Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-02-17
THE BANJ0'S ORIGIN.
1T WAS LONG IN USE BEFORE TIE
DAYS OF JOE SWEENEY.
He Was an Ancient Polk Miller, ma
Had Charmed Two Continents-Thc
dents of the Famous Instrument.
DEAToNvILLE, AMELIA CO., VA.
L.ahruarv 10 1907

the day or Joe Sweeney. II was princi-
pally played on by the negroes. and was
indeed a rude and simple instrument.
The first one ever saw was made in this
way: A large gourd covered with a raw
sheep-skin served for the drum. and the
strings were OF horse-hair pulled from a
white horses tail. IL had only four
strings. / am confident that Sweeney
added the bass string. My fathers car
riage-driyer was a banjo-payer He
played two or three changeess tunes on
one cord. / saw Joe Sweeney for the
first time about 1872. while was at school
at Prince Edward Courthouse. He and
his brother Sam were together. Joe led
on the violin and Sam played the banjo.
Both had good voices, especially Sam, a
rich, full. baritone of great sweetness and
power. Even at this distant day / can
recall some Of the tunes they sarg-"Old
Dan Tucker" DO Johnnie Booker" "Ju-
llama Johnson" "Oh. susanna "The
Blue-Tailed Fly" Jim Crack Corn, and
don't Care
When l saw the brothers again the
character OF the music had somewhat
changed, and was much more sentimental
and sympathetic They rendered such
pieces as Dearest May" Rosa Lee"
Annie Of the Vale" "Nellie was Lady"
and Ellen Bayne." with wonderful ef-
feet. These airs were melodous and con-
cOrdant, and often brought tears to the
eyes Of the audience. Joe Sweeney was
above the medium 'size," and of fine pro-
portions. He had light hair and ruddy
complexion. He had wonderful facial
powers. He could change his expression
in moment from grave to comic.
NEVER OvERDID IT.
sweeney, as a negro delineator, was
inlinitable. He knew the negro well
and was perfectly natural. and. like POLK
Miller. never overdid bis work One
OF his performances always excited ap-
pause His old Virginia breakdown,
q jig tune. he danced, and made his own
music with his banjo hung around his
neck with string. Sweeney was en-
tirely uneducated; but he was naturally
bright. and he often made smart local
fits that brought down the house. Yes,
the Dispatch is right. Sweeney gave
notoriety to the banjo and brought It
into popular favor. His habits were i'm
piovident and he was the subject OF
many temptations. He lived a life OF
unselhsh generosity and died In poverty.
He spent his last days in the county
x.
about him. do not vouch for Its truth.
HIS LAST WORDS.
Just before he died, while his mind
wandered he said TO his sister: Come
here. The old banjo is out Of tune. the
screws are slipping. and the bridge IL
about to fall" These were the last words
Of the old fellow, who had charmed two
continents with his melody and song.
His brother Sam was in the cavalry
service during the war He often played
for General Stuart. and the brave troopers
would dance to his merry music, as he
sang:
III you want happy time. jine the
cavalry"
/ never heard Of him after the war.
Joe Sweeney taught me how 10 tune my
banjo and taught me the chords.
shall never forget my ecstatic pleasure
when, under his guidance, l played
Reel .fe row, my true love; oh, come
;'tone, my darling"
Since The days OF Joe Sweeney vUnder-
ful advances have been made in banjo
music, and as well as he played, he
could not compare with such players as
Shackelford, or the Davis brothers, or
Richmoad They have gone away be-
yond him in variety and technical eXecu-
ton. In fact. the mode of playing mas
changed | DO not know but one man
now who can give the real OLD jos
Sweeney touch, and that is Polk Miller
He can do II when he wants to- In
my early days my banjo served me a
good turn.
A GOOD TURN.
when I went TO Princeton College
carried my banjo with me. No one had
ever seen the instrument in the town.
|
was the recipient of much hospitality and
good-cheer. l cannot say that my banjo
added anything to my scholastic prom
cheney. While at Princeton | organized
minstrel troupe. In 1851 | took long
and tedious journey TO the far-on state OF
Texas. | rode mule 200 miles. ana had
my banjo strapped on my back.
ARKANSAS S-TRAVELLER STORY.
The old instrument often gave ME
home and shelter at night. ] Will recall
an incident on a terrible stormy Gay
rode up TO Il log shanty covered WIN
raw-hldes. / hallooed outside, ana aIter
a while a woman came to the door ana
asked me what wanted. | told her that
| WAS a traveller and wanted snelter
from the pitlless storm. In sharp voice
she said: "You can't stay here; tne oiu
man Is gone up the river after pine-Kho's'
ard me and de child'en Is all by our
selves: and you can't stay" | begged ana
lmplored. and I thought there might be
some talismanic power in the name Nlr-
.,lula. As a final appeal L told her was
a Virginia gentleman.
"Oh." She said. "go away win your 1901
talk. The last man who stayed mere saIu
he was from Virginia, and he stole every
spoon In the house,
After a while she saw my banjo ana
sh. asked what IL was. / told her. she
soId: 'Will IL make a pretty racket
| said: "Oh. yes. / will play for you.
Sine said: Come in and stay as long as
Won want 10. | amt he'p1 no music since
left Tennessee" The next day 1 started
an INV lonely Journey, with the promise
that IL ever came that way | would call
10 see her.
FIRST CONCERT.
T, about six weeks | reached the Cuff
of Mexico TO take the steamer for NV
orleans homeward bound. IL was u
stormy time and the boat could not
make the landing For several days l
waited I'm the hotel at Post Layacca.
While there an incid mt occurred that
made me give my first concert. n poor
German woman, with four little children'
whose husband had fallen overheard on
tho voyage. was on the dock without
money or friends. The citizns asked me
TO give an entertainment for her oeneht.
1 consented to do so. The whole town
turned out TO hear me. We secur-u ~
for the helpless stranger The next morn
ing / went to see her and gave her the
money. She got down on her knees. ana
with streaming eyes she thanked me
over and over again. l remember that
woman's face. though most half CEN
tury has passed away. That greeting OF
gratitude was the happl-st moment OF
my poor life.
But where am I drifting? Alas! l am
no longer a banjo-player. My fingers are
old and stlff The chords respond no
more TO my uncertain touch: my voice IS
cracked and tuneless. The old banjo Is
unstrung and silent. but even now, III
soma lone hour. / think j hear the re-
frain OF the sweet old songs l sang long
ago mingling with the tones OF my o-d
battered banjo played when boy.
JOHNNIE REB.
JOE SWEENEY AND HIS BANJO.
Another story COrrObOratiye as 10
the Origin OF the Instrument