Topic: Mike Seeger's "Cumberland Gap"

[outfidel]

I came across this Mike Seeger video on YouTube a couple of months ago and immediately fell in love with the melody.



Then my copy of the Fonotone Records box set arrived over the weekend. Much to my delight, it includes the 1964 recording of "Cumberland Gap" by Birmingham Bill (aka Mike Seeger). Here's what Mike says in the box set liner notes about this song:

"I picked up this way of playing this well known fiddle and banjo tune mostly from Maybelle Carter during a time when we toured with her in Spring 1963. She picked banjo from childhood and continued playing into the 1960s. She brought some banjo feeling and rhythm into her guitar playing. I also heard Frank Hutchison's recording of this tune, which he played similarly."

[Johnm]

Thanks for posting this one, Michael.  Mike Seeger is great.  Since we have this Other Musical Interests board on site now, and there are other posts pertaining to Old-time music here, I thought it might live better here than on the Main Forum, which is specific to Country Blues.  Now all I need is a high-speed connection so I can watch Mike play "Cumberland Gap"!
All best,
Johnm

[outfidel]

You got it, John.

One thing I hadn't realized is that Frank Hutchison sometimes played in that kind of thumb-lead banjo style on guitar. I thought he did only slide and alternating bass fingerpicking. But going back and listening to Hutchison's version of "Cumberland Gap", he does in fact use a thumb-lead style. I wonder if Hutchison got the idea by listening to Maybelle Carter 78s or did he develop the idea on his own?

[frankie]

This is a really fine video - it's just amazing how many things Mike Seeger can do very, very well.

Thumb-lead is a pretty pervasive approach to the banjo - you find it all over the South.  It's nice to think that Hutchison may have crossed paths with Mother Maybelle, but ultimately unlikely, I guess.  I don't think it's a huge stretch to apply that kind of technique to the guitar...  in some ways, thumb-lead seems like a guitar technique applied to the banjo!

[rjtwangs]

  Frankie, there is a wonderful instructional dvd of Mike with Janette Carter called 'the Guitar Styles Of The Carter Family', Homespun Video, DVD-SEG-CF21. I have really enjoyed this dvd, I've learned and been highly entertained by this set, so if you haven't seen it give it a try.

  RJ

[frankie]

Thanks for the tip, RJ.  Actually - I should clarify...  I was talking about Hutchison, not Seeger when I was referring to it being unlikely in regards to Maybelle Carter.  I'll edit - doh!

[Rivers]

Nice mic'd sound from that modern 000-15S, if that's what it is.