Annotation:Pumpkin Vine (2)

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PUMPKIN VINE [2]. American, Reel. A different-sounding tune than Jimmy Wheeler's "Pumpkin Vine (1)," from the playing of northeastern Kentucky musician Buddy Thomas. Wheeler, however, was a mentor of sorts to Thomas, who had a hand in helping the younger fiddler shape his tune. Folklorists Gus Meade and Barbara Edwards asked Thomas about his "Pumpkin Vine" in an interview [1]:

Meade: How about Pumpkin Vine?

Thomas: Well I learnt, the first time I ever heard of it Joe Stamper played it and he couldn’t remember it all, I was playing some of it when Jimmy Wheeler come to visit me that time, heard about me, come with Sam Cox, you know Sam Cox and Joe was great buddies back then, the one that throwed the water on the banjo player.

Meade: Yeah.

Thomas: And Sam had been out there and he heard me, he went back and told Jim he said, “it’s a young fiddler out there growing up” and said “and he know parts of some old tunes,” said “ we ought to go out there and kindly help him out” and Jim come up and made me a tape. He put that on and I went out there Maurs (Morris) Allen had a lot of pretty stuff in it too and I learned a lot from him and Joe. I learnt some from Joe and them Jim Wheeler and then Maurs Allen on that tune.


Source for notated version:

Printed sources:

Recorded sources:

See also listing at:
Hear John Harrod's 199 field recording of Buddy Thomas playing "Pumpkin Vine" at the Digital Library of Appalachia [2]




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