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Putting a Minstrel Band together is a very difficult task. About 4 years ago while reading Bob Flesher's "Banjo History Articles Book 1", I came across this information about Joel Walker Sweeney (1810-1860)
"And as the "Pied Piper of Appomattox," Sweeney attracted a large following everywhere he went with his banjo. Children particuarly loved the musician who, some believe, was proficient enough as an artist to play the banjo with his toes, the violin with his hands, and blow a mouth harp simultaneously.
Truly, Joe Sweeney was a one-man band. __w.r.d." My first question is, does anybody know who w.r.d. was?
Since there are not enough minstrel musicians in my area to start a minstrel band, the one man band approach was the only way for me to go. In a 20th and 21st century format, playing more than one instrument at a time has always been an easy thing for me to do. I have played alot of delta blues with a guitar in my hands, a harmonica around my neck, playing a bass drum with my right foot and sock cymbals with my left foot. That grouping of instruments and style of music would not take me back to the mid-19th century of music. I needed to do MUCH, MUCH MORE RESEARCH. Here is some of the information that I have come across while trying to develope a one man band interpretation.
From "Monarchs of Minstrelsy - from "Daddy" Rice to Date" by Edw. Le Roy Rice, copyright 1911 page #18, "Probably Swayne Buckley's chief fame rests on the act he did in later years; it was called "Musical Moments;" in it he performed on twelve different instruments, playing several at one time". Do any of you know more about that performance?
Page #28, "Napoleon W. Gould, famous as a vocalist and guitarist in many minstrel companies, came to the United States in 1848".
Page #42, "C. L. Huntley, a member of Tayer's Boston Sable Harmonists about 1850, was a fine guitar player".
Page #103, "Lew. Meyers (Buhmeir), "He was likewise the first to perform the harmonica on the stage. His last appearance was as Los Angeles, Cal., January 27, 1874, where he gave an entire evening's entertainment of one and a half hours' duration, during which performed on twenty-six different instruments; and on one occasion four at one time". Way to go Lew!!!!!
Does anyone have any more information about this man or his instruments?
From "Gold Rush Performers - A Biographical Dictionary of Actors, Singers, Dancers, Musicians, Circus Performers and Minstrel Players in America's Far West, 1848-1869" by Helene Wickham Koon, McFarland & Company. Inc., Publishers Page #33 187, has more stuff about "Buckley, George Swayne (1829-1879) Master of tambourine, banjo, bones. Debut, Boston, 1845, prodigy, starred as "Young Sweeney." San Francisco, 1851, (Buckley's) New Orleans Serenaders, February-April 1852, "new songs, glees and choruses, soloist on the violin, melophone, banjo, bones, comb and kitchen bellows."
"Almost everyone has heard of music produced from a comb, but few have had the fortune to see a person blow a tune out of his mouth with a bellows." Has anyone out there mastered the kitchen bellows yet and if so where did you find the bellows?
Page#36 212 "Campbell, S C (J C)-Minstrel singer Baratone specializing in ballads - accompanying self on guitar" hmmm? another guitar player in minstrel bands. That is when I bought an original parlor guitar.
Page #161 1228 "Taylor, Joe-Minstrel man. Toured mining towns, 1855, one-man show."
With that information and all of the other books that are curently available on Minstrelsy I developed a generic first person one man band character. As of now, I am using reproduction minstrel banjos, a parlor guitar, concertina, bones, jawbone, reproduction 19th century triangle and a reproduction tambourine that I have on the ground, kicking it with my feet. For awhile, I was using a harmonica and a simple one piece harmonica holder that a blacksmith made for me. As hard as I tryed, I couldn't justify using the harmonica or holder even with the information about Joe Sweeney and Lew. Meyers. At some point, I would like to start a new thread about the 19th century harmonicas. Please, don't think that I am trying to say that I know everything, I DON"T!!! I am asking for more information, opinions and ideas from other people who are interested in Minstrelsy.
Chris Ownby
"And as the "Pied Piper of Appomattox," Sweeney attracted a large following everywhere he went with his banjo. Children particuarly loved the musician who, some believe, was proficient enough as an artist to play the banjo with his toes, the violin with his hands, and blow a mouth harp simultaneously.
Truly, Joe Sweeney was a one-man band. __w.r.d." My first question is, does anybody know who w.r.d. was?
Since there are not enough minstrel musicians in my area to start a minstrel band, the one man band approach was the only way for me to go. In a 20th and 21st century format, playing more than one instrument at a time has always been an easy thing for me to do. I have played alot of delta blues with a guitar in my hands, a harmonica around my neck, playing a bass drum with my right foot and sock cymbals with my left foot. That grouping of instruments and style of music would not take me back to the mid-19th century of music. I needed to do MUCH, MUCH MORE RESEARCH. Here is some of the information that I have come across while trying to develope a one man band interpretation.
From "Monarchs of Minstrelsy - from "Daddy" Rice to Date" by Edw. Le Roy Rice, copyright 1911 page #18, "Probably Swayne Buckley's chief fame rests on the act he did in later years; it was called "Musical Moments;" in it he performed on twelve different instruments, playing several at one time". Do any of you know more about that performance?
Page #28, "Napoleon W. Gould, famous as a vocalist and guitarist in many minstrel companies, came to the United States in 1848".
Page #42, "C. L. Huntley, a member of Tayer's Boston Sable Harmonists about 1850, was a fine guitar player".
Page #103, "Lew. Meyers (Buhmeir), "He was likewise the first to perform the harmonica on the stage. His last appearance was as Los Angeles, Cal., January 27, 1874, where he gave an entire evening's entertainment of one and a half hours' duration, during which performed on twenty-six different instruments; and on one occasion four at one time". Way to go Lew!!!!!
Does anyone have any more information about this man or his instruments?
From "Gold Rush Performers - A Biographical Dictionary of Actors, Singers, Dancers, Musicians, Circus Performers and Minstrel Players in America's Far West, 1848-1869" by Helene Wickham Koon, McFarland & Company. Inc., Publishers Page #33 187, has more stuff about "Buckley, George Swayne (1829-1879) Master of tambourine, banjo, bones. Debut, Boston, 1845, prodigy, starred as "Young Sweeney." San Francisco, 1851, (Buckley's) New Orleans Serenaders, February-April 1852, "new songs, glees and choruses, soloist on the violin, melophone, banjo, bones, comb and kitchen bellows."
"Almost everyone has heard of music produced from a comb, but few have had the fortune to see a person blow a tune out of his mouth with a bellows." Has anyone out there mastered the kitchen bellows yet and if so where did you find the bellows?
Page#36 212 "Campbell, S C (J C)-Minstrel singer Baratone specializing in ballads - accompanying self on guitar" hmmm? another guitar player in minstrel bands. That is when I bought an original parlor guitar.
Page #161 1228 "Taylor, Joe-Minstrel man. Toured mining towns, 1855, one-man show."
With that information and all of the other books that are curently available on Minstrelsy I developed a generic first person one man band character. As of now, I am using reproduction minstrel banjos, a parlor guitar, concertina, bones, jawbone, reproduction 19th century triangle and a reproduction tambourine that I have on the ground, kicking it with my feet. For awhile, I was using a harmonica and a simple one piece harmonica holder that a blacksmith made for me. As hard as I tryed, I couldn't justify using the harmonica or holder even with the information about Joe Sweeney and Lew. Meyers. At some point, I would like to start a new thread about the 19th century harmonicas. Please, don't think that I am trying to say that I know everything, I DON"T!!! I am asking for more information, opinions and ideas from other people who are interested in Minstrelsy.
Chris Ownby
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