Hoyt Ming

Hoyt "Floyd" Ming (born October 6, 1902 in Choctaw County , Mississippi , † April 28, 1985 in Ackerman , Choctaw County, Mississippi) was an American old-time musician .

Life

Childhood and youth

Hoyt Ming's ancestors can be traced back to 1650, when James Quantity settled in Virginia . Over the years, the family name was changed to "Ming" and in the 1840s Charles Ming moved to Mississippi, whose grandson Hoyt Ming was born in 1902. Many of Ming's siblings also learned to play instruments, and Ming himself began playing fiddle at the age of 15 after his father invited a string band to play on the family porch. He learned to play by playing simple tunes like Shortnin 'Bread by ear.

Career

With his wife Rozelle ( guitar ) and their sister ( mandolin ), Ming founded the Pep-Steppers that played around Tupelo , Mississippi. The band's name was based on Rozelle's vigorous stomping of his foot while playing - a technique normally only used in gospel . In early 1928, Ming and his band, Ralph Peer , auditioned in a shop in Tupelo. Peer was the A&R manager of Victor Records and was looking for new old-time musicians. He invited to Memphis , Tennessee , where Ming and the Pep-Steppers recorded four pieces for Victor. This time, however, Ming's brother Troy was at the mandolin because his sister-in-law was unable to attend the prelude in Tupelo. The four tracks also included Indian War Whoop and the Tupelo Blues .

Based on the name of the band and the title of the song, many buyers thought Ming and the Pep-Steppers were a Native American band. In fact, Indian War Whoop had no Indian influence and was rather based on the romantically transfigured image of the Indians in the Wild West . The Tupelo Blues was actually recorded as Florida Blues by Ming and the Pep-Steppers , but Peer changed the name of the piece. He also had Floyd Ming and his Pep-Steppers printed on the plates instead of Hoyt Ming .

In the 1930s, Ming and his wife continued to play barn dances , election rallies, fiddle contests, and other public festivals. However, the music remained only a hobby as they ran their own potato farm. In 1957 the couple decided to give up music. It wasn't until 1972 that the Mings were rediscovered when County Records' David Freeman began looking for them in 1972. As a first clue he took the Tupelo Blues and started looking for the Mings who lived nearby in this town. If Ralph Peer hadn't changed the title in 1928, folklorists would certainly never have thought of looking for Ming in Mississippi instead of Florida . Freeman interviewed Ming and in the same breath was able to convince him to perform at the National Folk Festival with his wife and son Hoyt Ming, Jr. This was followed by concerts at other folk festivals and an appearance in the film Ode to Billie Joe . For some time Hoyt and Rozelle Ming continued to perform with a band and played a new album for Homestead Records, but then retired.

Hoyt Ming's date of death is unknown.

Discography

year	title	#	Remarks
Published titles
Victor Records
1928	Indian War Whoop / Tupelo Blues	41896
	White Mule / Monkey in the Dogcart

Web links

• Articles on Ming and Indian War Whoop

• Hoyt Ming in the database of Find a Grave (English)