“Patrick County Blues”

 

 

“Patrick County Blues” is a traditional old-time fiddle tune strongly associated with the regional music of Patrick County, Virginia, and the surrounding Blue Ridge area. Also known as “Rochester Schottisch”, the tune is considered traditional in that over time, it has been passed down aurally within various communities in different locales.

 

Originally composed for piano in 1852 by William H. Rulison—a Rochester, N.Y., music merchant—the Rochester Schottisch was published in 1857 and achieved immense popularity, circulating widely throughout the United States and Canada (see Figure 1). 

 

Once the melody entered the traditional fiddle repertory, it acquired a variety of titles (see Program notes). A popular version from the Round Peak/Galax area of North Carolina and Virginia exists among fiddlers titled “Rochester Schottische” (with an added “e”). That tune however bears no resemblance to the original “Rochester Schottisch”, nor does it possess a schottische rhythm.

 

“Patrick County Blues” was recorded on October 14, 1929 by Spangler and Pearson (“Old Virginia Fiddlers”). John Watts “Babe” Spangler played the fiddle and Dave Pearson the guitar (see Figure 2). The recording took place at the Okeh Record Company’s temporary studio located at the James K. Polk Furniture Company in Richmond, Virginia.   

 

Spangler, who lived in Richmond, was born in Meadows of Dan, Virginia in 1882. A well-respected fiddler, he achieved widespread popularity as the “Old Virginia Fiddler” via his daily radio broadcasts on WRVA’s Corn Cob Pipe show. He also became the Virginia State Fiddle Champion, for which he received an award in

1927 (see Figure 3).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 1. The Rochester Schottisch for the piano, composed by W. H. Rulison

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 2. “Patrick County Blues” – Spangler & Pearson (Old Virginia Fiddlers), Okeh 78 RPM

No. 45387, recorded in Richmond, Virginia on October 14, 1929 - photo courtesy of Joe Bussard’s Vintage 78 (https://joesvintage78.com); digitally restored.

See Figure 3.  J. W. “Babe” Spangler receiving the silver cup for winning the Virginia State Fiddling Championship, 1927; Richmond News Leader July 7, 1927 (courtesy of Newspapers.com; digitally restored).

 

 

 

 

                                                            PHOTO GALLERY

The Old Virginia Fiddlers band from the Corn Cob Pipe Hour, WRVA, Richmond, Virginia, circa 1929. Left to right; Dave Pearson, J. W. “Babe” Spangler and Harry Houchins (photo courtesy of Mark Freeman, Rebel Records). (Photo digitally restored and enhanced using AI -background and guitar headstock modified).

 

 

 

The Old Virginia Fiddlers (left to right): Dave Tom Grady, Harry Houthins, J. W. “Babe” Spangler playing for the Governor of Virginia, John G. Pollard, ca. 1932 (photo by Virginia Chamber of Commerce)

 

 

 

 

                        Richmond News Leader, June 7, 1927 (Courtesy                                            

                        of Newspapers.com)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Richmond News Leader, May 29, 1926

(courtesy of Newspapers.com)

 

Written sources:

“Annotation: Patrick County Blues”, The Traditional Tune Archive (https://tunearch.org/wiki/Annotation:Patrick_County_Blues)

Jabbour, Alan (Transcription). (1966). (AFC 1967/007). Alan Jabbour duplication project, part 1(“Rochester Schottische”). In Fiddle Tunes of the Old Frontier: The Henry Reed Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Shumway, Larry V. and Carter, Tom, “The History and Performance Style of J. W. “Babe” Spangler, The Old Virginia Fiddler, JEMF Quarterly 14 no. 52 (Winter 1978): 198-208

 

Program Notes:

 

For an orchestral version of Rochester Schottisch by the Brockport Symphony Orchestra, search YouTube, for “Rochester Schottische - William Rulison”.

As with several old-time melodies with “blues” in the title, “Patrick County Blues” in no way resembles a blues, nor does it have a blues structure.

“Patrick County Blues” circulates under several titles: “Birdy in the Treetop”, “Cat Clumb Up The Plum Tree Schottische”, “D and A Schottische”, “Helvetia Polka”, “Hi-Lo Schottische”, “Poor Uncle Schottische”, “Jack Clumb Up The Plum Tree”, and “What The Devil Ails You?”   

 

Recommended Listening:

Listen to the Old Virginia Fiddlers 1929 recording on YouTube. Search for “Spangler & Pearson - Patrick County Blues”.

For an orchestral version of Rochester Schottisch by the Brockport Symphony Orchestra, search YouTube, for “Rochester Schottische - William Rulison”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spangler’s first job was as a guard at the state penitentiary, a position he held for many years until an increasingly serious hereditary eye condition markedly impaired his sight. He turned to entrepreneurial skills, to the grocery and lumber business and gradually to music. In 1925 WRVA signed on the air and by about 1927 Spangler was one of the station’s musical stars.

 

 

 

 

Tunes by J W: Highland Schottische, Jenny Lind Polka, Arkansas Traveler, Evening Star Waltz, Forka Dear, Sansy River Belle; Girl I left Behind Me, Devil’s Dream, Whistling Rufus, Flying Indian, Fisher’s Hornpipe, Soldier’s Joy, Turkey In The Straw, Sweet Marie, Old String Town.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Rochester Schottisch for the piano, composed by W. H. Rulison

 

*What is a Schottische? In the words of Tommy Duncan, one of Bob Wills’ Texas Playboys, “Well it’s a very simple little dance done in four counts. You grab your partner and stand side by side, and at the first count of four, you hop on your right foot, and on the second count of four, you hop on your left foot, and so forth and so on.” A schottisch is considered a slow polka.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Old Virginia Fiddlers band from the Corn Cob Pipe Hour, WRVA, Richmond, Virginia, circa 1929. Left to right; Dave Pearson, J. W. “Babe” Spangler and Harry Houchins (Photo courtesy of Mark Freeman, Rebel Records) This photo has been AI enhanced.

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 3.  J. W. “Babe” Spangler receiving the silver cup for winning the Virginia State Fiddling Championship, 1927, Richmond News Leader July 7, 1927 (courtesy of Newspapers.com)

 

 

 

 

 

PHOTO GALLERY

 

 

 

l

The Richmond News Leader, June 7, 1927 (Photo/article courtesy

of Newspapers.com)

 

The Richmond News Leader, May 29, 1926

(courtesy of Newspapers.com)

Written sources:

“Annotation: Patrick County Blues”, The Traditional Tune Archive (https://tunearch.org/wiki/Annotation:Patrick_County_Blues)

Jabbour, Alan (Transcription). (1966). (AFC 1967/007). Alan Jabbour duplication project, part 1(“Rochester Schottische”). In Fiddle Tunes of the Old Frontier: The Henry Reed Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Shumway, Larry V. and Carter, Tom, “The History and Performance Style of J. W. “Babe” Spangler, The Old Virginia Fiddler, JEMF Quarterly 14 no. 52 (Winter 1978): 198-208

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John Watts “Babe” Spangler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The tune was originally composed and arranged for piano in 1852 as the “Rochester Schottisch” by William H. Rulison, a music master who ran a music store in Rochester, N.Y. (see published sheet music from 1857). The piece’s melody achieved widespread popularity and circulation in the north and south including Canada.

 

John Watts "Babe" Spangler (1882–1970), the renowned old-time musician known as the "Old Virginia Fiddler," owned and operated a grocery store in Richmond, Virginia. [1, 2]

 

Before dedicating himself more fully to music and his broadcasting career on Richmond's WRVA radio station, he was also involved in the lumber business. While his professional life centered on his grocery business, he remained a highly influential figure in the Blue Ridge musical tradition, leading a string band and recording for the Okeh Company in 1929. [1, 2]