32 “Georgia Stomp” by Andrew & Jim Baxter
9January 22, 2010 by gadaya
Andrew & Jim Baxter’s World
The music of African-American fiddler Andrew Baxter backed-up by his son Jim on guitar is one great example of an old string-band tradition among African-Americans that is now almost completely extinct and was rarely recorded on phonograph records. Folklorists and researchers found that the rural string-band music so much associated with whites nowadays was commonly played also by blacks in the Southern States until the beginning of the 20th century but soon faded away due to migrations to the North and the cities, the popularity of Blues and Jazz during the phonograph years and changes in popular tastes. Many white musicians testified to have learned the banjo or the fiddle in their youth watching black musicians and some of this influential musicians were recorded by phonograph companies or on field recordings. Their repertoire was sometimes very similar to white string-bands but included tunes that were typically african-american in style. Some were able to play in more than one style to please their public, whether it was a white or a black audience. Andrew and Jim Baxter,for example, could play breakdowns, Blues or Church music even if their more Bluesy repertoire is prominent on the recordings we have of them, due to the popularity of the genre among the black record buyers from those days. They came from Gordon County, Georgia and were recorded in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1927 by the Victor Records company. They made the trip to the recording studios with a white string-band from their hometown called The Georgia YellowHammers. Due to segregation, they had to be separeted on their train ride to Charlotte and recorded in separate sessions. But for one track, “G rag”, Andrew Baxter played fiddle with The Georgia Yellow Hammers, a very rare example of an “integrated” band during the 1920’s.
-I stumbled upon this fine article about the music of Andrew and Jim Baxter on “Done Gone”, a great blog about Country Blues and Old-time Music.
-For those interested in African-American string-band music, i recommand those records:
“Folks, He Sure Do Pull Some Bow!” and “Violin, Sing The Blues For Me” are two great compilations on Old-Hat Records that feature the fiddle played by African-Americans on 78rpm records.
“Altamont” and “Ain’t Gonna Rain No More: Blues and Pre-Blues from Piedmont North Carolina” on Rounder Records and “Black Banjo Songsters of North Carolina and Virginia“ on Smithsonian/Folkways are great recordings of the earlier rural music played on banjos and fiddles by African-Americans.
–Joe Thompson from North Carolina is maybe the last musician still active who preserved this tradition of fiddle music among blacks and his duets with his cousin Odell on banjo are featured on the records cited above. “Family tradition“ on Rounder is an album devoted entirely to his music.
-The music of fiddler Butch Cage and guitarist Willie B. Thomas is also another great example of this tradition, with a strong Blues feel reminescent of the music Andrew and Jim Baxter. One disc is devoted to their music on Arhoolie Records
-I compiled all of the known recordings of Andrew and Jim Baxter from two Document Records cds. One is called “String Bands 1926-1929″ and the other is “Black Fiddlers“ (The remaining titles on this two cds is really great so be sure to check them out as well)
The Stomp Variations
In searching for variants of “Georgia Stomp” by Andrew and Jim Baxter, i discovered that a incredible lot of tracks with the word “stomp” on their title were recorded, especially during the 1920’s, 1930’s and 1940’s. The word “stomp” in a musical context meant a sort of dance with heavy steps and the word was widespread to design all sorts of rhytmic and syncopated music. Like the words “Blues”, “Breakdown”, “Rag”, it was a fashionable appellation in those years and you can find it in many genres of popular and folk american music.
– I selected 50 “stomp” tracks from my personnal collection, with examples in black and white String Band music, Early Jazz,Blues, Cajun, Western Swing and Bluegrass. I had a lot of fun selecting all this great and lively music and i hope you’ll enjoy it as well!
PART 1:
- Georgia Stomp Bing Bang Boys I’m Feeling Good
- Darbone’s Creole Stomp Hackberry Ramblers Early Recordings: 1935-1950
- Seaboard Stomp Blind Blake Ragtime Guitar’s Foremost Fingerpicker
- Brush Stomp – The Chicago Footwarmers The Chicago Footwarmers Breaking Out Of New Orleans
- Shirt Tail Stomp – Benny Goodman Benny Goodman Yiddish Songs – Traditionals (1911 1950) Vol. 3
- Honoloulou Stomp H.M. Barnes Blue Ridge Ramblers Slidin’ On The Frets: The Hawaiian Steel Guitar Phenomenon
- Deep Minor Rhythm Stomp Lonnie Johnson The Great Lonnie Johnson, Vol. 2
- Come On And Stomp, Stomp, Stomp Johnny Dodds’ Black Bottom Stompers Breaking Out Of New Orleans
- Memphis Stomp Blue Boys Before The Blues Vol. 2
- Hackberry Stomp Robert LeBlanc, Al Berard, Mitch And Lisa Reed Allons A La Veille Chez Robert
- Indescretion Stomp Tom Ball Bloodshot Eyes
- Jazzbo Stomp Memphis Jug Band Memphis Jug Band (1932-1934)
- Wild Man Stomp Memphis Mighthawks (Alabama Rascals) State Street Ramblers Vol. 2 (1931-1936)
- Kansas City Stomp Jelly Roll Morton 1923-1926
- Walkin’ Cane Stomp Kentucky Jug Band Ruckus Juice & Chittlins, Vol. 2
- Lake Arthur Stomp Lionel LeLeux & Michael Doucet J’ai Ete Au Bal – Vol 1
- Stove Pipe Stomp Big Bill Broonzy The Young Big Bill Broonzy
- Memphis Highway Stomp Charlie Burse & His Memphis Mudcats Memphis Shakedown Disc D
- Field Mouse Stomp Minnie Wallace & Her Night Hawks Memphis Shakedown Disc D
- Ted’s Stomp Carl martin Carl Martin / Willie ’61’ Blackwell 1930-1941
- Bluegrass Stomp Bill Monroe and His Bluegrass Boys Live Recordings 1956-1969: Off the Record Volume 1
- Harmonica Stomp Brownie McGhee, Sonny Terry Pawnshop Blues
- Oklahoma Stomp Spade Cooley & the Western Swing Dance Gang Spade Cooley & the Western Swing Dance Gang
- Knox Country Stomp Tennessee Chocolate Drops A Richer Tradition – Country Blues & String Band Music, 1923
- Mississippi Stomp (Blythe’s Stomp) King Mutt & His Tennessee Thumpers Punch Miller (1925-1930)
PART 2:
- Jackson Stomp Mississippi Mud Steppers A Richer Tradition – Country Blues & String Band Music, 1923
- New Orleans Stomp Johnny Dodds’ Black Bottom Stompers Classic Jazz – The World’s Greatest Jazz Collection 1917-193
- Mermentau Stomp Hackberry Ramblers Cajun Early Recordings – CD D
- King Porter Stomp Ton Van Bergeyk Famous Ragtime Guitar Solos
- Alabama Stomp Fletcher Henderson & The Dixie Stompers 1925-1928
- Kentucky Stomp The Dixie Four Jazz Piano Parties
- Old Virginia Stomp Doug MacLeod Come To Find
- Bluegrass Stomp Red Allen And Frank Wakefield The Kitchen Tapes
- Barrow County Stomp Theo & Gus Clark Georgia Stringbands Vol. 1 (1927-1930)
- Florida Stomp Fletcher Henderson & The Dixie Stompers 1925-1928
- Knox County Stomp Carl Martin Carl Martin / Willie ’61’ Blackwell 1930-1941
- Acorn Stomp East Texas Serenaders (1927-1937)
- George St Stomp Cincinnati Jug Band Rare Country Blues Vol. 3 (1928-1936)
- Osage Stomp Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys The Ultimate Collection
- Sam McGee Stomp Sam McGee Grand Dad of the Country Guitar Pickers
- Booneville Stomp Dutch Coleman & Red Whitehead Harmonica Masters
- Sugar Tree Stomp Arthur Smith Trio Nashville Early String Bands, Vol. 1
- Arkansas Stomp Lonnie Robertson Lonnie’s Breakdown
- Bluegrass Stomp Doc Watson And David Grisman Doc And Dawg
- Cajon Stomp The Sons Of The Pioneers Symphonies Of The Sage
- Pigmeat Stomp Alabama Washboard Stompers Washboard Story
- Arizona Stomp East Texas Serenaders (1927-1937)
- Pigmeat Stomp (Instrumental) Merle Travis Walkin’ the Strings
- Fais Do Do Stomp Harry Choates Fiddle King Of Cajun Swing
- Georgia Stomp Run of the Mill String Band Steal Aboard
Thank you for all your incredible and hard work. A true labor of love that you share with a lot of generosity. Really one of the best music blogs anywhere. 2 songs were corrupt in the zip file to part 1: Walkin’ Cane Stomp and Memphis Stomp, just fyi. Thanks again for all this and I look forward to the whole journey.
This is a magnificent project. Keep up the great work, it is truly inspiring.
It’s been a long time but, as always, well worth the wait. Another wonderful posting.
Oh dear, this is a hell of a compilation for which I am very very gratefull. thank you so much for compiling this sweet collection of songs.
I just love them..you really know your sh**
thnx thnx thnx
Andrew and Jim Baxter and The Georgia Yellow Hammers are both from here in my NW Georgia town of Calhoun, located 1/2 way between Chattanooga (TN) and Atlanta on I-75.
It has been my mission for many years to raise local awareness of these great recording artists, as they are certainly known internationally, and are cultural jewels that need to shine brightly here in the place they lived, played, and passed. After working to this end for a long time, we at last started our String Band Festival in 2007, and hosted The Carolina Chocolate Drops for the evening performance, as well as Wayne Martin’s New N. Georgia Buggy Riders (NC), and Joyce Cauthen’s Red Mountain String Band (AL). The last two are led by folklorists from their respective states. This coming Saturday, April 24th, we will present our fourth annual International String Band Festival to honor these great musicians, with free music performances starting at 11AM outside the Harris Arts Center, downtown Calhoun. There will also be fiddle & banjo contests, a historical presentation, and an evening performances by The Little Country Giants and The Georgia Crackers. There will be a lot of jamming out around town all day, so y’all come! The flyer is posted on the Old Hat Records website, a most generous sponsor of this event….www.oldhatrecords.com
Thanks For Your interest in our local music heroes… Come celebrate them with us!
Paul Shoffner, Calhoun, GA
Thanks Paul for your informations. It’s important to spread the word about Andrew & Jim Baxter’s music…Good luck for the festival.
Back again for our 5th Annual Georgia String Band Festival and Fiddler’s Convention, honoring our great pioneer recording artists of the 1920’s, Andrew and Jim Baxter as well as the Georgia Yellow Hammers. Opening performances at the Art’s Center downtown on Friday evening, May 13th, and performances, competitions, workshops, vendors and all manner of open jamming at the Fairgrounds on Saturday, May 14th. Camping is available on-site. Historical presentations are planned, as NW Georgia was ground zero for this important heritage music, with Earl Johnson, The Skillet Lickers, Fiddling John Carson and many others being frequent visitors to our many Fiddling conventions. Watch for the FaceBook page soon, The Georgia String Band Festival, and Y’all Come!
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Great work! Thanks for all these great tunes! The Andrew and Jim Baxter link is broken, I would really love to get a copy of that file – not just great fiddling but also interesting guitar back-up. Hard to find those tracks, you’ve done a terrific job pulling all those tracks together.