We're back again with another vinyl acquisition. After sharing my Ohio old-time collection last week, a friend asked on Facebook why I didn't have any Hotmud Family. He also suggested I check out Van Kidwell. When I said they were on my want list and joked that my birthday was coming up, he decided to send me this album as an early present. Today is HIS birthday, so this is a tribute to my friend, Russ Harbaugh.
But first, let's talk about this record. Here we have Midnight Ride, by Fiddlin' Van Kidwell with the Hotmud Family, released in 1975 on Vetco Records, based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Kidwell lived in the Cincinnati/Dayton area, but was originally from Kentucky. He recorded two albums with the Hotmud Family in the mid-1970s, this being the second. There's also a Field Recorders' Collective release available on CD and digital download.
I first heard of Kidwell through Doug Dorschug of the Highwoods Stringband in a post on the Fiddle Hangout, when I was first researching Ohio fiddlers. In his memoir, Fire on the Mountain: An American Odyssey, Walt Koken claimed that Kidwell was the source for the version of "Big Scioty" most commonly played today. However, I haven't been able to find a recording of him playing that tune. (I have always heard the tune attributed to Burl Hammons.)
The Hotmud Family were also from the Cincinnati/Dayton area and anchored by the trio of Rick Good on banjo, Suzanne Edmundson (nee Thomas) on mandolin and guitar, and Dave Edmundson on fiddle and guitar. In addition to the two albums with Kidwell, the band released six other albums between 1974 and 1981.
Midnight Ride collects 16 tunes, including 12 traditional old-time tunes and four originals by Kidwell. The music is spirited and propulsive. You can tell the musicians were used to playing together, as their sound is tight and in the groove. Russ called Kidwell a "rather ambitious fiddler." Listening to this record, it's not hard to understand why he would say that.
I met Russ about 10 years ago. He's an excellent fiddler and banjo-mandolin player who lives in Virginia now, but he's originally from my hometown of Kent, Ohio. One day, he showed up at the jam I used to attend at the Europe Gyro while he was in town visiting family. (I'm pretty sure this YouTube video was from the first time I met him.) For a few years, he would come up every summer and play tunes with us.
Russ has always been generous and encouraging, and him sending me this album is just one example of the contents of his character. He visited my house when I first started playing fiddle and let me record a few of his tunes. He has always offered words of support when it comes to my playing and my various writings on old-time music.
There are a bunch of videos of Russ playing on YouTube, at various jams and with his bands, such as Roscoe P and Coal Train and the Poorhouse Pepsteppers. He also wrote a wonderful tune, "Jilleen's Waltz," named after his daughter who is nearly always by his side enjoying the music.
Thank you for your kindness, Russ, and the happiest of birthdays to you!
I first heard of Kidwell through Doug Dorschug of the Highwoods Stringband in a post on the Fiddle Hangout, when I was first researching Ohio fiddlers. In his memoir, Fire on the Mountain: An American Odyssey, Walt Koken claimed that Kidwell was the source for the version of "Big Scioty" most commonly played today. However, I haven't been able to find a recording of him playing that tune. (I have always heard the tune attributed to Burl Hammons.)
The Hotmud Family were also from the Cincinnati/Dayton area and anchored by the trio of Rick Good on banjo, Suzanne Edmundson (nee Thomas) on mandolin and guitar, and Dave Edmundson on fiddle and guitar. In addition to the two albums with Kidwell, the band released six other albums between 1974 and 1981.
I met Russ about 10 years ago. He's an excellent fiddler and banjo-mandolin player who lives in Virginia now, but he's originally from my hometown of Kent, Ohio. One day, he showed up at the jam I used to attend at the Europe Gyro while he was in town visiting family. (I'm pretty sure this YouTube video was from the first time I met him.) For a few years, he would come up every summer and play tunes with us.
Russ has always been generous and encouraging, and him sending me this album is just one example of the contents of his character. He visited my house when I first started playing fiddle and let me record a few of his tunes. He has always offered words of support when it comes to my playing and my various writings on old-time music.
There are a bunch of videos of Russ playing on YouTube, at various jams and with his bands, such as Roscoe P and Coal Train and the Poorhouse Pepsteppers. He also wrote a wonderful tune, "Jilleen's Waltz," named after his daughter who is nearly always by his side enjoying the music.
Thank you for your kindness, Russ, and the happiest of birthdays to you!
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