Polkabilly: How The Goose Island Ramblers Redefined American Folk Music Includes Cd (american Musicspheres)

A freewheeling blend of continental European folk music and the songs, tunes, and dances of Anglo and Celtic immigrants, polkabilly has enthralled American musicians and dancers since the mid-19th century. From West Virginia coal camps and east Texas farms to the Canadian prairies and America's Upper Midwest, scores of groups have wed squeezeboxes with string bands, hoe downs with hambos, and sentimental Southern balladry with comic "up north" broken-English comedy, to create a new and uniquely American sound. The Goose Island Ramblers played as a house band for a local tavern in Madison, Wisconsin from the early 1960s through the mid-1970s. The group epitomized the polkabilly sound with their wild mixture of Norwegian fiddle tunes, Irish jigs, Slovenian polkas, Swiss yodels, old time hillbilly songs, "Scandihoovian" and "Dutchman" dialect ditties, frost-bitten Hawaiian marches, and novelty numbers on the electric toilet plunger. In this original study, James P. Leary illustrates how the Ramblers' multiethnic music combined both local and popular traditions, and how their eclectic repertoire challenges prevailing definitions of American folk music. He thus offers the first comprehensive examination of the Upper Midwest's folk musical traditions within the larger context of American life and culture. Impeccably researched, richly detailed and illustrated, and accompanied by a compact disc of interviews and performances, James P. Leary's Polkabilly: How the Goose Island Ramblers Redefined American Folk Music creates an unforgettable portrait of a polkabilly band and its world. The Goose Island Ramblers Played As A House Band For A Local Tavern In Madison, Wisconsin, From The Early 1960s Through The Mid-1970s. The Groups Epitomized The Polka-billy Sound With Their Wild Mixture Of Norwegian Fiddle Tunes, Irish Jigs, Slovenian Polkas, Swiss Yodels, Old-time Hillbilly Songs, Sandihoovian And Dutchman Dialect Ditties, Frostbitten Hawaiian Marches, And Novelty Number On The Electric Toilet Plunger. In This Original Study, James P. Leary Illustrates How The Ramblers' Multi-ethnic Music Combined Both Local And Popular Traditions, And How Their Eclectic Repertoire Challenges Prevailing Definitions Of American Folk Music. He Thus Offers The First Comprehensive Examination Of The Upper Midwest's Folk Musical Traditions Within The Larger Context Of American Life And Culture.--jacket. Polkabilly : Old Time Music In The Upper Midwest -- Uncle Windy Whitford -- Smokey George Gilbertsen -- Bruce Bollerud : The Hollandale Wldcat -- Glen And Ann's -- Cannons And Cannonballs. James P. Leary. Accompanying Cd Has 65 Selections Of Representative Music. Compact Disc Track Listing: P. 239-241. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 221-237) And Index. Oxford University Press, USA Contents 12 1. Polkabilly: Old Time Music in the Upper Midwest 16 2. “Uncle Windy” Whitford 52 3. “Smokey George” Gilbertsen 86 4. Bruce Bollerud: The Hollandale Wildcat 114 5. Glen and Ann’s 144 6. Canons and Cannonballs 174 Timeline: Significant Dates Involving and Affecting the Goose Island Ramblers 198 Glossary 202 B 202 C 203 D 203 E 203 F 204 G 204 H 204 J 204 K 205 L 205 M 205 N 205 O 205 P 205 S 206 T 206 W 206 Z 206 Recordings Issued by the Goose Island Ramblers 208 Notes 214 Sources 234 Compact Disc Track Listing 252 Index 256 A 256 B 257 C 258 D 259 E 259 F 260 G 261 H 261 I 262 J 263 K 263 L 264 M 264 N 266 O 266 P 267 Q 267 R 267 S 268 T 270 U 270 V 271 W 271 Y 272 Z 272 ISBN-13:,9780195141061 While the Goose Island Ramblers are a remarkable group, they are entirely representative of the many bands who, from the 1920s through the 90s have synthesised an array of 'foreign', 'American' folk, popular, and hillbilly musical strains to entertain rural, small town, working class audiences throughout the midwest.