Guitarist Sam McGee

Subject: Guitarist Sam McGee
From: GUEST,Brad Sondahl
Date: 01 May 01 - 12:18 PM

After searching the archives, I find no mention of country fingerpicker Sam McGee, so I thought I'd start this thread to amend that. As in the poem, he was from Tennessee (Franklin), and in early days played with Dave Macon and Mazy Todd and the Fruit Jar Drinkers. Then he played some with the fine fiddler Arthur Smith (and the Dixieliners), and I believe a few cuts with the Delmores as well. He and his brother Kirk (on banjo) played every Saturday night on the Grand Ole Opry for years as part of an Old Timers band. Anyway, he had some great tunes that he picked-fine instrumentals like Ching Chong, Franklin Blues, Buckdancer's Choice. He wasn't lightning fast, but elegant in his arrangements. He remained a farmer by day through his life, and died (I believe in his 60's) at his home in Franklin when his tractor rolled on him. He influenced my style of guitar picking a lot. Here's a link I found for him http://imusic.artistdirect.com/showcase/country/sammcgee.html Note that the bio says they never recorded playing with Arthur Smith, but that's incorrect as they made some records reissued on Folkways. Brad http://pages.about.com/bsondahl

Subject: RE: Guitarist Sam McGee
From: GUEST,Brad Sondahl
Date: 01 May 01 - 12:21 PM

Oops, finished reading the bio and Arthur Smith recordings were later mentioned...

Subject: RE: Guitarist Sam McGee
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 01 May 01 - 12:27 PM

Thank YOU Brad. My fave guitarist of all time (well, it changes...but he'll never be out of my top ten list!) On an early album I wrote and recorded a song called Mr. Sam's Rag. Tried to get the elegance of "Franklin Blues" and the bounce of "Buckdancer's Choice" in it. Recorded their version of "Salty Dog" last year and still sing "Railroad Blues, Roll on Buddy (credited to Kirk) and House of David Blues (Arthur Smith's tune)

Pleasure to see your thread.

Rick

Subject: RE: Guitarist Sam McGee
From: GUEST,Mike Billo
Date: 01 May 01 - 03:45 PM

Arguably the most overlooked and under rated guitarist ever. Franklin Blues is a classic.

I'm pretty sure that Sam was well into his '80's at the time of his death in the tractor accdent.

Subject: RE: Guitarist Sam McGee
From: Justa Picker
Date: 01 May 01 - 03:57 PM

Thanks for this thread as well.
I've been pickin' "Buckdancer's Choice" for a while now.

Subject: RE: Guitarist Sam McGee
From: Stewie
Date: 01 May 01 - 07:24 PM

Thanks for the thread, Brad. Sam McGee has long been one of my favourites too. He was one of the greatest spirits of old time music. There is a lovely tribute by Dr Charles K. Wolfe that appeared not long after Sam's death in issue #18 of 'Old Time Music' magazine Autumn 1975. It is well worth seeking out. The image of Sam among the 'peacock-coated' from this paragraph has always stuck in my mind:

But behind all of Sam's importance to musical history, behind all his legendary status as a folk musician, was a very warm and ingratiating human being. Sam always had a smile for you, a twinkle in his eye, and a ready hand. He was by far the most approachable of all the 'stars' on the Opry, and by far the most modest. How he managed to survive with his modesty after spending 50 years among peacock-coated egotists is beyond me. I guess it was the same way he caused his music to survive. [Charles Wolfe OTM Autumn 1975]

The discography in the link provided by Brad is excellent. The 2 CDs so far available are gems. I was interested to note in the list of compilations that include performances by Sam that 'Mister Charlie's Blues' remains available, albeit only in cassette format. It beats my why Yazoo have not reissued this superb collection of 'white' blues performances. Many of the tracks have since appeared on CD in Yazoo's own collections, Sony's double album of 'white' blues and Fremeau & Associes double CD 'Hillbilly Blues' but, as a single album collection, it is peerless. Certainly, it is one of the 'treasures' in my collection that I would take to that desert island. No track listing is given on the Sam McGee page - here it is for those interested. Grab the tape while it is still available:

'Mister Charlie's Blues (1926-1938)' Yazoo L-1024

Wesley Long - 'They are wild over me'
Herschel Brown – 'Spanish rag'
Dick Justice - 'Black dog blues'
Sam McGee - 'Buck dancer's choice'
Buster & Jack - 'Cross tie blues'
Larry Hensley - 'Match box blues'
South Georgia Highballers - 'Blue grass twist'
Allen Brothers - 'Maybe next week sometime'
Dick Justice - 'Cocaine'
Sam McGee - 'Franklin blues'
Buster & Jack - 'Pouring down blues'
Anglin Brothers - 'Southern whoopee song'
South Georgia Highballers - 'Bib County grind'

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Guitarist Sam McGee
From: GUEST,Arkie
Date: 02 May 01 - 01:00 AM

Nice to see some mention of Sam McGee here. We represented the US in the same week in the Smithsonian Dome at the Expo in Montreal in the very early 70's and I listened to him at every opportunity. His son was picking with him at that time and joined in our nightly searches for something of interest. Sam stayed in the hotel. Stewie's quote of Charles Wolfe described him nicely. He was quite a picker even in advanced age. Buckdancer's choice is still one of my favorite tunes. When the Wagon was New is another.

Subject: RE: Guitarist Sam McGee
From: outfidel
Date: 08 Feb 05 - 03:44 PM

Here's a pic of Sam McGee -- notice resemblance to Harpo Marx :)

I'm a big fan of McGee, and I hope Folkways sees fit to reissue his recordings with Kirk McGee & Arthur Smith.

Subject: RE: Guitarist Sam McGee
From: El Dano
Date: 08 Feb 05 - 03:52 PM

I used have some tapes of bits of Sam Mcgee stuff that I'd got off the BBC I've lost the tapes now but was he not what all this folky stuff is about A true amateur (ie one who loves what he does)

Subject: RE: Guitarist Sam McGee
From: GLoux
Date: 08 Feb 05 - 03:57 PM

The recordings are still available from Smithsonian - Folkways...they will burn a CD-R for you and photocopy the original liner notes...

There are two CDs of Arthur Smith and the McGee Brothers on SI/Folkways.

-Greg

Subject: RE: Guitarist Sam McGee
From: GLoux
Date: 08 Feb 05 - 04:00 PM

plus, there's a Sam McGee CD on Arhoolie (CD 9009): "Country Guitar"...

-Greg

Subject: RE: Guitarist Sam McGee
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 08 Feb 05 - 04:05 PM

Hey, Greg:

Glad to hear that they've re-issued Sam McGee's album on Arhoolie. It's one of my favorites. I love the way he does How Great Thou Art instrumentally.

Have to pick it up.

Jerry

Subject: RE: Guitarist Sam McGee
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 08 Feb 05 - 04:10 PM

Plus
DOCU 8036d                Sam McGee: Complete Recorded Works, 1926-1934
OH 4170d                Old Time Songs & Guitar Tunes

Both available from CAMSCO Music (of course), as well as the Arhoolie CD mentioned above

Subject: RE: Guitarist Sam McGee
From: outfidel
Date: 08 Feb 05 - 04:12 PM

> The recordings are still available from Smithsonian - Folkways...they will burn a CD-R for you and photocopy the original liner notes

Yeah I have both CD-R's, which are excellent. I was hoping Folkways might reissue them an add bonus tracks, like they did recently with Elizabeth Cotten's album [i]Shake Sugaree[/i].