My "liking something less" is not a judgment on its inherent quality or value. I just tend to like my music with a little grit on it, no matter the genre.

Since I’ve watched the Sean of the South videos lately, YouTube has referred me to this video, which is an interesting counterpoint. Although they’re not discussing Old Time by name (they focus on the origins of Country and what was called “Hillbilly Music”), there’s some interesting and thought provoking discourse. I think they show fairly well just how much the making of these recordings was a big business production and how they played on nostalgia to entice unfamiliar audiences.

youtu.be/0y1s-rjU_-o?si=Ag1jui4-NR4W70C2

Their argument that the famous Bristol Sessions aren’t the real origin of Country music is one that is not new, even though the Bristol origin story is still commonly accepted. I will never forget how a fiddle maker in Galax made an impassioned speech to me about how Galax was the real place of origin and that the folks in Tennessee were falsely claiming primacy and using it to profit. According to the Galax origin story, The Hillbillies formed a band and played at a barbershop in town well before the Bristol Sessions and before they traveled to New York to make their recordings for Okeh. Their having formed in a barbershop makes it tempting to horrify the Fiddle Hangout by suggesting that Old Time be reclassified as Barbershop music just for the amusement the responses would provide. 

Learning about the amount of effort that went into how the music was carefully manipulated to suit audiences is fascinating to me, not because I see the music industry as being a predatory behemoth, but because the people who produced the records were acutely aware of the best methods to pitch the music to the public and make it interesting. That’s something that I think is really missing in the presentation of the music now; it’s not that there aren’t any good players, more that those players aren’t reaching people the same way and the genre has become an increasingly smaller niche. I understand the argument that as players have adopted newer and possibly more mainstream approaches to older tunes, the music has lost some of its regional flavor (I’m not entirely convinced of this but I do think it’s an argument worth considering), but I think that in spite of the perceived mutation in style toward something different, the genre itself has become less popular. When I go to my local record store, there are lots of country and bluegrass albums in the bins, but I’ve yet to see an Old Time album. I have a much easier time finding recordings of baroque violin concertos by obscure composers recorded by obscure players.

Think I've just realized the truth of the matter of home made music.

A multi-talented friend of mine visited me and let me listen to some stuff he had been working on with AI. He was amazed by it, he said "All i had to do was play this tune i have just composed on the whistle and AI came up with this....", He played it to me on his phone and i thought wow that's great!

Then he said "I've just completed a set of pipes for my son, he loves them." (one of many sets he has made). I said have you got a recording of him playing them , he says "sure" and plays me the recording. Well at the end of the video (just recorded on his phone) we where both teary eyed and i said "Now that is f*%&%NG Real!! Proper Home Made Music!

Here's a great band that are def not playing like the Skillet Lickers. I'm surprised they haven't made a bigger stir...or maybe they have and I missed it. Anyhow, apologies to those who hate YouTube links.

youtube.com/watch?v=h6ow2Z5Jh9...t_radio=1

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Originally posted by bacfire

Here's a great band that are def not playing like the Skillet Lickers. I'm surprised they haven't made a bigger stir...or maybe they have and I missed it. Anyhow, apologies to those who hate YouTube links.

youtube.com/watch?v=h6ow2Z5Jh9...t_radio=1

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Hmmm. Nothing about that comes off as "home made" to me. It leans into a lot of trends that are popular now more than it does into the music itself. It strikes me as much more of a spectacle for the eyes than one for the ears.

It could almost be a satirical video for an episode of "Portlandia."

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Originally posted by The Violin Beautiful

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Originally posted by bacfire

Here's a great band that are def not playing like the Skillet Lickers. I'm surprised they haven't made a bigger stir...or maybe they have and I missed it. Anyhow, apologies to those who hate YouTube links.

youtube.com/watch?v=h6ow2Z5Jh9...t_radio=1

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Hmmm. Nothing about that comes off as "home made" to me. It leans into a lot of trends that are popular now more than it does into the music itself. It strikes me as much more of a spectacle for the eyes than one for the ears.

It could almost be a satirical video for an episode of "Portlandia."

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Definitely not home-made.  A nice treatment of the tune - interesting harmonies, excellent musicianship all round, etc.  I can see it getting attention, if that's important.

I agree that that video is definitely not "homemade." I wonder how much it cost to produce? As far as the group making a "bigger stir," that video does have a million views, doesn't it?
I remember when "Rising Appalachia" first became known around here 10 or 15 years ago, most people I know just didn't like them. Some found them to be pretentious performance artists, and others just didn't find them interesting. I remember the reaction of a good friend who was sent a link to one of their videos. He watched it for a minute, but said he found it more interesting to watch the snow in his yard.
Also, some people around here didn't like it that a couple of self described "urban kids" from Atlanta wanted to associate themselves with Appalachia. As one young woman from Kentucky said in her blog (not directed specifically at them) "My culture is not your costume."
I don't usually try to push my own music here, but since I already uploaded this I can, and will. I'd call this homemade.

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Originally posted by DougD

I agree that that video is definitely not "homemade." I wonder how much it cost to produce? As far as the group making a "bigger stir," that video does have a million views, doesn't it?
I remember when "Rising Appalachia" first became known around here 10 or 15 years ago, most people I know just didn't like them. Some found them to be pretentious performance artists, and others just didn't find them interesting. I remember the reaction of a good friend who was sent a link to one of their videos. He watched it for a minute, but said he found it more interesting to watch the snow in his yard.
Also, some people around here didn't like it that a couple of self described "urban kids" from Atlanta wanted to associate themselves with Appalachia. As one young woman from Kentucky said in her blog (not directed specifically at them) "My culture is not your costume."
I don't usually try to push my own music here, but since I already uploaded this I can, and will. I'd call this homemade.

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Another nice treatment of the tune. You have a pleasant voice. 

I've been thinking about installing some synthetic-gut strings on one of my banjos - looking for that sound.

That's a ukulele on that song, but I have an old (probably 1880's) banjo with nylon strings. I don't play much anymore, so they're easier on my fingers. They're good for fingerpicking, but I have trouble with clawhammer because they're a little too floppy. I think you would want a lightweight shell for best results.
I have another uke strung with real gut strings, but I used to get them from a gourd banjo maker in California and he's retired now, so I don't know where to go for replacements. The name brand packaged ones are quite expensive.

DougD Great stuff, Doug!

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Originally posted by DougD

That's a ukulele on that song, but I have an old (probably 1880's) banjo with nylon strings. I don't play much anymore, so they're easier on my fingers. They're good for fingerpicking, but I have trouble with clawhammer because they're a little too floppy. I think you would want a lightweight shell for best results.
I have another uke strung with real gut strings, but I used to get them from a gourd banjo maker in California and he's retired now, so I don't know where to go for replacements. The name brand packaged ones are quite expensive.

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As you likely know, Aquila sells real gut strings. I know virtually nothing about them. I've thought about trying some but thought that they may not fit in the nut (and bridge) slots.

I once bought an inexpensive 1920's era, Japanese fiddle that had gut strings installed. They held tune but I don't know whether they were worn out or not. They were interesting. Looking back, I think I bought that fiddle just to try out the strings.

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Originally posted by The Violin Beautiful

Hmmm. Nothing about that comes off as "home made" to me. It leans into a lot of trends that are popular now more than it does into the music itself. It strikes me as much more of a spectacle for the eyes than one for the ears.

It could almost be a satirical video for an episode of "Portlandia."

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Not at all, but its an example of what usually sells beyond traditional genre borders.  Artists like Sierra Ferrell get loads of hype among the young'uns with big hats and dresses, Nudie suits, and other overblown retro duds.  And although none of that attracts me, I don't have a problem with it.  I'm still surprised I hadn't heard about them around Clifftop.  Seems like they would be superstars around the "Nest of Strident Feminism" tent!  :>)

I posted that video mostly as an extreme reaction to Doug's statement that he didn't want to hear bands playing like the Skillet Lickers.  I wasn't familiar with Rising Appalachia until a friend sent me a couple of links around the first of the year.  I liked their novel treatment of the couple tunes I'd heard from them, but I took a deeper dive into their catalog this afternoon and discovered that those tunes were the very-most traditional tip of a big 'ol iceberg of strangeness!  

And i have no clue about "Portlandia".

@Doug - Beautiful homemade music :-)
THe uke sounds so nice the way you play it!

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Originally posted by bacfire

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Originally posted by The Violin Beautiful

Hmmm. Nothing about that comes off as "home made" to me. It leans into a lot of trends that are popular now more than it does into the music itself. It strikes me as much more of a spectacle for the eyes than one for the ears.

It could almost be a satirical video for an episode of "Portlandia."

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Not at all, but its an example of what usually sells beyond traditional genre borders.  Artists like Sierra Ferrell get loads of hype among the young'uns with big hats and dresses, Nudie suits, and other overblown retro duds.  And although none of that attracts me, I don't have a problem with it.  I'm still surprised I hadn't heard about them around Clifftop.  Seems like they would be superstars around the "Nest of Strident Feminism" tent!  :>)

I posted that video mostly as an extreme reaction to Doug's statement that he didn't want to hear bands playing like the Skillet Lickers.  I wasn't familiar with Rising Appalachia until a friend sent me a couple of links around the first of the year.  I liked their novel treatment of the couple tunes I'd heard from them, but I took a deeper dive into their catalog this afternoon and discovered that those tunes were the very-most traditional tip of a big 'ol iceberg of strangeness!  

And i have no clue about "Portlandia".

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I don't consider it bad for the musicians in the group to play as they do. While I don't find their music particularly original (the vocals have that same sound you hear everywhere right now), they do seem to be decent musicians and their sound is cohesive. Their offerings are at home under  the "world music" umbrella.

What bothers me is when musicians use the traditional music badge to sell music that doesn't follow the traditions. There is an implication that their music represents some kind of awakening of Appalachian culture, and this is laughable when you see videos of trendily pierced and tattooed musicians playing in hip venues, dressed as hipsters, wearing flapper costumes, featuring a dancer in toe shoes, or playing instruments that were never part of Appalachian music.

I don't have a problem with people dressing up for fun or choosing costumes to evoke the sense of an era, but when it's done to promote something that's complete fantasy while suggesting it's based in tradition is a disservice to the real traditions. I don't seem a problem with choosing to play a tune that appeals in a different style--so long as you're not passing it off as your original work.

A co-worker once invited me to a concert at the Sculpture Garden on the Mall. The featured band for the evening included a jazz violinist. Toward the end of the program, the violinist explained that he was going to play a jazz version of a traditional fiddle tune. To demonstrate his departure from the original, he played the tune in its original form first before playing his jazz version. I thought his interpretation was quite enjoyable and he had a good sense of the tune and how he could jazz it up. It was a nice moment for the audience when he played the original tune for the sake of comparison, although I think it would have been alright if he had just introduced the tune and explained its origin without playing the original version. The addition of the fiddle tune changed the aesthetic of the performance briefly but overall it was nice way to honor the tradition and give the audience (who probably had no idea whatsoever what Old Time was) a sense of the original tune that inspired his Jazz number. I wish that kind of thing happened more often.