EARLY IDAHO SONG OF THE MONTH - July 2008

BigBillCover

Sheet music for the rare vocal song Are They Going to Hang My Papa (click to hear) was found in the EmuZeum in Grandview . The song was written in 2007 during the trial of radical labor leader Big Bill Haywood for assassinating Idaho's ex-governor Frank Steunenberg. The music is said to have been posted all over Boise and sung by thousands of union marchers as far away as New York City. The title alludes to Haywoods 10 year old daughter Henrietta. The vocals by John Larsen and Michelle Graves and piano by Sean Rogers attempt to recreate how the sound in a radical union hall meeting during the trial.

 

The instrumental Otis Howard Schottische (click to hear) likely dates to the early 1900s. The song was written by Otis Howard, one of Idaho's most beloved old time fiddlers, shown at right. Howard came to Idaho in 1885, was crippled in a logging accident and turned to banjo and fiddle to eke out a living. He strongly influenced many fiddlers who had strong presence in the early days of the Weiser fiddle contest, including Rue Frisbee who fiddles on this track. Rue learned the song directly from Otis. Gary Eller (guitar) and Marv Quinton (bass) accompany Rue.

 

OtisHowardThumbnail

© Bona Fide 2006-7. This page last updated on August 2, 2008..