Morris Brothers Festival

Subject: Morris Brothers Festival
From: Padre
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 11:10 PM

OK, so far, no one has admitted to attending the American Folk Festival, so I'll try a new one. Anyone ever go to the Morris Brothers festival in Ivydale, WV? - I went about 4 years in a row and always enjoyed the music.

Subject: RE: Morris Brothers Festival
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 20 Apr 04 - 11:43 PM

While the Morris Brothers festival no longer continues, John Morris is a regular at the West Virginia State Folk Festival in Glenville, WV every June. He is a master fiddler of incomparable talent--capable of not merely reproducing the tunes of everybody he's ever met, but he can demonstrate their personal fiddling styles as well. On the other hand, he's only the second person I've ever heard play hymn tunes in the slow, highly ornamented double-stopped, Appalachian-timbred style.

--Charlie Baum

Subject: RE: Morris Brothers Festival
From: wilco
Date: 21 Apr 04 - 03:10 PM

Charlie; What is the "slow, highly onamented double-stopped, Appalachian style" that you mentioned. Examples of recordings? I'm in ETenn, and I think that this is a kind of old fiddling I hear occasionally. It almost moans in drones.

Steve

Subject: RE: Morris Brothers Festival
From: Janie
Date: 21 Apr 04 - 03:39 PM

Oh Padre, what memories you bring up for me. Here is an interesting site about the Ivydale festivalhttp://www.vmbarker.com/Ivydale/Ivydale.htm

Janie

Subject: RE: Morris Brothers Festival
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 21 Apr 04 - 04:14 PM

On the CD "Close To Home: Old Time Music From Mike Seeger's Collection: 1952-1967 " (Smithsonian Folkways 40097), the last cut (#38) is "I would not live always" by Clarence Ferrill. I've found a clip of it at http://www.alpha-musik.de/4776217.html
http://www.alphamusic.de/clip/4776217/38.rm in realudio or
http://www.alphamusic.de/clip/4776217/38.mp3 in mp3 format.

It's a haunting style I'd never heard before listening to the recording of Clarence Ferrill, and the intensity of Ferrill's performance is astonishing. It's one of the few times I've learned how to style my singing of something from a fiddle solo.

The second I heard anyone play in that style, it was John Morris during one of the evening concerts at Glenville.


--Charlie

Subject: RE: Morris Brothers Festival
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 21 Apr 04 - 08:08 PM

My wife and I were there. Many fond memories. Didn't care much for the rain though.

John Morris is also to be found regularly at Vandalia and Stonewall Jackson.

John's fiddling can be heard on Dwight Diller's latest CD, Fabulous Festival Favorits. Not slow but mighty fine.

Subject: RE: Morris Brothers Festival
From: Janie
Date: 21 Apr 04 - 08:12 PM

Does anyone where Dave is now and if he is still actively making music?

Janie

Subject: RE: Morris Brothers Festival
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 22 Apr 04 - 07:21 PM

Dave is living in WV with his wife Christine. He appeared at Stonewall Jackson a few years ago, but is currently playing no part in the WV music scene.

Subject: RE: Morris Brothers Festival
From: Janie
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 11:15 AM

Thanks Russ. I confess, I'm wondering if we ever knew each other since you were at Ivydale. I am from WV and was very involved in the "Old-time" music scene there during the 70's. Maiden name is Williams. One of my sisters was well known for her fiddle playing, Annie Williams. I was good friends with Bobby Taylor, Tom King, Sam Hickman, the Bing Brothers, Mike Barker, Gina Schraeder, Ed Light, Joe Marino, Jim Good, Glenn Smith, etc. I knew John and Dave, though not well. The statewide traditional music scene was kind of a small world back then, so I'm just wondering if our paths ever crossed.

Janie

Subject: RE: Morris Brothers Festival
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 12:06 AM

Janie,

I have a bad memory for names. I'm a Hatton. We were probably at the same events, Ivydale, Don West's festival at Pipestem, Mountain Heritage at Carter Caves KY, Cedar Lakes Arts and Crafts Festival, etc. Never made it to Glenville, though.

My wife and I lived in Huntington and were part of the Marshall U "folk" scene.

Problem is we left WV in '73 and didn't get back until the 90s.

Although most of the old people are dead, there is a thriving traditional (as opposed to folk) music scene in WV these days. My wife and I spend all summer attending events: WV State Folk Festival (Glenville), Vandalia (Charleston), Clifftop (Clifftop), Stonewall Jackson Jubilee (Stonewall Jackson State Park), Augusta Festival (Elkins), Fiddler's reunion (Elkins), etc. Great music and great fun.

A number of people you would remember are still quite active: Bobby Taylor, the various Bings, the assorted Samples, John Morris, Dwight Diller, etc.

Subject: RE: Morris Brothers Festival
From: Janie
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 10:01 PM

Russ,

Doesn't sound like our paths ever crossed. I was at Marshall from '69 thru the end of '71, but wasn't involved in any of the music scenes, at that time. Sounds like you left WV about the time I was getting really involved with "oldtime" music. We moved to NC in 1986, but our families are still there and we are in the Charleston area several times a year. For awhile I tried to keep up with people, but the demands of family made that increasingly difficult.

I doubt we will ever move back, but West Virginia will always be where I call home. Thanks for triggering some great memories.

Janie

Subject: RE: Morris Brothers Festival
From: Janie
Date: 26 Jun 10 - 10:02 PM

Was noodling around and found Bob Gates' 16 mm film of the 1972 Ivydale Festival. It is about 30 minutes long.

What memories....

1972 Ivydale Festival

Subject: RE: Morris Brothers Festival
From: Janie
Date: 26 Jun 10 - 10:03 PM

Oops. Should have called it by it's proper name. It was the Morris Family Old Time Music Festival.

Subject: RE: Morris Brothers Festival
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 27 Jun 10 - 01:55 PM

I've got a copy of that tape.
Wish it had been longer.

Russ (Permanent GUEST)

Subject: RE: Morris Brothers Festival
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 27 Jun 10 - 02:14 PM

Janie,
You might find this interesting.

Hammons Family Film

Russ (Permanent GUEST)

Subject: RE: Morris Brothers Festival
From: The Sandman
Date: 27 Jun 10 - 02:38 PM

thanks Russ

Subject: RE: Morris Brothers Festival
From: Janie
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 12:54 AM

Thanks, Russ. At first I thought it was going to be a bit ridiculously romantic. It was a bit romantic, but all-in-all, was a well-done documentary.


Isn't it ironic that the film and so much information is available on a UK site?

Subject: RE: Morris Brothers Festival
From: GUEST,Scott Harrison
Date: 18 Oct 10 - 07:42 AM

I heard John and David Morris at the University of Chicago folk Festival in the early 1970s. I bought their record containing their a capella version of White Pilgrim which they had performed for the festival.

My son lent the record to a friend who has not yet returned it. Does anyone know if the piece is still available?

Subject: RE: Morris Brothers Festival
From: GUEST,BanjoRay
Date: 18 Oct 10 - 08:41 AM

Great to see those films - to see Dwight as a young man is amazing, and seeing Maggie Hammons making biscuits with Rui looking on....
Beautiful stuff. I love those guys, with their deep, deep musicianship and firm grasp of a very old tradition. This is FOLK MUSIC in a way that many people will not get, and I don't believe can ever be taught in college.

Ray

Subject: RE: Morris Brothers Festival
From: Janie
Date: 18 Oct 10 - 08:12 PM

Scott,

Your best bet would be to call John Morris to see. I don't want to post his phone number here. He is in the phone book. John D Morris, Ivydale, WV

Subject: RE: Morris Brothers Festival
From: GUEST,Michael Good
Date: 05 Jan 11 - 06:05 PM

Scott, you may be able to find one of the records on the internet. I believe you are talking able the LP, "Music As We Learned It". Are you the same person in Austin, TX ? I found 3 people with that name in Austin. I may be able to help you.

Subject: RE: Morris Brothers Festival
From: GUEST,Aubrey Skeen Jr.
Date: 27 Nov 12 - 03:08 PM

I was there every year. That festival remains in my brain as the most "real" of all the festivals in my life. Left WV in 78, for Texas, but I have told more stories about Ivydale, than any other event. Hopefully will come back to WV some day.

Subject: RE: Morris Brothers Festival
From: GUEST,Pik
Date: 20 Sep 14 - 11:19 AM

Oh does this ever bring back some memories! I lived in the Summersville area and to get to Ivydale was a challenge driving over the old Peach Orchard Rd. My friend Burt Dodrill took pity on me and brought me over there probably about 1970 and was the start of meeting lots of the old dudes who played. Including Glenn Smith who did his best to help me play Leather Britches "proper like" under some sort of shelter wilst raining.
Deep on a summer night in old Clay County the old dudes are still playing . . . . .

Oh yea . . . sweet memories