Minstrel Banjo

For enthusiasts of early banjo

Hi gang,

Well, I had an excellent time doing the "Banjo History" gig for Banjo Newsletter's workshops up at "SPBGMA" (Society for the Preservation of Blue Grass Music in America") friday morning. I only had an hour to go from "Africa to Oldtime" with the biggest dose coming from the 1850-1870 era. I did a lot more talking than I had intended but played "Get Up In De Morning", "Briggs Jig/Briggs Breakdown/Bee Gum Reel", "Blue Eagle Jail" and "Railroad Polka" before moving into Classic and OT stuff.

Afterwards, one gentleman remarked that he is an artist and that a local reinactment group (Confedrate) had recently commisioned him to do a painting of Stuart's cavalry, including Sam Sweeney at the banjo. He took a bunch of pictures of me and the Ashborn (if he uses me as a model, ol' Sam is gonna be awful fat and bald...). The one thing he really wanted was to find the music for "Jine The Cavalry".

Anyone with the dots (or TAB) and lyrics? I've sent him some youtube links and some CD links but would like to provide him with music he can play (since he's a banjoist).

BTW, my history-lesson was successful enough to generate two more "paying" banjo-history gig offers. Not sure I want to go on the road with it though... ;-)

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I have found 2 locations in the country claiming to have the original sheet music for Jine the Cavalry, San Jose State, and the University of Illinois (U of I is a rumor).

I've been meaning to get down to San Jose state. As of yet I have not personally scored it out. This is one of the harder ones to find an original for. Of course, the song is based on Down in Alabama, so looking at Rice is a good place to start.
Thanks John. San Jose State might be a long haul!

I'll take a look at "Down In Alabama" in Rice and see what I can come up with. I've found some online references to DIA but no actual sheet music.

===Marc
San Jose State was a bust (I'm here on business). The copy they have is from 1959. I have a photo copy, but it isn't what we want for historical purposes.

Apparently the song wasn't published very early. One of the earliest copies printed was in a collection of southern songs "Echoes from Dixie."
kgbloom@advi.net www.bolick.net/music
Try contacting Ken Bloom or Harry Bolick. "Jine The Cavalry" was recorded by them on an album of mostly Civil War era tunescalled "That Banjo FRom Hell". They are both reenactors. The recording came out in 2000, hopefully the web adresses are still good.
We bought a copy of Echoes from Dixie. I've uploaded a copy of Jine the Cavalry as it appears there under photos.
John Masciale said:
We bought a copy of Echoes from Dixie. I've uploaded a copy of Jine the Cavalry as it appears there under photos.

Wow, thanks John!!

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