second stanza starts out – Awh, she’s left me all alone I don’t know what to do …

Then again I couldn’t get the rest. Ref: Alden, Ray n.d., Fred Cockerham, Biography, fieldrecorder Brown, Paul 2009, Remembrances – Ray Alden, The Old-Time Herald, v. 12, n. 2, oldtimeherald Fred Cockerham CD, Field Recorders’ Collective, fieldrecorder & fieldrecorder Ray Alden Interview 2003, Banjo Newsletter, Nov. 2003, fieldrecorder

_____________________________________ CY-BG-NBB14 United States 2005

ORIGINAL NATURAL BRIDGE BLUES * Bluegrass – Vocal & Instrumental

Comp: Tommy MAGNESS (LY-CY13)

Perf: THE BLACK TWIGS Mike Gangloff (vocal & fiddle) Ralph Berrier, Jr. (fiddle) Isak Howell (guitar) Mike Gayheart (bass) Prod. Co: VHF Records; Fairfax Station, VA Liner Notes: Ralph Berrier Jr. Time: 3:03 Mike GANGLOFF CD: MIDNIGHT HAS COME AND GONE VHF 86 (Tk 9) Notes: An Appalachian old-time band (also known as Black Twig Pickers) with revolving members from Virginia and West Virginia. The story of how the original four stanzas came to be sung here is told by Ralph Berrrier Jr. in 2004 – “Tommy Magness composed Natural Bridge Blues and recorded it with Roy Hall in 1941 in Atlanta. They brought in hotshot vocalist Glenwood Howell [actually it was Jim Eanes] to sing the song’s lone verse and chorus, but when Howell (sic) got to the chorus he froze up – exactly what the band had predicted would happen; Howell had sung the song incessantly during the trip to Atlanta, and the others told him he was

practicing too much. Grandpa was there so it must be true! There was no second take and though the song’s been played steadily for the past 60-odd years, no one knew the words to the second part until we found the sheet music in an old photo album at Grandma’s house.” (Berrier 2004) This full version has four stanzas, but there is no chorus, so it’s unclear which part of the song Berrier is referring to. Mike sings the four stanzas but he makes several changes to the original lyrics as printed in the liner notes. Stz. 1, Vs. 3 becomes – It makes no difference where I go Stz. 2, Vs. 3 becomes – That ole bridge a-standin’ by Stanza 3 becomes – That Natural Bridge is calling me I don-t know what to do I can’t wait until I see All my friends so true. Then Srz. 4, Vs. 1 & 2 become – I hear that train a-rollin’ I’m really on my way

Some nice fiddlin’ all the way through and a jaunty coda. Ref: Berrier, Ralph Jr. 2004, Liner Notes for The Black Twigs CD The Black Twigs, Midnight Has Come and Gone CD, Allmusic (◄AUDIO SAMPLE) The Black Twigs, Midnight Has Come and Gone CD, Discogs Black Twig Pickers, Wikipedia

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