Biography

Highwoods Stringband
Fire on the Mountain

In the early 1970s, The Highwoods Stringband was one of the first young groups to revive theclassic old time music sound, bringing their joyful interpretations to audiences around thecountry. As John Lupton wrote in All Music Guide, “Their legacy is that, more than any other band of their time, they were responsible for drawing a legion of new, young fans into oldtime music by the force of their musicianship and the fact that they were having such a damn good time at it.” The music on this record was recorded in September 1972 after a summer ofplaying at festivals and fiddlers' conventions.

All the really important things about who we are and what we have to say are found in the music on this record.We come from all over the country, New Jersey to California, and we range in age from early twenties to early thirties.We were brought together by our common love for old-time music, the good times we have travelling
around the country in our old Ford panel trucks, and the joyous excitement we feel when we play music together. The Highwoods Stringband is a crystallization of other bands each of us have played in: Dr. Humbead’s New Tranquility String Band, All Skate, The Busted Toe Mud Thumpers, and the Fat City String Band.

None of us grew up with much country music around the house, but the honesty, humor, intensity and rowdiness of old country music hit each of us just as we were beginning to form our own lives.We’ll probably never recover. Though we have done many things to stay alive, for the past five years we have been full-time musicians for better or worse.

We learned this music from many sources - musicians young and old all over the country; old 78’s and tape collections; the audiences we have played for at street corners, concert halls, coffee houses and fiddlers’ conventions; and mostly from each other. Though we have learned this music with a great respect for its sources in the past, we play it because it is right on time for us in the present. City life and city music are failing us. A good
laugh, a good tune, and a good time are what we need to get through these crazy times. If the music on this record can spread a little of those things around, the pleasure is all ours.

The music on this record was recorded in September 1972 after a summer of travelling around and playing at festivals and fiddlers’ conventions. Most of the tunes were recorded out of doors, where we feel most comfortable, and if you listen you can hear the crickets.

We offer this record as a partial thanks to all the people who have helped us down this road we have chosen - the many musicians we have played with and learned from; the old-timers whose mastery of the music has been our inspiration; our families who have stood by us; the friends who have given us food, drink and a place to rest when we needed it; the people in the business who have given us help, advice and jobs; and finally the audiences whose smiles and applause let us know we were doing something right.

—The Highwoods Stringband

The Songs:
Fire on the Mountain has been popular throughout the South for 50 years, and it’s been recorded in old-time, bluegrass and Nashville style. There is something about the simple melody which seems to beg to be played with the throttle wide open. The tune itself and the many associations of the title sum up our feelings about the excitement of old-time music.

Grey Cat on the Tennessee Farm, originally recorded by Uncle Dave Macon, very nearly describes paradise on earth. The joys of a full larder and a well-stocked farm sound pretty good to us, too, boy.

We learned Nancy Rowland from the Skillet Lickers. Doug, inspired by Riley Puckett, gets in some pretty sneaky guitar work.

Hopalong Peter comes from Mainer’s Mountaineers, Fisher Hendley’s Aristocratic Pigs, and the New Lost City Ramblers. Animal songs like this one always seem popular with kids of all ages.

Last of Callahan was supposedly played by a fiddler named Callahan just before he was hanged.We have heard many people play this one but have developed our own version over the years of playing it. We eliminated an extra beat between the first and second part because it seemed to be in the way.

On a Cold Winter’s Night and other songs about railroad tragedies were common in the mountains half a century ago. This is one of our favorites with its added romantic theme. Thanks to J.E.Mainer and his Mountaineers.

My Own House Waltz originally came from the border country between England and Scotland.We learned it from Willie Spires, who we hope will soon be in his own house. This is a ladies’ choice.

We’ve been playing Walkin’ In the Parlor so long we don’t remember just where we first heard it. It’s a goodtime tune and the verses are about some friends of ours and the good times they have in Centerville, California.

Lee Highway Blues is about U.S. 11- which runs from upstate New York through the Shenandoah Valley anda long the Blue Ridge Mountains. This route is now paralleled by Interstate 81 which we traveled back and forth this summer from Ithaca to fiddlers’ conventions.We play it like we drive it pretty reckless. But we get there just
the same. Thanks to Grayson and Whitter.

We recorded Bully of the Town live at the Kosmos in Trumansburg, New York, The sound is not great but we think Walt and Bob nearly outdo McMichen and Tanner at being ragged but right. Thanks to the girls in the kitchen.

Who Broke the Lock? We don’t know, but this may once have been a minstrel song, and we learned if from the Bogtrotters Band.

Ways of the World was recorded by a fiddler named Luther Strong for the Library of Congress. It’s the only place we’ve ever heard it. Maybe it was once a song with words. You can almost hear the phrase “and those are the ways of the world” at the end of the melodic line.

Free Little Bird is a good old screamer. Not much to it but the rhythm of Bob and Walt’s bowing as the tune moves through its chord changes. Walt sings the advice about how to stay out of trouble and he should know.

Old and Grey comes from one of our favorites, Charlie Poole. The first time Mac saw Kenny Hall he was singing this song at an old folks’ home. The strong impression left by that memorable moment gives us all something to think about.

Liberty Off the Corn Licker Still is another Skillet Lickers tune. They originally recorded it as part of their popular “Corn Licker Still” skits. We like the way it just goes on and on in its own off-balance way. “And Lord help us to get right.” Amen.

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