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Of the
13 tracks here, five are songs by banjoist and singer Uncle Dave Macon
(1870-1952), an early star of the Grand Ole Opry who turned professional
at age 50 when the automobile ruined his lucrative mule-and-wagon
business. A man of the world, he disdained the fire-and-brimstone
preachers of his native Bible Belt and wrote songs that were often funny
and always down-to-earth. These are sung with rustic zest by Wilson, who
also has mastered Uncle Dave’s intricate banjo style, with Orsini
providing smooth backup on fiddle. Standouts are “I Was Born About 14
Billion Years Ago,” Uncle Dave’s version of the creation story, here
reworked by
Wilson
to square with modern science, and “Buddy Won’t You Roll Down the
Line,” about a controversial convict-leasing program of the early
20th century that supplied forced labor to
Tennessee
coal mines. Orsini then takes over the vocals for the French Canadian
song “Les Raftsman,” which celebrates the leisure-time pursuits
of the men who moved goods long ago on the northern waterways.
For
the instrumentals, Wilson and Orsini team up on fiddle, alternating
between unison and harmony lines with
Davis
expertly backing on guitar or piano. Not only is the fiddling vivacious,
but the old traditional tunes themselves often have quaint and
intriguing titles: “The Joys of Wedlock,” “The Gobby-O,” “Teviot
Bridge,” “The Methlick Style.” What was the Gobby-O? Or the Methlick
style? Alas, the unfortunately spotty liner notes don’t say.
Still, folk fans will relish this record. Let’s hope the Whippersnappers
don’t make us wait another 19 years for the next one.
Index of Metroland
Articles by Glenn Weiser ©2007 by Glenn
Weiser. All rights reserved.
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