The John Burrison Georgia Folklore Archive recordings contains unedited versions of all interviews. Some material may contain descriptions of violence, offensive language, or negative stereotypes reflecting the culture or language of a particular period or place. There are instances of racist language and description, particularly in regards to African Americans. These items are presented as part of the historical record. This project is a repository for the stories, accounts, and memories of those who chose to share their experiences for educational purposes. The viewpoints expressed in this project do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of the Atlanta History Center or any of its officers, agents, employees, or volunteers. The Atlanta History Center makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in the interviews and expressly disclaims any liability therefore. If you believe you are the copyright holder of any of the content published in this collection and do not want it publicly available, please contact the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center at 404-814-4040 or reference@atlantahistorycenter.com.
This is the first part of a two part recording in which Fletch Chastain, Sam Worley, Chester Conn, and Clarence Conn play folk music; one of the players starts by playing Cripple Creek on the banjo. At 01:30, Fletch Chastain plays another banjo song, Old Jay Gooley. He then explains that he learned to play the banjo from his father, and adds that his brother, Bob Chastain, constructed his banjo. At 03:28, Chastain plays an untitled song, then performs Old Joe Clark. Next he sings and plays Charmin Betsy on the banjo. At 08:52, Chastain plays Soldiers Joy, adapting the song to resemble how its usually played on the fiddle. Afterwards, he plays Wildwood Flower, Free a Little Bird, and Fireball Mail. At 15:30 Sam Worley plays Uncle Joe and Wildwood Flower. He also discusses his preference for the Three-Finger Scruggs banjo technique over the Frailing technique, then plays When the Train Comes Along to illustrate. Afterwards, he switches his technique to play Watermelon Hangin on the Vine. He also plays In the Evenin at 25:00. Jack Tolan, the interviewer, then requests they play Black Afro-American type Blues, and Worley obliges by playing Black Spider Blues, Blackberry Blossom, and Ole Bill Cheatham on the banjo. Additional musicians join in to perform Billy in the Lowground, Soldiers Joy, Goin Down the Road Feelin Bad, Old Joe Clark, Sourwood Mountain, Down Yonder, and The Old Hen.
Fletcher Chastain (approximately 1904-1974) grew up in Pickens County, Georgia. He married Minnie Chastain (1911-1995) around 1940, and they had at least two children, Gary R. Chastain (1954-1995) and Joan Weaver (1941-2018). In 1942, Fletcher Chastain was drafted into the military during World War II. After the war, he worked as a farmer on a home farm. Sam Worley (1938-1991) was born in Georgia. He had an older sister, Elizabeth Worley (approximately 1934- ). He married Sallie India Linebaugh (approximately 1946- ) around 1984 in Tampa, Florida. Clarence E. Conn (1911-1997) was born in Georgia, and had four children, including Chester (1933-1989). For work, Clarence Conn loaded freight cars , and Chester Conn delivered newspapers. Thes family lived in Collins, Georgia, until they moved to Rome, Georgia, around 1940.
INTRODUCTION My wife and I set out one warm Sunday afternoon intending to go north to Jasper where her mother's people are from. We had sketchy directions of how to get to her mother's uncle's house, and we figured once we got there we could ask around amongst her relatives and find someone in that area who could play the banjo or fiddle. What I hadn't counted on, however, was the fact that my wife hadn't seen these relatives in years, and by the time they all got through talking, It was too late to go out collecting. But one great-uncle did give my wife the name of a banjo picker who lived nearby, and even though it was late we decided to visit this one fella so the trip wouldn't be a complete waste. We followed the directions given us and finally came upon this old weather-board shack with a multitude of old junk cars out front. As we got out of the car, we were greeted by several dirty little smiling faces at the window. We went around to the back door, and there we were met by the woman of the house, a short, squat, haggard woman of about fifty. I asked i f George Childress was there, and she said no, he was out "makin' music." Luckily, two of the older boys offered to drive to where they were playing so I could follow. They led us back towards town to a nice brick home on the outskirts of Jasper. The boys walked in ahead of us, right I ^ E past the wives who were in the kitchen talking, down to the basement where the husbands were playing. They were playing a kind of city-fled bluegrass in the Flatt and Scruggs vein, and I could tell right away that they would be of no use to me. George Childress, as it turned out, was quite as example of "rural Irony." As his family stayed back at the threeroom shack, ten kids huddled around a pot-bellied stove in the kitchen, matresses thrown down on a bare floor, George was out "makin' music" on one of the finest, most expensive banjos made - a Vega "Earl Scruggs Model" which retails for around $650. One good thing did come of this trip though. The guy who was playing electric bass in this Scruggs-type band gave me the name of an old man, Fletch Chastain, who lived out Highway 53 and who knew some old-timey banjo techniques. I got detailed directions to Chastain's house, and I decided that my wife and I would come back the next Saturday to see him. The following Saturday we got a late start, but since we knew exactly where to go we weren't worried. We took Highway 5 all the way to the main stop light in Jasper. There, instead of taking Highway 5 to the right, we went straight on Highway 53. We followed that road right on past Hill City and past the road to the left that goes to the Jerusalem Baptist Church. Not far past the church turn-off (about three houses on the right), we turned down a dirt road to the right and followed it about two miles until we came to a frame house with F.W. Chastain on the mailbox. There was an old '59 Chevy In the front yard, and several hound dogs were running around. 3 Fletch met us on the front porch, and I introduced my wife and myself. I told him why we had come and wondered if he would play us some old-timey tunes on the banjo. He said no, he didn't think he could. it had been years since he had picked a banjo, and he didn't even own one to this day. He said that he had been playing "hillbilly" music on the fiddle lately and didn't believe he could even play a banjo anymore. I told him I had my banjo in the car, and I sure would appreciate it If he would play for me. Fletch was still a little reluctant, but he finally let on that he would be playing at a cake-walk at the Hill City Community Center with George Childress at 6:00 (it was 5:00 at the time) and that if we went down there then, he would play for us. In the meantime, he said, he had to change clothes (and also get a drink or two as we were to find out later). My wife and I arrived at Hill City at six o'clock sharp and saw Fletch's old Chevy out front. When we went in, we noticed right away that the old fella was a bit more congenial, and he wanted me to bring by banjo In right away. I brought i t in, and he had already started on "Cripple Creek" as went out to get the tape recorder. Fletch had brought his wife with him, and my wife learned through talking with her that Fletch had Indeed not played the banjo for several years. Listening to him play though, it sounded like he had just picked it up yesterday. I knew he was going to be a valuable informant. The overall conditions at the Community Center were 4 0 something less than Ideal, but after he had refused to play at his house, I knew this had to be It. There were several kids playing nearby, and more and more people came in as the taping progressed. The following transcript is not as complete as I would have liked, but as will become apparent upon listening to the tape, Fletch ended the session abruptly when he saw that other members of his "hillbilly" group had arrived. li 0 TRANSCRIPT Chastain: When you get ready, let me know. Tolan: It sure is kinda noisy in here. Bystander: Quite! Quite! Quite! Tolan: Go ahead. Go ahead and kick it off, and we'll see. "CRIPPLE CREEK" Tolan: That was "Cripple Creek" wasn't it? Chastain: Yeh. Tolan: Do you know any more old-timey ones? Chastain: I know one I call "Ole Jay Gooley." Tolan: "Ole Jay Gooley" 0 Chastain: Uh-huh. Tolan: Why don't you play It for us. Chastain starts up playing and then stops. Chastain: Wait a minute now. "OLE JAY GOOLEY" Ole Jay Gooley say-in', and ever' word he said told him never let your woman have her way. If you let her have her way, she will lead you to astray. Boys, never let your woman have her way. Tolan: "Ole Jay Gooley." Where did you pick up your banjo style? Chastain: jus' learned this while I was a kid, way back years ago, on an ole homemade banjer. Tolan: Is that right? Chastain: Cat-hide head. Tolan: Cat-hide head? Chastain: Yeh. Tolan: Do you know who made it or anything? Chastain: My brother made the banjer. Tol an: What was your brother's name? Chastain: Bob Chastain. He was at Folsom (?) Prison at Ohio. Tolan: Do you know any old fiddlers around here? Chastain: am Tolan: Did you know Fiddlin' John Carson? Have you ever heard of him? Chastain: I've seed him, in person. Tolan: You've seen him? He's the one that played down on the steps . . . 7 8 Chastain (interrupting): Is that still runnin'? (refering to the tape recorder) Tolan: Yeh. It's still runnin'. Chastain: We're gettin' all that talkin' too, ain't we? Tolan: Yeh, well, that's all right. Chastain: Well, I'il just git into a little un here . . . Frightened by the prospect of "all that talkin'" going onto the tape, Chastain starts playing a tune which he never identifies. Bystander: D ya know "Ole Joe Clark"?' Chastain: Oh yeh. Tolan: "Ole Joe Clark"? Bystander: How 'bout playin' it. Chastain: "Ole Joe Clark" 9 "OLE JOE CLARK" Tolan: Do you know any more old tunes that you could sing for me? Chastain: Naw. I cain't sing..Ain't got no voice. Tolan: Aw, you don't have to have a voice. Just go to it. I need some songs that's got, uh, words or somethin' to 'em. Anything that's old-timey. Chastain: I'll pick ya "Charmin' Betsy." That's an old un. Boy, you never do hear that tune any more. Tolan: "Charmin' Britches"? Chastain: "Charmin' Betsy" Tolan: Betsy. I haven't ever heard that one. "CHARMIN' BETSY" All around the mountain Charmin' Betsy, All around the mountain Cora Lee 10 (?) not distinguishable (?) not distinguishable Last night as I lay on my pillow, Last night I lay on my bed. Last night as I lay on my pillow, I dreamed my true love was dead. Oh take this ring, charmin' Carlin', Oh (?) wear it on your right hand. And if all God's single people know that When I'm in some far-off land. For I'm goin' away for to leave you For away I'm goin back when And if I never more do see you You're the girl that I love best. Chastain: Pore ole thang! Tolan: That's good. Chastain: Thumb give out. My fingers are jus' stiff. Chastain stands up as if to quit, and I frantically think up a question to keep him there a while longer. c: 11 Tolan: Do you know any of those, uh . . ..What do you think of the, uh, this new kind of music? You've been talkin' about playin' on the . . . with George, on the, uh, fiddle and the, you know, newer-type stuff. What do you think of that? Chastain: Uh, I don't like It. Tolan: You don't like it as much, huh? Chastain: No, I don't. It's all right for people growin' up now. Bystander: Git your fiddle. Chastain: It don't fit in with me. (refering to the newer music) Bystander: Git your fiddle and play us a tune or two. Chastain: I cain't play it. I cain't. Tol an: Do you know "Soldier's Joy"? Chastain: 0 I'm not drunk. I'm just staggerin'. 12 48 Tolan: Do you know "Soldier's Joy"? Chastain: Huh? To Ian: Do you know "Soldier's Jo-y" on the fiddle? "Soldier's Joy"? Chasta in: "Soldier's Joy"? Yeh. I know it on that banjer, too. Tolan: Do ya? I'd like to hear it on the banjo if you don't mind. I'd love to hear that. That's one of my favorites. Fletch has been standing up since finishing "Charmin' Betsy." Now he sits, back down and retunes for "Soldier's Joy." "SOLDIER'S JOY" After finishing the tune, Chastain says: I tell ya. I'll put it back the way he had it. Tolan: Do you know "Old Bill Cheatham"? Chastain: "Old Bill Cheatham"? Tol an: Or "Wildwood Flower"? 13 Chastain: I know 'em, but I cain't play 'em. The next thing you know, he's started into "Wildwood Flower," but he stops after the first couple measures. Chastain: I cain't play "Wiliwood Flower." Bystander (as he recognizes the tune): "Wildwood Flower" Chastain: I cain't play it . . . I never did play it. Then he starts it up and finishes the whole tune (with a few mistakes). Tolan: Would you mind, uh . . . Chastain: Ya see. I cain't, uh. It's been so long since I picked any, I miss and I forgot where the notes was at. Tolan: Yeh. You still play lik yesterday. It Would you me? That's an know it's been a long time and, you know, you e, like, you know, you just picked it up doesn't seem like a long time at all. mind playin' "Soldier's Joy" on the fiddle for old-time fiddle song. 14 Chastain: That it is. It jus' don't sound a-tall.,, You know, jus' one instrument. Tolan: Yeh. Chastain: You cain't do it. So, after turning down my request for some fiddle music, Fletch starts up with "Free a Little Bird." "FREE A LITTLE BIRD" Oh a free a little bird as I can be, Oh a free a little bird as I can be. (?) not distinguishable And free a little bird as I can he. Take me home little bird, take me home. Take me home little bird, take me home. Oh the moon shines bright and the stars give their light Take me home little bird, take me home. (?) not distinguishable (?) not distinguishable I can build my nest in the high oak tree Where the bad boys could not tear it down. Chastain: That was me, all messed up. 15 Tolan: What was the name of that one? Chastain: "Free a Little Bird" Tolan: "Free a Little Bird"? Chastain: Just a free as a little bird that ever flew. Next Chastain starts into "Fireball Mail" which turns out to be the last tune on the tape. Chastain: I believe the banjo pickers are comin' In. I see his boys there. I guess I'd better quit. Tolan: Yeh. George is comin' now. I sure do appreciate it, now. I wanna here some more, now, from George and you playin' the fiddle. I PART TWO: SAM WORLEY 0 I NTRODUCTION I've Known Sam Worley for about three years, and he Is in my opinion the best three-finger banjo player in the city. As he mentions on the tape, Sam started playing in the frailing style but in the last few years has changed his method to the three-finger style pioneered by Earl Scruggs. Although Sam is quick to admit that he prefers threefinger over frailing, his frailing technique Is nonetheless quite polished. It differs quite a hit from Fletch Chastain's style, however, which cannot strictly be described as frailing. When frailing, Sam plays melody notes with a downstroke of his index finger and adds hammer-ons and pull-offs to sound eighth notes (which would be impossible to hit with two downstrokes). The fifth string is always played by the thumb as an eighth note. Sam fralls with a stiff wrist and with no fingers resting on the banjo head. Fletch Chastain kept his little and ring fingers on the head and played most of the melody with his thumb. His fill-in chords (instead of a downstroke across strings one through four as Sam does) were sounded by an upstroke of strings one and three by his first and second fingers. Sam also played two blues selections on the tape, and although they have no direct relation to Southern mountain music, I included them In the transcription. TRANSCRIPTION Tolan: What do ya call this, Sam? Worley: "Uncle Joe" Tolan: "Uncle Joe" Worley: Ya ready? Worley: Hit it again. "UNCLE JOE" "WILDWOOD FLOWER" Tolan: That was "Wildwood Flower." Worley: Yes. Tolan: Do you know anything else along those fralling lines? 18 Worley: How about "When the Train Comes Along." "WHEN THE TRAIN COMES ALONG" Tolan: Sam, uh, where did you pick up this frailing technique? Worley: Well, I picked it up from my Daddy who learned it from my grandfather in Dahlonega, Georgia. 101 an: How long have you been playing that way? Worley: I guess about ten years. Tolan: But lately you've gotten into, uh,three-finger Scruggs . . . Worley: I haven't done too much frailing except when I, you know, first started off playing the banjo. Tolan: Uh-huh. Which has been how long, if you're thirty now? I'Ior1ey: Yeh. It's been a little over ten years. Tolan: Uh-huh. 19 Worley: I started off playing the guitar when I was about twelve, and I had a five-string banjo, a Blue Comet . . . Tolan (laughing): A Blue Comet? Worley: Yeh, when i was about thirteen. I never learned how to play it until I was around twenty. Then I picked up a threefinger technique from a friend of mine in North Carolina. Around that time I played a few songs, then I just picked up a few things and added to It here and there, uh, from other friends of mine that I got to know; some of them are in Columbus, Georgia; one or two from Atlanta. Pretty much then I've been playing the three-finger style rather than the frailing 'cause I don't really remember too many of the tunes or the technique too well. To 1 an: Do you know anything about double-thumbing? Worley: Double-thumbing is just a, nothing more than a name of a . . . well you're puttin' a name to something that, uh, doesn't necessarily have to have a name 'cause there are many techniques and many rolls and patterns that people use and you really, if you play 'em well you use 'em to fit the 20 song and not just to apply to a whole bunch of songs. So that your technique changes with what you play. You don't learn certain patterns and then just apply 'em to songs. Tolan: You're playing now in C-tuning aren't you? Worley: That's right. Tolan: I've also heard you play, uh, apply some frailing techniques when you're also in G-tuning and you can, uh, use a three-finger style and kinda intersperse it with frailing. I wonder if you'd give me an example of that. Worley: Okay. Let me retune. Tolan: Retune. Go ahead. Worley: You wanna turn that off? Tolan: Naw. Just let It run. Worley: Wanna try "Watermelon Hangin' on the Vine"? I 0 21 Tolan: "Watermelon Hangin' on the Vine" "WATERMELON HANG I N' ON THE VINE" In this tune, Sam frails the first stanza, changes to three-finger picking in the second, and returns to frailing i n the third. Tol an: You've lived in Buckhead all your life? Worley: Yeh. Uh-huh. I learned some of my guitar techniques from a man named Blind Willie MacTell that used to play, uh, little drive-in restaurant places around town. One of 'em was the Peacock Alley. Tolan: Yeh. I remember that place. Worley: Another one was the Blue Lantern on Piedmont Avenue. He played a twelve-string guitar, and I learned a lot of blues technique and stuff from him. Tolan: Well, I've never heard you.play much guitar. Uh, could you try a few for me? 1 22 Worley: Okay. Let me tune it up. Why don't you turn It off while I tune it? Tolan: Aw, that's all right. We want some traditional-type tunings on here, too. Just let it run. Worley: This is'a song called "In the Evenin" "IN THE EVENIN "' In the evenin', in the evenin', mama when the sun goes down, In the evenin', mama when the sun goes down. It's so lonesome, when the one you love is nowhere around. Sunrise in the east, I declare it sets over in the west. Sun rises in the east, you know it sets over in the west. It's so hard to tell which one is gonna treat you the best when the sun goes down. Goodbye old sweethearts and pals, I'm goin' away to stay. I'll be back to see you some o f lonesome rainy day. In the evenin', in the evenin', mama when the sun goes down. Tolan: You know any more, uh, black, uh, Afro-American-type blues? I guess that's the way you would classify that one wouldn't you? Worley: guess so. I f you have to classify It. 23 Is Tolan (laughing): If you have to classify it. Worley: We'll try another one called "Black Spider Blues." "BLACK-SPIDER BLUES" Saw a big black spider, creepin' up my bedroom wall. Saw a big black spider, creepin' up my bedroom wall. Found out he was only goin' to get his ashes home. If that black spider bites you, it will be too bad Jim. If that black spider bites you, It will be too bad Jim. Give your heart to the devil, your soul will belong to him. I've been workin' like a workhorse, Saturday night you got my pay. I've been workin' like a workhorse, Saturday night you got my pay. Down at the blackbottom dance hall, blackbottom your time away. Black spider, black horses, black wagon with the curtain down Black spider, black horses, black wagon with the curtain down Black woman '^^ N'" (?) six feet the ground. I stopped the recorder at this point and started it again a few minutes later. Worley: What do ya wanna ,do first? 24 is Tolan: Sam, I thought we'd do some, uh, accompany you on the guitar here, some pretty little banjo tunes - whatever you have in mind. Worley: Let's do "Blackberry Blossom." Tolan: "Blackberry Blossom"? I'll try to follow you on that. l "BACKBERRY BLOSSOM" A After the tune finishes, one of Sam's students comes in to check about her lesson time. Worley: Let's try "Ole Bill Cheatham." "OLE BILL CHEATHAM" My session with Sam Worley ends after this banjo version of a popular old fiddle tune. I 0 An hour later I had assembled four ver Sam Worley, his wife Carolyn, Pete Guthrie, for some rather sophisticated renditions of mountain tunes. Of particular interest are and "Ole Joe Clark" when compared to Fletch 25 y able musicians - and Dan Holloway - traditional "Soldier's Joy" Chastain's versions. "BILLY IN THE LOWGROUND" Sam Worley - Banjo Pete Guthrie - Guitar Dan Holloway - Fiddle "SOLDIER'S JOY" Dan Holloway - Banjo Carolyn Worley - Fiddle Sam Worley - Guitar Pete Guthrie - Mandolin "GOIN' DOWN THE ROAD FEELIN' BAD" Dan Holloway - Banjo, vocal Pete Guthrie - Mandolin, vocal Sam Worley - Guitar, vocal Carolyn Worley - Fiddle "OLE JOE CLARK" Dan Holloway - Banjo Pete Guthrie - Mandolin Carolyn Worley - Fiddle Sam Worley - Guitar, vocal 1 I "SOURWOOD MOUNTAIN" Dan Holloway - Banjo Pete Guthrie - Mandolin Carolyn Worley - Fiddle Sam Worley - Guitar "DOWN YONDER" Sam Worley - Banjo Carolyn Worley - Fiddle Pete Guthrie - Mandolin Dan Holloway - Guitar "THE OLD HEN" Sam Worley - Banjo Pete Guthrie - Mandolin Dan Holloway - Guitar 26 0 0
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Professor John Burrison founded the Atlanta Folklore Archive Project in 1967 at Georgia State University. He trained undergraduates and graduate students enrolled in his folklore curriculum to conduct oral history interviews. Students interviewed men, women, and children of various demographics in Georgia and across the southeast on crafts, storytelling, music, religion, rural life, and traditions.
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