Tune Req: Precious Jewel (Roy Acuff)

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Precious Jewel (Roy Acuff)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 09 Oct 05 - 02:36 PM

U. S. Census for 1880 has a William F. Maberry, born in Roane Co., TN, 1851. No Willis Maberry in Tennessee Census records for 1880 (four years before the killing).
Two men with the name Thomas Galbreath are listed in the 1880 Tennessee census, birth dates 1845 and 1859. Neither is listed as resident in Roane County at the time.

The Court records are archived in the old Kingston, Roane County Court House, an attractive pre-Civil War structure badly in need of repair (a heritage group is trying to raise the 1/2 to 1 million dollars needed).
It would help if the dates and exact summary details of the trial and sentence were copied. Also, where did the 'first rendition' come from?

Of course this has nothing to do with whether the Blue Sky Boys borrowed an older tune, or if that tune was the basis for "Precious Jewel" as recorded by Acuff.

The reference to a name change in "The Killer Poet" refers to the village of Oakdale-Elverton, not the County. No 'Mayberrys' are in the Census for Roane County in 1880; the spelling 'Maberry' seems to be the correct one.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Precious Jewel (Roy Acuff)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 08 Oct 05 - 11:46 PM

The article, "The Killer Poet," at the website: Killer Poet
The article by Hall and Bailey needs more documentation.
The 2005 World Almanac lists the census figures for Roane County, TN, 2003, with the County Seat at Kingston. If the name was changed to 'Elverton', it was after 2003.
The article at www.originals.be also lacks documentation of some of its statements (See link in Q post 07 Oct 05, 5:55 pm and mention by honeydhont).

Art Thieme posted the "Roane County Strike at Harriman, Tennessee" in thread 44331: Song Willis Mayberry

Since the possible 'first rendition' of the song in "The Killer Poet" article is useful in comparison with other versions, I have included it in thread 44331 where there are two other Roane County songs. Threads on the web often disappear or move.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Precious Jewel (Roy Acuff)
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 08 Oct 05 - 10:09 PM

Two sets of Roane County, with notation and audio, are at  The Max Hunter Folk Song Collection:

Rome County  -Harrison Burnett, Fayetteville, Arkansas. July 11, 1958
Hills Of Rome County  -Harrison Burnett, Fayetteville, Arkansas. July 5, 1960

The Roud Folk Song Index lists Roane County at number 3387, and Precious Jewel at number 18658. There are no entries at present that would take the date back much beyond the 1940s.

I may be able to look up the Kirkeminde article in Tennessee Folklore Society Bulletin, but apparently Sheffield only has microfilm of a "damaged set" of that publication, so don't hold your breath.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Precious Jewel (Roy Acuff)
From: GUEST,honeydhont
Date: 08 Oct 05 - 09:02 PM

Thanks to you all and especially mr Jansen from the Netherlands, who gave significant more insight on the matter with the following link ('Killer Poet'), which was originally in the mudcat-"hills"-thread, but for some reason didn't work over here. http://www.roanetnheritage.com/research/m&m/05.htm

I copied the most telling part here:
"While still being held in jail in Kingston, he began writing a poignant poem which was entitled "Roane County Prisoner." He later finished the poem, it was set to music and became quite popular after the turn of the century under the title, "The Hills of Roane County." Many Roane County residents remember hearing it played on the radio in the 1930s and 40s. The words to the song vary slightly, but the following is believed to be the first rendition."

I compared that first rendition with the Blue Sky Boys-version of 1940 and this shows indeed the "folkprocess at work": apart from some words being a bit different, the boys left out two verses out of the original eight and they radically rewrote the last verse. Reason enough to believe this song is indeed older than 1940, the radio-remark from above is another proof.

Mr Jansen pointed me also towards another area-related song, which was reportedly written in 1936, sharing a VERY similar melody (and waltztempo) in the Mike Seeger rendition some thirty years later. The song's called 'Roane County Strike at Harriman, Tennessee' and like its title suggests, it is lyrically speaking something completely different, though in my hearing another precursor to Roy Acuff's 'Precious Jewel'.

For anyone interested ... some people at the Belgian website www.originals.be have a strange habit of collecting, dating and tracing down the earliest rendition (or possible offspring) from literally thousands of songs by any genre (The eponymous book has even more). For any problemsolving on such matters, there's an English speaking forum, all access and everything free !! (but not from language errors, I'm afraid).

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Precious Jewel (Roy Acuff)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 10:23 PM

Precious Jewel also at http://www.musicsonglyrics.com/R/royacuff;yrics/royacuffpreciousjewellyrics.htm
But be careful. I think a Trojan lurks here.

This whole topic is discussed at The Hills of Roane County
No sheet music, broadsides or transcriptions or newspaper copy has been found.
Nor can I find the 'original' poem by Mayberry (The Roane County Prisoner, 1915).

Also confused by different Tennessee references-
Rutherford County
Roane County
The article by Kirkeminde in the Folklore Soc. Bull. is needed.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Precious Jewel
From: Peace
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 09:20 PM

http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:KQGBBBGxS8sJ:www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/acuff-roy/precious-jewel-458.html+Precious+Jewel,+ly

Sorry, It was from two sites.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Precious Jewel
From: Peace
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 09:18 PM

http://www.lyricsdir.com/roy-acuff-precious-jewel-lyrics.html

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Precious Jewel
From: Peace
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 09:16 PM

Artist/Band: Acuff Roy
Lyrics for Song: Precious Jewel
Lyrics for Album: The King Of Country Music 1936-1947

Precious Jewel

Way back in the hills, when a boy, I once wandered
Buried deep in her grave lies a girl that I love
She was called from this earth, a jewel for heaven
More precious than diamonds more precious than gold.

When a girl of sixteen, we courted each other
She promised someday to become my sweet wife
I bought her the ring to wear on her finger
But the angels they called her to heaven one night.

A jewel here on earth, a jewel up in heaven
She'll brighten the kingdom around God's great throne
May the angels have peace, God bless her in heaven
They've broken my heart and they left me to roam.

This world has it wealth, its' trials and troubles
Mother earth holds her treasures of diamonds and gold
But it can't hold the soul of one precious jewel
She's resting in peace with the heavenly fold.

May the angels have peace, God bless her in heaven
They've broken my heart and they left me to roam.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Precious Jewel
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 09:09 PM

Can anybody post the lyrics for us?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Precious Jewel
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 05:55 PM

Stanley Brothers version of "Hills of Roane County" in thread 44331: Hills
Also recorded by Grandpa Jones as "Willis Mayberry" (Bear Family Disc 2; after 1960).

No help.
Perhaps something in Kirkeminde, Patricia B, "The Confessions of Willis Mayberry," The Folklore Society, Bull. 30 (1964), p. 7-21. (Not seen).

Subject: Tune Req: Precious Jewel
From: GUEST,honeydhont
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 07:56 PM

Several sources tell me this famous Roy Acuff-song uses the melody of the murderballad 'In The Hills Of Roane County' (lyrics based on the poem 'The Roane County Prisoner' ca. 1915). Unfortunately, the Acuff-song (April 1940) predates the earliest (?) recording by the Blue Sky Boys (October 1940) by several months ... I do not really question the older age of the 'Roane County'-song, but I was hoping to find a proof of the song's earlier existence (perhaps with an alternate title) through sheet music, broadsides, radio transcriptions, song collections, whatever. It would also be helpful finding out who rewrote that poem and when, but my main question is: does anyone recognize this tune (Irish maybe?), it was probably around for several decades since its first recording in 1940. Thanks. Hear a 30sec sample here: http://shop.fye.com/product.aspx?loc=50295&sku=60136378