WeenieCampbell.com
Country Blues => Weenie Campbell Main Forum => Topic started by: Cambio on August 15, 2005, 03:08:00 PM
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I didn't want to beat a dead horse and open up the can of worms that was the Rodgers/ Stokes discussion, but came across an interesting thing while I was down at Clifftop.? My friend Buddy turned me onto a video of McDonald Craig who is, for all practical purposes, an African American Jimmie Rodgers impersonator who live in the hills of Perry County Tennessee, outside of Nashville.? Mr. Craig was influence by Jimmie Rodgers records as a child and his family formed a band that performed many of Rodgers songs, as well as some by other country greats.? He performs Jimmie Rodgers songs with a very straight and traditional delivery and is an absolutely fantastic yodeler.? He's been? honored at the Jimmie Rodgers Memorial Festival in Meridian Mississippi and the Jimmie Rodgers Jubilee in Kerville Texas.? He's accompanied on the video by David Sebring who plays slide, mandola, banjo mandolin and tenor banjo.?
The video is available from Cedar Glade Productions and includes a recipe for Rosetta Craig's (McDonald's wife) bananna pudding.? In the words of Mc Donald, "The only thing better than Rosetta's bananna pudding is Jimmie Rodgers music!"
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Thanks for the tip, Todd. Will keep an eye peeled. Did he know Frank Stokes? :P
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Better yet, maybe McDonald Craig *is* Frank Stokes ;D
I Googled McDonald Craig and came up with nothing. Do you have any contact info on where I could get the video?
The music of Jimmie Rodgers has always had an enormous signifigance for me. I firmly believe that *all* music can be heard and studied by listening to the Rodgers repertoire.
Of course, I realize that I'm the only guy who feels that way, but as we all know, music is a highly individual and purely visceral experience.
The first time I heard a Rodgers record, the sky opened and filled the room with Golden light.
Despite what my friends say, I'm sure the Peyote couldn't have been a factor ;)
Anyway, I'd love to get a copy of that video even though I don't care for Banana Pudding.
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OK. I just found Cedar Glade Productions linked through the Old-Time Music page. Apparently they don't have a website and do business by mail order only (Hey! These guys *are* the real deal :) ).
I'll see about getting a copy in spite of my aversion to banana pudding.
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According to the notes on the video box, McDonald was born in 1931 on his family's farm near Nashville. It's a pretty good distance from Nashville to Memphis, so he probably didn't know Stokes. I think it's pretty cool that he's living proof of Jimmie Rodgers influence on black musicians.
The address for Cedar Glade Productions is:
328 Cedar Forest Road
Lebanon, TN 37090
The phone is 615-444-4565
My friend Buddy is a park ranger in that part of Tennessee and he apparently knew McDonald through his work. Buddy is a pretty humble guy, but I got the impression that he was involved in the production of the video, he may have put it all together. He did tell me that it was his idea to have McDonald do the Jimmie Rodgers thumbs up pose for the cover shot.
Mike, you may want to send a copy to your socialist music critic friend ;D
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"Mike, you may want to send a copy to your socialist music critic friend ;D"
Who would, undoubtedly, declare that he's been vindicated by this "proof positive" of Frank Stokes' everlasting contribution to Country Music :)