The History of Bluegrass in North Georgia
North Georgia Bluegrass
As I have often mentioned, music is a continuous learning experience.
One can not be shy, you have to be aggressive and participate in what is
going on to get something out of it. I have traveled many a bluegrass mile
with my fiddle and become acquainted with an array of people, some of
them well known. Music is a part of the special events in our lives.
Weddings and birthdays are two regular occasions that Blue Ridge Grass
is often asked to play for; music makes a personal event more memorable.
Community events, festivals, or any public gathering can include music; it
draws people’s attention to what is going on.
One can not be shy, you have to be aggressive and participate in what is
going on to get something out of it. I have traveled many a bluegrass mile
with my fiddle and become acquainted with an array of people, some of
them well known. Music is a part of the special events in our lives.
Weddings and birthdays are two regular occasions that Blue Ridge Grass
is often asked to play for; music makes a personal event more memorable.
Community events, festivals, or any public gathering can include music; it
draws people’s attention to what is going on.
Greg Brooks is privileged to play
the same fiddle used by Allen Sisson
decades ago. Here is Greg's story...
the same fiddle used by Allen Sisson
decades ago. Here is Greg's story...
Tommy Magness, a well know fiddler during the forties, was raised in
Mineral Bluff. He left here with his fiddle and the next time folks heard him,
he was playing on the Grand Ole Opry. Tommy fiddled with Roy Acuff for
many years and played in Roy’s movie, Night Train to Memphis. Tommy is
credited for writing Black Mountain Rag. Allen Sisson and Tommy were
friends. Tommy went on to record Allen’s tune, Katy Hill, with Bill Monroe
and turned it into the version that we play more commonly today. When
Tommy returned to Georgia, he spent some time living in McCaysville. He
and my father picked together in the afternoons, back when folks visited
with one another on the front porch. Although I was not even thought of at
the time they were picking together, here is how Tommy became an
inspiration to me.
My father grew up during the depression. It was a time when folks spent
more time working than enjoying themselves. My father always said that
music was a past time for a man who did not have any work to do.
As a kid, when I put down the guitar to learn the fiddle, Dad, who was then
retired, would tell me of Tommy’s abilities. This inspired me to do better,
as Dad would often say, “That’s not how Tommy would do it.” I have
watched the short clip of Tommy in Night Train to Memphis, I learned from
it that his bowing technique is not the same as mine. I have cassette
recordings of Tommy that were given to me my by his family.
Mineral Bluff. He left here with his fiddle and the next time folks heard him,
he was playing on the Grand Ole Opry. Tommy fiddled with Roy Acuff for
many years and played in Roy’s movie, Night Train to Memphis. Tommy is
credited for writing Black Mountain Rag. Allen Sisson and Tommy were
friends. Tommy went on to record Allen’s tune, Katy Hill, with Bill Monroe
and turned it into the version that we play more commonly today. When
Tommy returned to Georgia, he spent some time living in McCaysville. He
and my father picked together in the afternoons, back when folks visited
with one another on the front porch. Although I was not even thought of at
the time they were picking together, here is how Tommy became an
inspiration to me.
My father grew up during the depression. It was a time when folks spent
more time working than enjoying themselves. My father always said that
music was a past time for a man who did not have any work to do.
As a kid, when I put down the guitar to learn the fiddle, Dad, who was then
retired, would tell me of Tommy’s abilities. This inspired me to do better,
as Dad would often say, “That’s not how Tommy would do it.” I have
watched the short clip of Tommy in Night Train to Memphis, I learned from
it that his bowing technique is not the same as mine. I have cassette
recordings of Tommy that were given to me my by his family.
This is Part 2 in a special series on the history of bluegrass in North Georgia.
My family was closer to one another because of our music. When I was
younger, my father, Cargus “Pug” Brooks and my older brothers, Ronnie &
Anthony Brooks each took the time to work with me when I was a young
boy learning my first instrument, the guitar. My father had the same
enthusiasm when my son Josh was learning the banjo. Unfortunately,
media devices were not as common then as today for recording and taking
pictures to capture the moments. Luckily we have those memories of one
another picking together that will last a lifetime. I have one cassette
recording of me and dad picking together. Thanks to technology, Josh and
I have photos, recordings, and videos of us making music together. And
now that Josh plays banjo with Honi Deaton and Dream, I can watch some
of his performances on youtube that otherwise I would not have the
opportunity to see.
younger, my father, Cargus “Pug” Brooks and my older brothers, Ronnie &
Anthony Brooks each took the time to work with me when I was a young
boy learning my first instrument, the guitar. My father had the same
enthusiasm when my son Josh was learning the banjo. Unfortunately,
media devices were not as common then as today for recording and taking
pictures to capture the moments. Luckily we have those memories of one
another picking together that will last a lifetime. I have one cassette
recording of me and dad picking together. Thanks to technology, Josh and
I have photos, recordings, and videos of us making music together. And
now that Josh plays banjo with Honi Deaton and Dream, I can watch some
of his performances on youtube that otherwise I would not have the
opportunity to see.
As kids, Jim Ritchie took his son Ray and myself to the Rogers
Bluegrass Festival in Dillard, GA at the Cobb County Fairgrounds. We
watched as local fiddler, Ebb Collins, from Morganton, GA pulled into the
festival site. He removed his fiddle from the trunk of the car and joined in a
jam session. As I observed it, people flocked from within the fairground to
that cluster of jammers to listen to Ebb and his fiddle. He was a fine fiddle
player and a big inspiration to me. Ebb at one time played with Charlie
Moore and the Dixie Partners. He and his brother Zeb (who played with
Jimmy Martin) were known as Ebb and Zeb Collins and traveled around
the country picking. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to play a lot of
music with them.
Bluegrass Festival in Dillard, GA at the Cobb County Fairgrounds. We
watched as local fiddler, Ebb Collins, from Morganton, GA pulled into the
festival site. He removed his fiddle from the trunk of the car and joined in a
jam session. As I observed it, people flocked from within the fairground to
that cluster of jammers to listen to Ebb and his fiddle. He was a fine fiddle
player and a big inspiration to me. Ebb at one time played with Charlie
Moore and the Dixie Partners. He and his brother Zeb (who played with
Jimmy Martin) were known as Ebb and Zeb Collins and traveled around
the country picking. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to play a lot of
music with them.
Another person I had the good fortune to fiddle with was Herdis
Patterson, uncle of Roger Watson (bass player of Blue Ridge Grass) was
a member of the Frosty Mountain Boys. Herdis was a state champion
fiddler. In my early twenties, I would go to Herdis’ house out in the Ritchie
Creek area to learn fiddle tunes. We sat by the old wood cook stove and
sawed on tunes until Herdis would make to many trips outside…after a few
trips, I figured out that he was going to the shed to have a snort of
moonshine. When his ability to fiddle became impaired, then it was time
for me to go home.
Patterson, uncle of Roger Watson (bass player of Blue Ridge Grass) was
a member of the Frosty Mountain Boys. Herdis was a state champion
fiddler. In my early twenties, I would go to Herdis’ house out in the Ritchie
Creek area to learn fiddle tunes. We sat by the old wood cook stove and
sawed on tunes until Herdis would make to many trips outside…after a few
trips, I figured out that he was going to the shed to have a snort of
moonshine. When his ability to fiddle became impaired, then it was time
for me to go home.
I’ve never limited myself to listen to one style of music. Some people get in
a rut with a particular style. Variety challenges your creativity and holds
the attention of the audience as each person will have their own taste in
the style of music they prefer to listen to. As a musician, you learn to blend
those touches into what you do without losing touch of the bluegrass
theme. Each musician has a different level as to what they can play. I
always taught Josh to never look down on someone whose talent may not
be as developed as his but to sit down and play with them just as he would
someone that he looked up to. Gaining the respect of your peers is
important so that everyone can jam together and not feel intimidated. I can
not read music; I have always played by ear. So to learn new tricks, I
listen to what is played and watch how it is done on any instrument. Group
participation is one of the best ways to learn from other musicians.
Looking back, I wish that I had not been so shy when I was young and
picking with musicians that knew more than me. When I am asked for
advice on how to improve one’s ability to pick, I always recommend
participating in jam sessions.
Jammers today are different than when I was a young man. When I was
younger, some of the local fiddlers would actually turn their back to me so
that I could not see how they were working the instrument. They did so to
protect their position in the local gigs that were played on the weekends.
They thought that if I learned their licks, I might try to take away their
paying gig. Jammers today, are more willing to step back and share a
break or chord with someone that ask a question. There is one thing that
disappoints me as compared to years ago and that is today’s festivals and
jam sessions.
Years ago, a festival would be scheduled with a variety of bands to play on
the schedule. People would gather in the audience to listen to the show.
If you left the audience and went outdoors, you would find that in the
parking lot and around the grounds, there would be numerous clusters of
jammers. We would mingle from group to group to play with one another
until the wee hours of the morning. Today, most festivals continue their
line up of good music and a large audience of listeners, but rarely do you
find the jamming to be as strong as in years past. Often, the crowd has
thinned down by the time the last act comes out that there are few people
in the audience. Some jams that I attend are like reading a book, one
person guides the group as everyone does the same songs, to me, this is
not a jam, it is comparable to a class room setting. It can be a learning
experience but it limits individuals from being more creative or elaborating
their abilities because you do not want to intimidate others in the group
that are not as advanced in their ability to play. Jams should consist of
individual clusters of musicians mixing and mingling to play spontaneously.
a rut with a particular style. Variety challenges your creativity and holds
the attention of the audience as each person will have their own taste in
the style of music they prefer to listen to. As a musician, you learn to blend
those touches into what you do without losing touch of the bluegrass
theme. Each musician has a different level as to what they can play. I
always taught Josh to never look down on someone whose talent may not
be as developed as his but to sit down and play with them just as he would
someone that he looked up to. Gaining the respect of your peers is
important so that everyone can jam together and not feel intimidated. I can
not read music; I have always played by ear. So to learn new tricks, I
listen to what is played and watch how it is done on any instrument. Group
participation is one of the best ways to learn from other musicians.
Looking back, I wish that I had not been so shy when I was young and
picking with musicians that knew more than me. When I am asked for
advice on how to improve one’s ability to pick, I always recommend
participating in jam sessions.
Jammers today are different than when I was a young man. When I was
younger, some of the local fiddlers would actually turn their back to me so
that I could not see how they were working the instrument. They did so to
protect their position in the local gigs that were played on the weekends.
They thought that if I learned their licks, I might try to take away their
paying gig. Jammers today, are more willing to step back and share a
break or chord with someone that ask a question. There is one thing that
disappoints me as compared to years ago and that is today’s festivals and
jam sessions.
Years ago, a festival would be scheduled with a variety of bands to play on
the schedule. People would gather in the audience to listen to the show.
If you left the audience and went outdoors, you would find that in the
parking lot and around the grounds, there would be numerous clusters of
jammers. We would mingle from group to group to play with one another
until the wee hours of the morning. Today, most festivals continue their
line up of good music and a large audience of listeners, but rarely do you
find the jamming to be as strong as in years past. Often, the crowd has
thinned down by the time the last act comes out that there are few people
in the audience. Some jams that I attend are like reading a book, one
person guides the group as everyone does the same songs, to me, this is
not a jam, it is comparable to a class room setting. It can be a learning
experience but it limits individuals from being more creative or elaborating
their abilities because you do not want to intimidate others in the group
that are not as advanced in their ability to play. Jams should consist of
individual clusters of musicians mixing and mingling to play spontaneously.
Tommy Magness
Josh Brooks and dad,
Greg Brooks.
Greg Brooks.
The Frosty Mountain Boys.
The group played on the
Grand Ole Opry in the mid
1960’s – Morgan Cantrell
is who started the Morgan
Cantrell Heart Fund Show –
now in its 47th year (Tim
Parker has been to all of
the shows but 2 when he
was in the service and
could not attend) , Tim
Parker is featured on my
cd project, Morris Haygood
is a regular at the Free
Boys Music Barn in Jasper,
GA,
The group played on the
Grand Ole Opry in the mid
1960’s – Morgan Cantrell
is who started the Morgan
Cantrell Heart Fund Show –
now in its 47th year (Tim
Parker has been to all of
the shows but 2 when he
was in the service and
could not attend) , Tim
Parker is featured on my
cd project, Morris Haygood
is a regular at the Free
Boys Music Barn in Jasper,
GA,
[Editors Note:
Part 1 told the fascinating story of Greg Brooks and his 200 year old Sisson fiddle.
Part 2 chronicles the colorful collection of individuals who influenced Greg during his 40 year
music career.]
Part 1 told the fascinating story of Greg Brooks and his 200 year old Sisson fiddle.
Part 2 chronicles the colorful collection of individuals who influenced Greg during his 40 year
music career.]
On November 28, 2009 Blue Ridge Grass was inducted into the Atlanta
Country Music Hall of Fame (story).
HUGE Congratulations to Blue Ridge Grass members Greg Brooks,
John Watson, Jamie Mason, Josh Earley, Ray Ritchie and Roger
Watson.
Country Music Hall of Fame (story).
HUGE Congratulations to Blue Ridge Grass members Greg Brooks,
John Watson, Jamie Mason, Josh Earley, Ray Ritchie and Roger
Watson.
Announcement: