Joe Meadows & Brandon Farley - Cotton Eyed Joe

(Patuxent CD-071) 2001

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This was I believe Joe Meadows final album, which was recorded in 2000 and released in 2001, a couple of years before his death in 2003.

On offer are 41:40 mins of old-time fiddle tunes, with a number of lesser-known numbers, like Citico (aka Citigo / Down To The Wildwood To Shoot The Buffalo), Chinkypin (aka Chinquapin Hunting), Battle Of Bull Run (aka Abe's Retreat / Manasass Junction), and Southern Aristocracy (aka Colored Aristocracy) - originally an 19th Century cakewalk.

A number of tracks come from renknowned fiddlers like Howdy Forrester - Trot Along My Honey, Clark Kessinger - Turkey Knob, Herman Johnson - Herman's Rag, Clarence 'Curly' Herdman - Runnin' Bear, and the more contemporary Indian Springs which was written by Kenny Baker & Blaine Sprouse.

The Irish influence is presented in versions of Sally Gardens and South Wind, whilst there's also versions of three familiar bluegrass favourites - Cotton-Eyed Joe, Paddy On A Turnpike and Kansas City Railroad Blues.

Old Joe Clark has some below-par vocals, but otherwise it's a decent album, with Joe's grandson Brandon Farley on mandolin, and backing by Jack Leiderman & Victoria McMullen who played on Joe's 1998 CD 'Mountains, Rivers And Meadows', plus Dick Bowden ('The Old Timer' on BHO) on 3-finger / clawhammer banjo.

Joe had previously cut a version of Cruel Willie on his 1973 LP And His Blue Grass Fiddle; and Cotton Eyed Joe on Larry Sparks' 1981 LP Ramblin Letters.

• Ralph 'Joe' Meadows: fiddle
• Brandon Farley: mandolin
• Dick Bowdem: banjo
• Jack Leiderman: guitar
• Victoria McMullen: bass

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