Floyd County Ramblers
| Floyd County Ramblers | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Genre (s) | Old-time music |
| Founding members | |
| Banks McNeil | |
| John Willie Boone | |
| Sam McNeil | |
Vocals, harmonica
|
Walter Boone |
The Floyd County Ramblers were an American old-time group from Floyd County , Virginia . The band's style was based on Charlie Poole and the North Carolina Ramblers .
history
The Floyd County Ramblers were neighbors and friends from Floyd County, Virginia, and had played together since the late 1920s. The members were all from around the Check and Belt Mountains. The group performed regularly at WDBJ in Roanoke , Virginia, which is where they became their greatest notoriety. Through her song The Story of Freeda Bolt , which was part of her regular repertoire on the radio, the record company Victor Records became aware of her. The song was about the murder of Freeda Bolt, who was killed by Buren Harmon on Belt Mountain on December 17, 1929 - this incident inspired the Floyd County Ramblers to write this song.
Victor invited the group to New York City , where on August 29, 1930 they recorded the Charlie Poole songs Ragtime Annie and Sunny Tennessee in addition to The Story of Freeda Bolt . The style of these recordings was influenced by Charlie Poole, one of the most successful and well-known old-time musicians at the time. In particular, Fiddler Banks McNeil mimicked Posey Rorer's melodic style of play.
Unfortunately, the Floyd County Ramblers recorded at the height of the Depression, and although their ballad The Story of Freeda Bolt sold well, no more records were made. The group stayed together for a long time and played at irregular intervals. Sam McNeil remained the most active musically. The last surviving member of the Floyd County Ramblers in 1989 was Walter Boone, who was then living in Salem , Virginia.
Discography
All the songs were also released by Montgomery Ward .
| year | title | # | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Victor Records | |||
| 1930 | The Story of Freeda Bolt / Sunny Tennessee | VI40307 | |
| Step Stone / Aunt Dinah's Quilting Party | VI40331 | ||
| Ragtime Annie / Granny, Will Your Dog Bite? | VI23759 | ||
literature
- Kip Lornell: Virginia's Blues, Country & Gospel Records, 1902-1943 (1989); University Press of Kentucky, ISBN 0813116589