Derek Piotr's Top 5 Hits From Fieldwork Archive :: So Far
Derek Piotr made one of my favorite albums of 2021. If you missed it, I profiled it here. For that album, Piotr mined some pieces from historical folklore while also including original pieces and instrumentation. This sparked a passion in Piotr to focus on archiving vocal recordings. He began archiving vocal recordings in 2020. Like many archivists, Piotr captures poetry, songs, interviews and the like. But what sets this collection apart, Piotr notes, is the “focus of this collection is on the "non-singer"; in other words, someone with no background in musical performance but who can still relate a song or folkloric memory.”
I recently touched base with Piotr about the project and he was kind enough to highlight five recordings which have really stood out to him so far.
01) :: #208 - Helen Barnes-Rielly performing "Le Carillon de Vendôme"
I had gone to Todd, NC, for the 2-year anniversary of the burning of the Todd General Store, and there was a little local T.V. spot going on with the owner, who is feistily trying to rebuild the site right now. Pretty much the only other thing in Todd is this little bakery, run by Helen. I asked her what I ask everyone, if her grandparents or parents sang anything, and she remembered this little bit of a song, which she called "Chapels of France". It stayed in my head for months, so I called her up one day and asked for it again, on tape this time. Turns out it's a children's song from the 1400's that her mother learned in Cincinnati, OH, from some nuns, who have probably been singing it unbroken these 500+ years.
Performed by Helen Barnes-Rielly.
Recorded July 27, 2022 in Todd, North Carolina.
Telephone recording. Fragment. Learned from her mother, Carolyn Mader, of Cincinnati, Ohio.
2: #103 - Jim Prentice performing "The German Clock Winder"
A rare example of Connecticut folk singing! I had gone out to West Cornwall to visit Jane Prentice, an Old-Time fiddle player, and she recalled one little tiny song for me that her grandmother sang, but mostly played her fiddle for me. Jim came in towards the end of our visit, and, though slightly hoarse from work, sang me a couple of songs right there and then, with no notice, including this one. It seems to have come to America from the British settlers; I have found several traditional versions from the UK.
Performed by Jim Prentice.
Recorded March 8, 2022 in West Cornwall, Connecticut.
3: #79 - Ian Patterson performing "The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy"
As I walked home one evening from where I was staying in York last summer, I noticed an elderly gentleman supervising construction on his roof. I intuited he might have folklore knowledge and this hunch paid off in spades—Ian's mother was a colleague of Edric Connor's who had traveled to the West Indies when Ian was small to do some field collecting. They collected this song, among many others, and published these songs in a small book. "The Virgin Mary..." in particular found its way into the Cambridge Hymnal, and the rest is history. It was very much a surreal experience to meet the son of the woman who had bridged this carol into broad accessiblity, purely by chance.
Performed by Ian Patterson.
Recorded September 9, 2021 in York, North Yorkshire, UK.
Fragment. Mr. Patterson's mother was a colleague of Edric Connor.
4: #207 - Sandra Noble performing "I've Worked Eight Hours This Day"
I had left a small advertisement in The Dalesman before I left Yorkshire last autumn, and roughly six months later, I got an email from Sandra, who insisted on singing this song (twice!) down WhatsApp for me. "He was a sea-captain, born 1876", she said of her grandfather. "He probably knew more risqué songs than that, but that's the one I remember. I came to live with my granny and grandad when I was 3 or 4." Bonus points for their hometown's name: Robin Hood's Bay! Spry listeners may also note some of Sandra's variation: Johnny Hooligan becomes Patsy Dooligan, and Donegal whiskers become "galigan".
Performed by Sandra Noble.
Recorded July 13, 2022 in Robin Hood's Bay, North Yorkshire, UK.
Telephone recording. One verse. Learned from her grandfather, Robert Watson (b. 1876).
5: #210 - Judy Arrowood performing "Don't Sell Daddy Anymore Whiskey"
Judy is related to the Bares and Turbyfills several times over; she was the last informant I visited In North Carolina this year and lived literally at the intersection of Elk Park Highway and Turbyfill Road. I spent several hours with Judy, who initially could recall Lena Turbyfill vividly, but nothing specifically musical; it was only when we got on the subject of Lena's sister-in-law Ethel Bare Turbyfill that Judy remembered Ethel's children, Shirley and Evelyn singing this song.
Performed by Judy Arrowwood.
Recorded August 4, 2022 in Smoky Straight, Newland, North Carolina.
Fragment. Learned from Shirley and Evelyn Bare.