(electronic music) - [Narrator] Produced in Athens at the Ohio University Telecommunications Center.

- [Female Voiceover] The following program was produced in part through a grant from the Ohio Educational Broadcasting Network Commission, and through a grant from the Ohio Arts Council.

(audience applauding) - [Narrator] From Athens, Ohio.

"Ramblin' with Mike Seegar and Elizabeth Cotten".

- The kind of music that I was brought up on was my mother and father singing a lot of these kinds of songs (strumming guitar) from about the time I was two or three years old.

See, they were composers in the modern way, with all this dissonant music.

But they kind of discovered this music, this old time music.

it had been there all along, but they discovered it in the thirties, and they brought us kids up on it.

And this is a song that I learned from the Carter family.

Actually, partly from a record, and partly from meeting Maybelle Carter, a great country musician.

It's called "Hello Stranger".

(acoustic country guitar) ♪ Hello stranger, put your loving hand in mine ♪ ♪ Hello stranger, put your loving hand in mine ♪ ♪ You are a stranger and you're a pal of mine ♪ ♪ Get up, rounder, let a working man lay down ♪ ♪ Get up, rounder, let a working man lay down ♪ ♪ You are a rounder, and you're all out and down ♪ ♪ Every time I ride the 6th and 4th streetcar ♪ ♪ Oh every time I ride the 6th and 4th streetcar ♪ ♪ I see my baby, she's a'peeping through the bars ♪ ♪ She bows her head, waves both hands at me ♪ ♪ She bows her head, and she waves both hands at me ♪ ♪ I'm prison bound and longing to be free ♪ ♪ She's a'weeping like a willow, mourning like a dove ♪ ♪ Weeping like a willow and a'mourning like a dove ♪ ♪ I got a girl up the country that I really love ♪ ♪ Oh, I'll see you when your troubles are like mine ♪ ♪ Oh, I'll see you when your troubles are like mine ♪ ♪ Oh, I'll see you when you haven't got a dime ♪ ♪ Hello stranger, put your loving hand in mine ♪ ♪ Hello stranger, put your loving hand in mine ♪ ♪ You are a stranger and you're a pal of mine ♪ ♪ Get up, rounder, let a working man lay down ♪ ♪ Get up, rounder, let a working person lay down ♪ ♪ You are a rounder, but you're all out and down ♪ (audience clapping) This one here is what they call a ballad, you know.

(tuning banjo) When I say they, I mean English folklorists kind of people.

A ballad is a song that tells a story, you know.

At least in folk music.

And this particular one comes from western North Carolina, the singing of Bascom Lamar Lunsford, from Turkey Creek, North Carolina.

This is one of the old English ballads that kind of got put with the banjo back around a hundred years ago when the banjo was new in the mountains.

Song called "Little Margaret".

(quick paced banjo music) ♪ Little Margaret sitting in her high hall door ♪ ♪ Combing back her long yellow hair ♪ ♪ Spied sweet William and his new-made bride ♪ ♪ Riding up the road so near ♪ ♪ She threw down her ivory comb ♪ ♪ Threw back her long yellow hair ♪ ♪ Said, "I'll go down and I'll bid him farewell ♪ ♪ And I'll nevermore go there" ♪ ♪ It was so lately in the night ♪ ♪ When they were fast asleep ♪ ♪ Little Margaret appeared all dressed in white ♪ ♪ Standing at their bed-feet ♪ ♪ How do you like that snow-white pillow ♪ ♪ How do you like that sheet ♪ ♪ How do you like the fair young lady ♪ ♪ Lying in your arms asleep ♪ ♪ Oh well do I like my snow-white pillow ♪ ♪ Well do I like my sheet ♪ ♪ Much better do I like the fair young lady ♪ ♪ A'standin' at my bed-feet ♪ ♪ He called on his serving man to go ♪ ♪ And saddle up a dappled roan ♪ ♪ Went to her father's house that night ♪ ♪ And he knocked on the door alone ♪ ♪ Is Little Margaret in her room ♪ ♪ Or is she in the hall ♪ ♪ Little Margaret is in her coal-black coffin ♪ ♪ With her face turned toward the wall ♪ ♪ Unfold, unfold them snow-white robes ♪ ♪ Be they ever so fine ♪ ♪ And let me kiss those cold, carpy lips ♪ ♪ For I know they'll never kiss mine ♪ ♪ Once he kissed her snow white hand ♪ ♪ Twice he kissed her cheek ♪ ♪ Three times he kissed her cold carpy lips ♪ ♪ And he fell in her arms asleep ♪ (audience clapping) (tuning banjo) There's all kinds of songs in the banjo.

Oh, it's a really versatile instrument.

There's about 35 different tunings and dozens of styles.

And everybody has their own way of playing each one of those styles.

And there's all kinds of songs, as you can see, the Tennessee dog and then a breakdown.

And then one of the old English ballads, and I'd like to do something that's not done too much.

And that's play a blues on the banjo for you now.

(strumming banjo) People don't think there's much five string banjo music.

In Mississippi, and I learned this from several Mississippi people.

It's an old time blues called "Rolling and Tumbling Blues".

And I learned it partly from Muddy Waters, although you wouldn't be able to tell it from the way I sing it and play it.

And I learned a little bit from a man who played a one string instrument.

It's a two by four with a coffee can on one end, and you tap it with a stick and play it with a bottle.

You know, that kind of thing.

(strumming banjo) And then I kind of put that together up here, and came out with a different way of doing the "Rolling and Tumbling Blues" with the five string banjo.

(tuning banjo) (quick paced blues banjo) ♪ Oh I rolled and I tumbled, cried the whole night long ♪ ♪ Oh I rolled and I tumbled, cried the whole night long ♪ ♪ Oh I woke up this mornin', all I got done gone ♪ ♪ What's the use if you can't be with the one you love ♪ ♪ What's the use if you can't be with the one you love ♪ ♪ That makes life so miserable ♪ ♪ You grieve like some turtle dove ♪ ♪ Oh my baby got teeth like a lighthouse out on the sea ♪ ♪ My baby got teeth like a lighthouse on the sea ♪ ♪ And every time she smiles she throws down more light on me ♪ ♪ Oh the rocks in the mountain, they leap out tree top tall ♪ ♪ Oh the rocks in the mountain, they leap out tree top tall ♪ ♪ Oh throw your arms around me, please don't you let me fall ♪ ♪ Yes I'm leaving you baby, I'm angry at your door ♪ ♪ Yes I'm leaving you baby, I'm angry at your door ♪ ♪ If my mind don't change right ♪ ♪ I won't be back here no more ♪ (audience applauding) Thank you.

Thank you, thank you very much.

And I'd like to go from what to me is sublime, to what some others think is ridiculous.

(audience laughing) Jew's harp.

You can make real subtle, nice, pretty music on it.

Mostly what I do is play ridiculous little tunes on it and that's what I'll do for you presently.

But what I thought I'd do, is since this is supposed to be on educational TV, I'll have the educational part of the program right here and show you in one minute how to play the Jew's harp.

'Cause a lot of people wonder how do that, you know.

First of all, you get hold of one of the Austrian ones, which is called usually the Ozark or Appalachian harp.

They're the best ones.

Of course, 'cause they're made in Austria, They call 'em the Ozark harp, naturally.

The next best is the American one.

They're pretty good.

They're kind of heavy and chrome plated like an old Oldsmobile, but I prefer the BMW, presently, and then don't buy the English ones.

They used to be good, but it's kind of been devalued.

Sorry all your Anglophiles, but I just can't help it.

Okay, once you get one, then you press it against your teeth.

You leave a little slot here between your teeth, 'cause you don't this, little banger here will soon make one there, okay?

So you press it against your teeth.

Let's see which one of you guys is on.

I don't know if you can see that real close, but it's like this.

Like that and you close your lips around the frame of the harp like that.

And then you pull back.

(harp twanging) There's more to it than that.

(audience laughing) By moving your tongue in and out inside your mouth, not inside your mouth, it's not in and outside your mouth.

It's- you know what I mean?

You keep it in your mouth.

(harp twanging) That's forward and here's back.

(harp twanging) And then you breathe in and out.

You're breathing in and out anyway.

Just kind of discipline it and put it in time to the plucking here.

(harp twanging) Now you can play random sounds if you want.

(harp twanging) Or you can play your scales and go to conservatory and play in Charles I of symphonies and things like that, you know.

(audience laughing) (harp twanging in a scale) (audience clapping) Now you get that by moving your tongue in and outside your, (all laughing) within your mouth.

And it's kinda like when you pat your cheeks and play a tune that way.

(rhythmically patting cheeks) ♪ Juba this and Juba that ♪ ♪ Juba killed a yellow cat ♪ ♪ Juba up and Juba down, Juba running all around ♪ (rhythmically patting cheeks) (audience applauding) Keep color in your cheeks that way, or at least try anyway.

Okay, so it's just moving your tongue real carefully and getting your vowel sounds like, (harp twanging) (audience laughing) And playing funny little songs like this one, which is entitled to "I'm So Miserable Without You, It's Almost Like Having You Here".

(audience laughing) It's a tender love song goes like this.

Actually this is "Old Blind Drunk John".

I just didn't want you to know the real title.

(harp twanging rhythmically) ♪ Saw a flea heave a tree ♪ ♪ Fooba wooba, fooba wooba ♪ ♪ Saw a flea heave a tree ♪ ♪ Fooba wooba John.

♪ ♪ Saw a flea heave a tree ♪ ♪ In the middle of the sea ♪ ♪ And old blind, drunk John, fooba wooba John ♪ (harp twanging rhythmically) ♪ Saw a louse chase a mouse ♪ ♪ Fooba wooba, fooba wooba ♪ ♪ Saw a louse chase a mouse ♪ ♪ Fooba wooba John ♪ ♪ Saw a louse chase a mouse ♪ ♪ From the kitchen to the house ♪ ♪ And old blind, drunk John, fooba wooba John ♪ (harp twanging rhythmically) ♪ Saw a squirrel run a deer ♪ ♪ Fooba wooba fooba wooba ♪ ♪ Saw a squirrel run a deer ♪ ♪ Fooba wooba John ♪ ♪ Saw a squirrel run a deer ♪ ♪ And he run him seven years ♪ ♪ And old blind, drunk John, fooba wooba John ♪ (harp twanging rhythmically) ♪ Saw a mule teach a school ♪ ♪ Fooba wooba fooba wooba ♪ ♪ Saw a mule teach a school ♪ ♪ Fooba wooba John ♪ ♪ Saw a mule teaching school ♪ ♪ Threw the bullfrogs in the pool ♪ ♪ And old blind, drunk John, fooba wooba John ♪ (harp twanging rhythmically) (audience clapping) Thank you.

Thank you very much.

I feel like I'm- ah, yeah.

There's the harness is loose now.

Mountain dulcimer.

(strumming dulcimer) See the five string banjo has a drone string, that little short thumb string that was on it.

And the Jew's harp has- that's practically all it has is a drone.

Some people don't even hear that little thing, that comes in from inside your mouth.

This has two drone strings, (strumming dulcimer) and one or two melody strings, which I play with this- well you're supposed to play with wood, but in these modern days, plastic, you know, it's much better.

This is supposed to be a turkey feather.

I use a piece of plastic for that too.

(strumming dulcimer) Anyway, it's an old time song.

It's not a plastic song.

It's "Waterbound".

(fast paced dulcimer music) ♪ Waterbound and I can't get home ♪ ♪ Waterbound and I can't get home ♪ ♪ Waterbound and I can't get home ♪ ♪ Down to North Carolina ♪ ♪ The old man's mad but I don't care ♪ ♪ The old man's mad but I don't care ♪ ♪ The old man's mad but I don't care ♪ ♪ So long as I get his daughter ♪ ♪ If he don't give her up we're a-gonna run away ♪ ♪ If he don't give her up we're a-gonna run away ♪ ♪ If he don't give her up we're a-gonna run away ♪ ♪ Down to North Carolina ♪ ♪ Waterbound and I can't get home ♪ ♪ Waterbound and I can't get home ♪ ♪ Waterbound and I can't get home ♪ ♪ Down to North Carolina ♪ (audience clapping) Thank you.

I've got the fiddle tuned down to "Bonaparte's Retreat" tuning here.

So I figure I better play "Bonaparte's Retreat".

(fast paced fiddle music) Now from Georgia.

(fiddle music speeding up) (audience clapping) I come from Maryland.

I was raised in Maryland by parents whose parents were from mostly New England, but one side of the family came from West Virginia.

And so I'm probably a lot like you folks.

Most of my grandparents knew this music and were raised with it, and were told that it wasn't music, and the second generation coming back to it again, to figure out how to bring music back into our every day lives.

It can be everyday music or it can be very special.

It can be dance music, all kinds of things that can be done with this music, places in your life that this kind of music can be.

Now here's a song that I've kind of isolated.

(tuning violin) It's a blues called "Don't Let Your Deal Go Down".

(blowing harmonica) (slow notes on violin) (bluesy violin and harmonica music) ♪ Don't let the deal go down little girl ♪ ♪ Don't let the deal go down ♪ ♪ Don't let the deal go down little girl ♪ ♪ Till your last gold dollar is gone ♪ ♪ Where did you get the dress you wear ♪ ♪ Shoes that fit so fine ♪ ♪ Got my dress from an engineer ♪ ♪ And my shoes from a driver in the mine ♪ ♪ Don't let the deal go down little girl ♪ ♪ Don't let the deal go down ♪ ♪ Don't let the deal go down little girl ♪ ♪ Till your last gold dollar is gone ♪ (playing harmonica) ♪ Who's going to shoe your pretty little feet ♪ ♪ Who's going to glove your hands ♪ ♪ Who's going to kiss your red rosy cheeks ♪ ♪ Lord it's who's going to be your man ♪ ♪ Papa will shoe my pretty little feet ♪ ♪ Mama will glove my hands ♪ ♪ Sister will kiss my red rosy cheeks ♪ ♪ Lord it's I don't need no man ♪ ♪ Don't let the deal go down little girl ♪ ♪ Don't let the deal go down ♪ ♪ Don't let the deal go down little girl ♪ ♪ Till your last gold dollar is gone ♪ (playing harmonica) (audience clapping) This is another one which has a kind of unreal side to it like Little Margaret.

The name of the song is "The Dreadful Wind and Rain".

I learned it mostly from Kilby Snow, a really brilliant North Carolina autoharp player.

(strumming autoharp) Also partly from Jody Stecker, who's one of my favorite of the musicians of my next generation coming up.

(gentle autoharp music) ♪ 'Twas early one morning in the month of May ♪ ♪ Oh the wind and rain ♪ ♪ Two sisters went a-fishing on a hot summer's day ♪ ♪ Cryin' the dreadful wind and rain.

♪ ♪ Johnny give the youngest one a gay gold ring ♪ ♪ Oh the wind and rain ♪ ♪ But he didn't give the other one anything ♪ ♪ Cryin' the dreadful wind and rain ♪ ♪ These two sisters went a'walking down a stream ♪ ♪ Oh the wind and rain ♪ ♪ One come behind, pushed the other one in ♪ ♪ Cryin' the dreadful wind and rain ♪ ♪ She pushed her in the river to drown ♪ ♪ Oh the wind and rain ♪ ♪ And watched her as she floated down ♪ ♪ Cryin' the dreadful wind and rain ♪ ♪ She floated on down to the miller's pond ♪ ♪ Oh the wind and rain ♪ ♪ Cryin' father, father, there swims a swan ♪ ♪ Cryin' the dreadful wind and rain ♪ ♪ The miller fished her out with his drifting hook ♪ ♪ Oh the wind and rain ♪ ♪ And brought this maiden from the brook ♪ ♪ Cryin' the dreadful wind and rain ♪ ♪ He laid her on the bank to dry ♪ ♪ Oh the wind and rain ♪ ♪ And a fiddlin' fool came passing by.

♪ ♪ Cryin' the dreadful wind and rain ♪ ♪ The fiddler spied his maiden fair ♪ ♪ Oh the wind and rain ♪ ♪ He took thirty strands of her long yellow hair ♪ ♪ Cryin' the dreadful wind and rain ♪ ♪ He made a fiddle bow of her long yellow hair ♪ ♪ Oh the wind and rain ♪ ♪ And he made fiddle pegs of her little finger bones ♪ ♪ Cryin' the dreadful wind and rain ♪ ♪ He made a fiddle of her little breast-bone ♪ ♪ Oh the wind and rain ♪ ♪ With a sound that would melt a heart of stone ♪ ♪ Cryin' the dreadful wind and rain ♪ ♪ And the only tune that fiddle would play ♪ ♪ Was oh the wind and rain ♪ ♪ The only tune that fiddle would play ♪ ♪ Was cryin' the dreadful wind and rain ♪ (audience clapping) (strumming autoharp) This tune here is called "A New Freedom March".

It's named after a town in Southern Pennsylvania that I used to live up near.

And it goes like this.

Since I'm the composer, I can say it goes exactly like this, especially today.

(upbeat fast paced autoharp music) (audience clapping) Thank you.

Thank you.

Oh, thank you very much.

You know, for about 20 years, Mrs. Cotten and I have been doing programs together.

And for 35 years, yes, about 35 years, we've been knowing one another, and ever since the first time that I first knew that she could play the guitar, which was about five years after I first met her.

I've just thought the absolute world of her, and been trying to learn to play and have the touch that she does.

She's been a very influential guitar picker to the city people, as well as being a beautiful musician, creator of songs, including the song "Freight Train" on her own.

So what I'd like to do is introduce you to her and we'll play a tune together, and then she'll play a whole bunch of songs for you I know you'll enjoy.

Let's have a hand for Elizabeth Cotten.

(audience clapping) - Thank you.

(strumming guitar) (gentle acoustic folk guitar) (audience clapping) - Remember which way lefthanded people had let go out there?

- Well, I am lefthanded, very much lefthanded.

I do everything lefthanded.

I play my guitar, my banjo, lefthand.

And when I was trying to learn how to play, no one would help me, because they said I was played upside down.

(audience laughing) I taught myself how to play.

No one helped me.

And I give myself credit for everything you hear me play.

(audience laughing) (audience applauding) (strumming guitar) I wanna play a tune for y'all.

When I was a little girl in Chapel Hill, when the students would graduate, your parents would would, for the white and color, but mostly colored people, we would get little new dresses.

We probably wouldn't get them for Easter.

But when the students graduate, you sure to get that dress and a little hat to go to the parade, see the students marching.

And we love to see them because they had something like a tassel on the hat and had on long black robes.

Well we wasn't used to seeing men with long clothes like a woman, like a dress.

Well, we'd get a kick out of that.

Mother would always dress us up to go, stay all day.

(strumming guitar) And they'd play a song on the van for them to march in on.

I don't know the name of the song that they played but I learned how to play that song.

'Cause I had bought my guitar then, I was beginning to learn how to play.

And I call it "The Graduation March".

And I'm gonna try to play it for y'all.

(peaceful folk guitar music) Thank you.

(audience clapping) (gentle folk guitar music) All right.

Wanna sing it?

All right.

♪ Freight train, freight train, run so fast ♪ ♪ Freight train, freight train, run so fast ♪ ♪ Please don't tell what train I'm on ♪ ♪ They won't know what route I'm going ♪ ♪ When I am dead and in my grave ♪ ♪ No more good times here I crave ♪ ♪ Place the stones at my head and feet ♪ ♪ And tell them all that I'm gone to sleep ♪ ♪ Freight train, freight train, run so fast ♪ ♪ Freight train, freight train, run so fast ♪ ♪ Please don't tell what train I'm on ♪ ♪ They won't know what route I'm going ♪ ♪ When I die, Lord bury me deep ♪ ♪ Way down on old Chestnut Street ♪ ♪ Then I can hear old Number Nine ♪ ♪ As she comes rolling by ♪ ♪ Freight train, freight train, run so fast ♪ ♪ Freight train, freight train, run so fast ♪ ♪ Please don't tell what train I'm on ♪ ♪ They won't know what route I'm going ♪ Once more ♪ Freight train, freight train, run so fast ♪ ♪ Freight train, freight train, run so fast ♪ ♪ Please don't tell what train I'm on ♪ ♪ They won't know what route I'm going ♪ (baby crying quietly) Thank you.

(audience applauding) - This is a tune I play called "The Spanish Flang Dang".

(gentle folk guitar music) (audience applauding) Thank you.

I wanna play a tune on this now.

Okay.

(strumming guitar) - As a matter of fact, I'll get you- I don't know what file it's in.

- I don't know.

I have to look sometime myself.

I think I put it in here.

You gonna put on, or me?

- I can keep it.

(audience laughing) - You're on telephone.

- Oh wait!

- How you put it on yourself?

- Y'all see this little digger here I got in my hand?

Well, I had to talk to it sometime, before it do what I want it to do.

(audience laughing) I was playing the guitar at home one night, and I wanted to use this, and I couldn't, it been a long time since I'd used it, and it laid closed so long, I think it was hard to open and I pulled it and I pushed it, I turned this.

I said, well, I know this is the same one I've been using.

What's the matter with it?

I can't open it.

I take enough time and laid it on the bed, goes in the kitchen and got the hammer.

(audience laughing) Roll this little digger up in a towel.

I laid it on the bed, and there I'm sitting, and banged and banged and bang and banged.

And turn the towel over, and bang and bang.

When I take the towel off, it's still closed.

I said, well, I don't see what in the world?

And I turned it and I looked at it, and accidental my finger must have hit that, and it just opened, see?

So now when I'm getting ready to use it, sometimes I can't get it on right away.

And I'll said to it, do you remember the hammer beating I give you?

(audience laughing and clapping) So when I says that, it'll go on, see?

Just remember the hammer beating, that's all.

'Cause it was a good beating I give it, but it didn't open.

(playing peaceful folk guitar) This a song, my eight grandchildren wrote this song.

I mean, great grandchildren.

"Shake Sugaree".

Each child got a verse.

But I don't know all the verses.

I'm gonna sing what I can remember right now.

Y'all going to help me sing this, ♪ Well, I have a little song ♪ ♪ I'll sing it right ♪ ♪ I'll sing it right.

♪ ♪ If it takes once or twice.

♪ ♪ Oh lord oh me, everybody, shake sugaree ♪ ♪ Everything I got is in the pawn ♪ ♪ Everything I got ♪ Y'alls throat hurt?

(audience laughing) ♪ I pawn my watch ♪ ♪ I pawn my chain ♪ ♪ I pawn everything that was in my name ♪ ♪ Oh, lord oh me didn't I shake sugaree ♪ ♪ Everything I got is in the pawn ♪ ♪ Everything I got is in the pawn ♪ ♪ I pawn my barn ♪ ♪ I pawn my plow ♪ ♪ I pawned everything, I even pawned my old cow ♪ ♪ Oh, lord oh me didn't I shake sugaree ♪ ♪ Everything I got is in the pawn ♪ ♪ Everything I got is in the pawn ♪ ♪ I know something ♪ ♪ I ain't gonna tell ♪ ♪ I'm going to heaven in a brown pea shell ♪ ♪ Oh, lord oh me didn't I shake sugaree ♪ ♪ Everything I got is in the pawn ♪ ♪ Everything I got is in the pawn ♪ ♪ I pawn my chairs ♪ ♪ I pawn my bed ♪ ♪ I ain't got nowhere to lay my head ♪ ♪ Oh, lord oh me didn't I shake sugaree ♪ ♪ Everything I got is in the pawn ♪ ♪ Everything I got is in the pawn ♪ ♪ I pawn my tobacco ♪ ♪ I pawn my pipe ♪ ♪ I pawn everything that was in my sight ♪ ♪ Oh lord oh me didn't I shake sugaree ♪ ♪ Everything I got is in the pawn ♪ ♪ Everything I got is in the pawn ♪ ♪ I have a little secret ♪ ♪ I ain't gonna tell ♪ ♪ I'm going to heaven and I ain't going down to ♪ ♪ Oh, lord oh me didn't I shake sugaree ♪ ♪ Everything I got is in the pawn ♪ ♪ Everything I got is in the pawn ♪ ♪ Chew my tobacco ♪ ♪ Spit my juice ♪ ♪ I would raise cane, but it ain't a bit of use ♪ ♪ Oh, lord oh me didn't I shake sugaree ♪ ♪ Everything I got is in the pawn ♪ ♪ Everything I got is in the pawn ♪ ♪ Everything I got is in the pawn ♪ I have nothing left.

(audience clapping) - [Female Voiceover] The preceding program was produced in part through a grant from the Ohio Educational Broadcasting Network Commission, and through a grant from the Ohio Arts Council.