Rodney Chatham interview with T. J. Barnett

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 recording begins with instrumental bluegrass music played on a banjo and a guitar. At minute 1:50 T. J. Barnett introduces the next piece, Shortening Bread, which he learned from his father. Afterward Barnett continues to play banjo with occasional pauses to introduce the music, including Hop Like a Lady. At minute 6:00, a fiddle player joins in. Barnett says he first learned banjo to play at square dancing parties. At minute 15:00, Barnett recalls playing banjo with his cousin and two brothers. Next a woman named Connie joins by singing The Shoe Goes On The Other Foot Tonight at minute 16:20. Then the fiddle and banjo play another upbeat bluegrass song. In between the music, a group of unidentified people occasionally chime in with jokes and short conversation. At 21:20, Barnett samples banjo music he learned on the streets of Atlanta, Georgia. Then at 25:00, Barnett sings and yodels Blue Yodel No. 1 (T is for Texas), a song he used to sing to a girlfriend, while playing the banjo. Next he introduces and performs Hell Always Have His Way. At minute 31:00 an unidentified woman sings the ballad The Death of Little Kathy, about Kathy Fiscus, a girl who fell and died in an abandoned well in 1949. They perform this song two times, and then Barnett plays a few unidentified bluegrass songs on his banjo. Around minute 42:00, he plays Birmingham Jig, followed by several short, unnamed tunes until the end of the recording. Biographical information about T. J. Barnett has not been determined. No transcript exists for this recording. 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. As archivists, we acknowledge our role as stewards of information, which places us inaposition to choose how individuals and organizations are represented and described in our archives. We are not neutral, andbias isreflected in our descriptions, whichmay not convey the racist or offensive aspects of collection materialsaccurately.Archivists make mistakes and might use poor judgment.We often re-use language used by the former owners and creators, which provides context but also includes bias and prejudices of the time it was created.Additionally,our work to use reparative languagewhereLibrary of Congress subject termsareinaccurate and obsolete isongoing. Kenan Research Center welcomes feedback and questions regarding our archival descriptions. If you encounter harmful, offensive, or insensitive terminology or description please let us know by emailingreference@atlantahistorycenter.com. Your comments are essential to our work to create inclusive and thoughtful description.