This week’s TOTW is Coleman’s March. It’s one of those tunes with an interesting story behind it. Apparently, fiddling Joe Coleman was (wrongly) accused and convicted of murdering his wife. He was sentenced to death by hanging. On the way to the gallows he played a dirge-like tune that is now called Coleman’s March. Before he was hanged, he promised his fiddle to anyone who could play the tune better than he did. A nice synopsis of the story can be found here:
http://nativeground.com/the-hanging-of-fiddlin-joe-coleman/
The tune originates in western Kentucky. It is actually a slowed down version of an old Irish song called “The Irish Jaunting Car.” During the Civil War, the words of the song were changed and the song “Bonnie Blue Flag” was created. It became one of the most popular songs in the Confederacy. A synopsis of the tune’s origin at the fiddler’s companion:
COLEMAN'S MARCH [2]. AKA and see "The Bonnie Blue Flag," "The Jaunting Car." Old-Time, March (6/8 time). USA, Kentucky. The melody was played by fiddler Pat Kingery (1912-1976), born in Glasgow, Warren County, Kentucky, a remote region, and was also in the repertoire of Sammy Walker; it was recorded by Red Belcher (on Page Records, c. 1947). D.K. Wilgus and Jim Nelson state it was pretty a common fiddle tune in Warren, Metcalfe, and Monroe Counties in south-central Kentucky. The melody is cognate with the Confederate anthem “The Bonny Blue Flag,” especially as played by Hoyt Ming (see Homestead 103, “New Hot Times”). Wilgus stated that “Bonny Blue Flag” was derived from an Irish song in 6/8 time called “The Jaunting Car,” but many fail to see the connection. The original linking of “Jaunting Car” and “Bonnie Blue Flag” may have come from Sigmund Spaeth’s History of Popular Music in America.
Older recordings of Coleman’s March are hard to come by. Reports say that Bruce Greene collected the tune as recorded by Kentucky fiddler Gene Connor in 1962.
Vermont fiddler Pete Sutherland recorded the tune in 1982 on his album: Eight Miles From Town. This recording is credited with the increased popularity of the tune. I will try to post a link to a clip below.
http://slippery-hill.com/DDAD/ColemanMarch.mp3
My first exposure to the tune was thru a great youtube recording by Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer.:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_bBRhaN6v8
I immediately fell in love with the tune and set out to figure out my own version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dY-0W6Z7IIs
There are numerous excellent recordings on youtube posted by BHO members. Here are just a few:
Don Borchelt:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RiX080H73s
Brad and Ken Kolodner:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbrcwtENWxA
Cathy and Adam Hurt:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JM4b45-Vgnw
And, of course, (RIP) Dave Hum:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwOJyCHtqq8
This is a great tune in the key of D that I think everyone should learn.