Annotation:Swamp Cat Rag
X:1 T:Swamp Cat Rag N:From the playing of fiddlers Lowe Stokes (north Georgia) and Bert N:Layne, Hoke Rice (gtr.) playing as The Swamp Rooters for one session only (two N:records: "Swamp Cat Rag" and "Citaco". Nov., 1930. Four tunes ("Gettin' Away", N:"Hickory Mtn. Breakdown," "Sally Johnson" and "Shoot the Buffalo" were unissued). M:C| L:1/8 Q:"Fast" N:The first strain is sometimes repeated on the recording. N:GDad tuning (fiddle), drone liberally D:Document DOCD 8045, "Lowe Stokes, vol. 1" (1999) D:Brunswick 556 (78 RPM), The Swamp Rooters (1930) D:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3go3vHHGzAQ D:https://www.slippery-hill.com/content/swamp-cat-rag Z:Transcribed by Andrew Kuntz K:G AB-|BABc d2d2-|dfed +slide+B3A-|BABc d2d2-|dfed +slide+B3A-| BABc d2d2-|dfed +slide+B3B|dBAF ABAc |BGGG G2|| |:AB-|BBAG EGAc|(B[G2B2])(G [G2B2])Ac|[GB][GB]AG EGAc|B[G,2G2]G [G,2G2][GA]-[GB]-| [GB]BAG EGAc|(B[G,2G2])G [G,2G2] Bc|dBAG [DA]GAc|B[G2B2]G [G2B2]:|
SWAMP CAT RAG. America, Reel (cut or 2/4 time). USA, north Ga. G Major. GDad tuning (fiddle). AABB. The melody is known as a north Georgia tune, although researcher and discographer Tony Russell says it appears to be a version of “Cotton Eyed Joe (1).” "Swamp Cat Rag" was was recorded in 1930 by fiddler Lowe Stokes (1898-1933) with his band The Swamp Rooters, which included Bert Layne on fiddle and Hoke Rice on guitar. The group was a one-off amalgamation of the Skillet Lickers constellation of musicians, and recorded six tunes from Brunswick records in Atlanta in November, 1930. Only two sides ("Swamp Cat Rag" and "Citaco") were issued on a record, with four tunes (Gettin' Away", "Hickory Mtn. Breakdown," "Sally Johnson" and "Shoot the Buffalo") unissued.
