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Lyr Req: Kinfolks in Carolina (Merle Travis)

13 Jul 00 - 08:31 PM (#257365)
Subject: Kinfolks in Carolina
From: jofield

I have some picking buddies in France who are trying to get the correct lyrics to this old Merle Travis tune. I've never heard it. Anyone got a source for the lyrics? Or a site where I could even listen to some of it by Merle or Doc?

Merci bien, James.

14 Jul 00 - 01:57 AM (#257485)
Subject: Lyr Add: KINFOLKS IN CAROLINA^^ (Merle Travis)
From: Stewie

There are 2 takes on the Bear Family 5CD Travis set - an unissued 1951 take and a 1952 take. The lyrics vary only in the 1952 version repeating a few lines at the end. I have transcribed the 1952 version for you:

KINFOLKS IN CAROLINA
(Merle Travis)

I've got kinfolks in Carolina
That's the place to find my family tree
They're scattered from a little north of Georgia
To a little bit east of East Tennessee
But there's a little gal on top of Old Smoky
And she really ain't no kin to me at all
But I'm gonna buy her a wedding ring
And get me a ticket on the New River train
And make her my closest kin, folks, after all

I've got kinfolks in Carolina
Aunt Mollie lives Raleigh NC
I've got cousins by the dozens down in Charlotte
And my grandpaw fought with Robert E. Lee
But there's a little lump of sugar up in Asheville
With a soothin' sort of a little southern drawl
I'll tie the knot with my southern belle
And tell all the world with a rebel yell
She'll be my closest kin, folks, after all

Well I'm gonna buy her a wedding ring
And get me a ticket on the New River train
And make her my closest kin, folks, after all

Source Merle Travis 'Kinsfolk in Carolina' recorded for Capitol 13 February 1952. Reissued on Bear Family 5CD boxed set Merle Travis 'Guitar Rags and Too Fast Past' BCD 15637.
PS

Cheers, Stewie. ^^

14 Jul 00 - 01:19 PM (#257691)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Kinfolks in Carolina
From: jofield

Stewie, merci beaucoup! You have made some avid pickers in the Paris area very happy. One in particular is a Doc worshiper (but then, aren't we all?), and that is where he heard the tune. I had much fun trying to translate some of the Southernisms into French: "rebel yell" = le cri de bataille des forces armées du Sud, les rebelles.

Thanks again,
James.

14 Jul 00 - 09:09 PM (#257902)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Kinfolks in Carolina
From: Stewie

My pleasure, James. Your and your friend will be interested in the following, if you are not aware of it already. This is from the Village Records site - www.villagerecords.com The album is not yet mentioned on the Sugar Hill site but, evidently, it is to be released on 25 July:

Doc Watson Foundations: Guitar Instrumental Collection

Someone's been looking over my shoulder. I've compiled tapes like this years ago. For my own personal use of course. This collection is a great sampling of Doc's instrumental works from over the years. And I mean over the years, it spans 34 years and a century of tunes and styles. There has never been anyone like him, and there never will be. This is a collection for the ages. Inspiring. Sugar Hill - 25 July.

Cheers, Stewie.

17 Mar 01 - 09:18 AM (#419873)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Kinfolks in Carolina
From: GUEST,Yves Savariaud (ysavari@club-internet.fr)

Thank you very much to all of you. Actually I know the basic guitar chords for "kinfolks in carolina" but I seek for more complicated gypsy swing jazzy chords. That true I'm very fond of DOC. I've got my own country music band and our site is : http://electrogene.nfrance.com/ysite Au revoir à tous Yves

18 Mar 01 - 01:52 PM (#420486)
Subject: 'kinfolks in carolina' jazzy chords
From: GUEST,Yves Savariaud (ysavari@club-internet.fr)

Well, somebody sent me the lyrics of "kinfolks in carolina". I know the basic guitar chords but i'd like to get a complete jazzy grid (doc watson's version) Merci à tous, thanks to all of you. Yves

08 Mar 10 - 11:26 PM (#2859761)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Kinfolks in Carolina (Merle Travis)
From: GUEST,Ben

Asheville is spelled with an "e" in the middle and "e" at the end. There are several other cities with the same name, but North Carolina's Asheville is the only one that spells it this way.

You can trust me; I live there. Most of my kin is from the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill area too.

11 Jun 18 - 10:04 AM (#3930285)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Kinfolks in Carolina (Merle Travis)
From: GUEST

youtube search doc watson merle travis in kansas at 14:56 is this song