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08 Nov 05 - 04:29 PM (#1600195) Subject: Origins: Sam McGee Victory Rag From: TonyBecker I am a finger picker researching Sam McGee's work for a school show I am planning. I have Doc and Merles duet on my Foundation CD (which is admittedly badly mixed - no highs) the version on my Home Again! LP. I have checked out the James Scott tune "Victory Rag", but it seems to have no relationship to the Sam and Kirk McGee tune. The melody is completely different. Click here to hear a midi version James Scott Victory Rag Can anyone confirm that Sam or Kirk wrote it and when they first performed it? |
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08 Nov 05 - 05:29 PM (#1600235) Subject: RE: Origins: Sam McGee Victory Rag From: pdq Almost sure that the tune "Victory Rag" on Doc Watson's "Home Again!" album is an old Carter family number. It is fairly simple and not very close to the McGee style. |
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09 Nov 05 - 05:23 PM (#1600951) Subject: RE: Origins: Sam McGee Victory Rag From: Dave4Guild Try this link: Victory Rag |
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13 Nov 05 - 03:06 PM (#1603923) Subject: RE: Origins: Sam McGee Victory Rag From: TonyBecker Thanks, Dave4Guild! I sent a person request to Happy Traum et. al. to pass to John James, in the hope that he has researched the origins. If I learn something, I'll post it here. Tony |
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17 Nov 05 - 10:39 AM (#1607261) Subject: RE: Origins: Victor Rag From: TonyBecker I eventually got this response from Steve James... "I actually visited Sam at home in 1975 (just before his tragic death) for a guitar lesson. I can still play a couple/few of his motifs, and have recorded my adaptions of a few of his tunes. Also tanscribed arrangements of Buckdancer's Choice and Railroad Blues in my Blues/Roots Fingerstyle guitar book. "Victor Rag" (sic.) is Maybelle Carter's. Note that it's "Victor Rag" (as in the record label). Chet Atkins, and hence Doc Watson, got it from her." - Steve James So, it seems Maybelle Carter wrote it, and named it "Victor Rag", in honor of her recording label, RCA Victor. Tony |
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25 Dec 13 - 01:27 PM (#3586567) Subject: RE: Origins: Sam McGee Victory Rag From: Mik2 According to the New Lost City Ramblers Folkways LP ' String Band Instrumentals ': Maybelle Carter learned the tune from a guitar player at the Old Dominion Barn Dance, Richmond, Virginia in the 1950s. (Name of the guitarist is not known). She recorded it the first time in 1963/64 for the 'Smash' Records label '' Mother Maybelle Carter - Pickin' and Singin' (MGS 27041 /SRS 67041) Possibly it can exist on earlier survived radio recordings, but I haven't seen it. Smash LP album info Smash label history with this LP included The NLCRs version was learned directly from Maybelle in '63 - soundclip is at Smithsonian Folkways. Here is Maybelle with Ike Everly playing Victor(y) Rag (matching audio and film) |
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25 Dec 13 - 01:51 PM (#3586578) Subject: RE: Origins: Sam McGee Victory Rag From: The Sandman wow, that is an amazing clip . |
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18 Jan 14 - 05:07 PM (#3593378) Subject: RE: Origins: Sam McGee Victory Rag From: Mik2 Yeah, it is a nice clip, don't know how anyone got so much of the shows to tape (was ever the complete Johnny Cash show released ?) If anyone looks for Maybelle playing the 'Victory Rag' by herself, look for her in Wolfgang's Vault live 1963. @TonyBecker, I know it has now been 9 years since your post, I just thought to add a bit: Dave4guild's link above to Homespun actually can now lead to 2 versions of this tune: One with the Welsh Ragtime guitarist "John James", who teach his variant of Maybelle's tune, not Scott's. The other one "Steve James" has a page with the book referenced about guitarists like Sam & Kirk. |