Bill Cheatham

The Red Headed Fiddlers recorded Bill Cheatham as Cheat `Em at an October 27, 1929, session in Dallas. Bill Cheatham remains a standard in old-time and bluegrass repertoires. There are several recordings under various spellings listed in Tony Russell’s comprehensive discography: Bill Cheatam: Blind Joe Mangum/ Fred Shriber Bill Cheatham: Arthur Smith Bill Cheatum: The Light…

What’s the Matter with the Mill

I made this simple arrangement of What’s the Matter with the Mill years ago for <a href=”https://kennethrainey.com/writing/my-wildly-unsuccessful-book/”>my tunebook</a>, based on a Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys recording from a September 29, 1936, session in Chicago. Coincidentally, that same session produced Wills’ first recording of the Western Swing standard Steel Guitar Rag. The tune is a…

Wish I’d Stayed in the Wagon Yard

I made this simple arrangement of Wish I’d Stayed in the Wagon Yard years ago for my tunebook, based on Lowe Stokes’ recording from a November 1st, 1929, session in Atlanta, released as Columbia 15557-D. Stokes’ recording is the only version listed under the title ‘Wish I’d Stayed in the Wagon Yard’ in Tony Russell’s comprehensive…

Dance with a Gal with a Hole in Her Stocking

This transcription is based on a performance Fiddlin’ Doc Roberts recorded for the Gennett label in Richmond, Indiana, on May 15, 1928. It was released as Gennett # 6495, and on the Gennett-affiliated labels Silvertone (#8176, credited to Jim Burke) and Supertone (# 9169, also credited to Jim Burke). The recorded form is more irregular…