Roscoe Holcomb: On Top of Old Smoky (1961)
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- Опубликовано: 18 окт 2024
- Roscoe Holcomb sings "On Top of Old Smoky," joined by John Cohen on guitar, at Alan Lomax's West Third Street apartment in New York City. From the film "Ballads, Blues, and Bluegrass," directed by Lomax (who's holding the mic), shot by George Pickow, with sound by Jean Ritchie (who's seen at the beginning with Ramblin' Jack Elliott), and edited by Anna Lomax Wood.
About "Ballads, Blues, and Bluegrass":
In the early 1960s, when Greenwich Village was bursting with a folk-music revival, an organization called the Friends of Old Time Music (founded by Ralph Rinzler, Izzy Young, and John Cohen) made it their mission to introduce New York City audiences to some of the era's best folk, blues, and bluegrass performers. After the first two F.O.T.M. concerts in early 1961 (featuring Roscoe Holcomb, Clarence Ashley, and Doc Watson), Alan Lomax invited the artists and a who's who of the folk revival back to his West Third Street apartment for an impromptu song-swap.
Filming was arranged on the fly, but a raw, many-layered evocation of the art and attitude of the period emerges from the footage, with some of the biggest names of the era, old-timers and revivalists alike: Holcomb, Ashley, Watson, Memphis Slim, Willie Dixon, Jean Ritchie, Ernie Marrs, Peter LaFarge, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, the Greenbriar Boys, and the New Lost City Ramblers. The footage of Doc Watson is his first known film appearance.
"Ballads, Blues, and Bluegrass" is a remarkable portrait of a brief but fabled era that was widely documented in recordings but all too under-represented in moving image. It received its world premiere at the 2012 Los Angeles Film Festival, over 50 years after it was shot; a DVD was released by Media-Generation (media-generatio...) to coincide with the premiere. It includes interviews with cinematographer George Pickow and the New Lost City Ramblers' John Cohen, reflecting on the film in 2010.
View the trailer here:
• Ballads Blues & Bluegr...
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He's my kin and I'm so proud.
This is a glimpse into an ANCIENT tradition.
Back in the early ‘70s I had the opportunity to meet and play with Roscoe, during a college tour that featured Bill Monroe, Doc Watson, Earl Scruggs, Vassar Clements, Mike Seeger, Elizabeth Cotton, Jean Ritchie, the Morris Brothers and others. Roscoe had the most powerful voice I gave ever heard and when on stage the mic was placed. anywhere from 4-6 feet in front of him. in jams he could be heard above all others. I wish these jam session had been recorded; truly an amazing experience. Roscoe told me that he developed his lung power back home in the hills hollering from one hill top to another. It was a form of communication. He was a retired Kentucky coal miner and didn’t pickup music until he retired. To be close to him singing and was a true honor to know him. He gave me goosebumps.
so nice to see roscoe smile and laugh
Lot of history in those eyes.
Roscoe Holcomb was the pioneer of American Folk music. A very genuine and talented musician. A very humble man who had a hard life : farmer, miner, etc. An incredible voice he had, very strange yet powerful. He is a story in himself. Marie from France
My grandfather was the same generation as Roscoe and I am folk musican because of him and Roscoe.
Suffering is in those eyes.
The most powerful white blues singer I've ever heard.
My God! We used to sing 'On top of old Smokey" in elementary school, but it sure didn't sound like that.
This is poetry in motion , Roscoe had the great talent of taking songs to a completely another level , this is by far my favorite incarnation of old smokey , its all the pain of love ,and loss interpreted threw this very gifted soul.
I'm a central european person (however some of my ancestors had emigrated to US in the past, but it doesn't matter) and I just love to listen to this music. I really like Roscoe Holcomb, Dock Boggs, Pete Seeger and others. They just... touch my soul. Could anyone explain to me this phenomenon?
I think that the mountains and hollows invade the souls of such singers...
Man I love the way he played and had a voice of the ages past.🪕🪕🪕
Beautiful . Unbelievable. Loved it.
It sounds like a glitch in the payback; the speed seems to drop slightly, lowering the pitch...and giving a really spooky effect.
It wouldn't be the same without that shift.
No. It would be different.
Food for the soul...
Bless him. .. oh wait... he was already Blessed. 🙏🌹
Out on old smokey all covered with snow
I lost my own true lover by courting too slow
Yes courting it is a pleasure and parting is a grief
Some false-hearted true lover is worse than a thief
I'll build me a log cabin on top of some rise
Where the wild geese and pretty women can hear my sad cry
Codie Hammill: thanks for the lyrics
Roscoe pulls my heart strings man
Thanks
Its like a supernatural experience when the canera angle changes to facing him directly
brilliant!
PURE!!! MASTER!!!
This man has been to the dance
AMEN
I believe he said it was "Old Smoky", not "On Top of Old Smoky". An abbreviation of the longer title, or is it deliberate acknowledgement of the differences?
The lyrics are close, but it sounds like an older version of the song we're familiar with.
It would be interesting to track it back and see where the two versions diverged.
1:20 it takes on an other worldly quality
Respekt!!!
Noti Pasch
Not QUITE how I learned it in grade school....
No me neither. No spaghetti no cheese no meatball no sneeze.
I'm fairly certain there's a recording of "Single Girl" by Roscoe recorded on the same day of this recording. Is there any way I could view this recording without paying for the full Ballards, Blues and Bluegrass DVD?
Get an iPhone, screen record this vidier
James Woods during filming of "My name is Bill" biopic of Bill Wilson founder of AA.
I'm stealing his fashion style
So does anyone else think that that fellow listening with the big mustaches Richard brautigan?
1:20 is a bit haunting.
Where can I find all of these old shows on disc? I love having actual, remastered footage.
Sadly, Roscoe never saw his poor meatball again after it rolled straight out the door.
@@matthewgovig I did. My ability to enjoy this song was marred by the fact that the "On top of Spaghetti" version kept popping into my mind, Damned sixth grade!
That's where he gets the inspiration for his high and lonesome sound.
Fucking Furious
Robert Vaughn?
Is he playing a 6 string banjo?
no
i would prefer you not to tell me what i should and should not do.
haha yes very much so. why have you chosen the number 666? i think you should reconsider your choice. certainly, to me, this man's inspiration reflects as much.