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CD 328 Kenny Hall and the Long Haul String Band
Kenny Hall has established himself as one of the finest performers of old time music in the United States. He is noted for his masterful mandolin playing, fine fiddling, incredible repertoire of songs and tunes, and his rich and unique sense of style. Kenny lives in Fresno, where he is an important figure in a thriving old-time music scene in the central San Joaquin Valley. Kenny began playing music in 1937 while attending the California School for the Blind, and over the years he has drawn upon all the musical resources available to him. His music comes from a dynamic interaction of the musical traditions of the San Joaquin Valley, old time music from the old 78 r.p.m. records Kenny collected during the years he worked in a broom factory, and his own strong personality and creativity.
The Long Haul String Band is made up of Kenny's wife Marta, and John Greene and Terry Barrett. It is a great band, and they play some of the best old-time music you will hear anywhere. - Charlie Seeman
1. Prettiest Girl in the County-O (2:10) This version of the tune is the one Gid Tanner and Riley Puckett recorded in 1924.
2. Helena Polka (3:08) This is how to get a free Hot Toddy at Mt. St.
Helens, which came to life while we were recording this tune.
3. Guinness on a Saucer (2:45) Our adult version of an Irish children's
song called Goodie on a Saucer.
4. Ladies Quadrille (2:04) In Washington A.C. they call this Yellow
Knife. Kenny learned this tune from the Lamb brothers who called themselves
The Happy Hayseeds.
5. What You Gonna Do With The Baby (2:10) This song was originally made
popular by Grayson and Whitter in the late 1920's. We simply changed it the
way we thought Gid Tanner might have done.
6. Happy Heiney (3:22) Kenny picked up this 1898 two-step from the Happy
Hayseeds.
7. Who Broke The Lock / Hen Cackle (2:40) The first song we learned
from the Highwoods String Band and the second was picked up from Ron Huey. We
put them together a la Gid Tanner and the Skillet Lickers. We want to dedicate
this tune to all of our friends in Ireland who always asked for "the Chickens."
8. Forty-nine Quadrille (3:07) This is another Happy Hayseeds quadrille.
9. Shortenin' Bread (2:04) We picked this song up from Gid Tanner and
the Skillet Lickers.
10. Cottonwood Reel (2:57) This Happy Hayseeds tune is the flip side
of the 78 that Ladies Quadrille was on.
11. Old Pal of Yesterday (2:53) Kenny learned this song from his school
chum Warren Raley.
12. Peter Piper (4:10) The Happy Hayseeds also gave us this 1903 two-step.
13. Rattlesnake Bit the Baby (2:06) Kenny learned this one from Harry
Liedstrand who got it from Hank Bradley. However, Kenny added extra lyrics to
make it even crazier than it was before.
14. Mexican Polka (3:45) Kenny got this polka from Albert, a co-worker
in the Blind Broom Factory in Oakland.
15. The Three Jigs (2:59) Kenny learned this medley from a 78 record
by Kimmel, the accordion player.
16. The Gamblers (3:38) This is a medley of two tunes. The first is Roving Gambler, which Kenny got from Larry Hanks. We follow it with the Broken Down Gambler, a hoedown recorded by Gid Tanner and his Skillet Lickers.
We would like to dedicate Marta's falsetto to the memory of Gid Tanner, the "King of the Falsetto"! We would also like to dedicate the Happy Hayseeds tunes to Fred, Ivan, Logan, and Orson, the original Happy Hayseeds!
Notes on the tunes: Kenny & Marta Hall. Engineering: David Huber. Cover design: Peggy Sheehan. Cover photo: Michael Ziegler. Produced by Phil and Vivian Williams. Production assistance: Arlene Gapanoff. Recorded April 1980 at Voyager studios, Seattle WA. Digitally remastered by Phil Williams.