Picked up a new tune at Wintergrass; "I've Endured." This song has been covered by many, but I like to go back to the original. Man she wrote a mess of great tunes!
Picked up a new tune at Wintergrass; "I've Endured." This song has been covered by many, but I like to go back to the original. Man she wrote a mess of great tunes!
Way back decades ago, I used to religiously attend an old time festival called Brandywine and Ola Belle played there just about every year esp in the beginning. She was a real character.
I am involved in a non-profit organization called the Field Recorders' Collective. We put out non-commercial recordings. We pay generous royalties to the families of performers we issue. We have a disc of Ola Belle live performances available here. There are notes about her here.
You can see our full catalog here.
Apologies for our antiquated web site. We are in the process of updating.
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
She also wrote "High on a Mountain" covered by Del and Hot Rize.
2010 Heiden A5, 2020 Pomeroy oval A, 2013 Kentucky KM1000 F5, 2012 Girouard A Mandola w ff holes, 2001 Old Wave A oval octave
http://HillbillyChamberMusic.bandcamp.com
Videos: https://www.youtube.com/@hillbillychambermusic
No financial interest here, but the Field Recorders' Collective is a great resource for old time recordings of the masters. You have to be able to put up with the recording quality at times, but it is great to hear how some of the legends played and to hear what they played.
Michael Daves routinely closes his monthly NYC BG jam with I've Endured - and it may be a sly editorial comment on some of the hacks, like me, who show up! I can live with that.
She's the real deal.
Bill
IM(NS)HO
Sorry to dredge up a zombie thread, but I just discovered Ola Belle a week ago. I am astonished.
Already covering her version of Bonapartes Retreat on mando, she does it in C, but I知 doing D for an easier solo. And some other folks do it in D.
Going to add a few more in the ensuing weeks. I love her music
============
~Music self-played is happiness self-made
覧覧覧覧覧
Loar LM-590
Kentucky KM-272
Yup great version by Timmy O out there
Stormy Morning Orchestra
My YouTube Channel
"Mean Old Timer, He's got grey hair, Mean Old Timer he just don't care
Got no compassion, thinks its a sin
All he does is sit around an play the Mandolin"
I've recently discovered I've Endured. My friends really enjoy playing and singing it. I'll try to find High on a Mountain and give it a listen.
Ola Belle Reed's nephew, Zane Campbell, also has some amazing songs.
My favorites are "Post Mortem Bar" and "Lost So Long". He also recently made an EP of some Olla Belle Reed songs.
https://zanecampbell.bandcamp.com/album/zane-campbell
I knew Ola Belle, her husband, Bud, and son, David. They lived an hour from me and I used to hire them for shows and see them at jams. She was an amazing person who wrote some great songs. The last time I saw her she was bedridden after a stroke but that feisty streak was still detectable if muted under the weight of her compromised health. Her songs and philosophy were strong. Here's an article about a friend who wrote a book about Ola Bellehttps://inwinsr.wordpress.com/2010/0...o-pickin-girl/ Here is a link to the book. https://www.elderly.com/a-banjo-pick...pbell-reed.htm
Dust to Digital has a book about her. We played the first two Ola Belle Reed festivals in Lansing, NC. Not sure if that festival is still going on or not.
I have a draft of another book that was never published but is full of good information her.
Ivan Dured, lived next door to me.
John A. Karsemeyer
I've come to see a lot of similarities to Robert Johnson in her songs. This is one of my favorites:
And this is my favorite cover of I've Endured:
Really nice rendition by Mandolin Orange! I've heard about them for a while, but never explored their music. On the list now.
The first time I ever heard "I've Endured" was in the middle of this three-tune medley (in between "Key Signator" and "Chinquapin Hunting"), done by a group of teenagers who are now recognizable adult musicians. Jaws dropped.
still trying to turn dreams into memories
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
We have done " I've endured for several years, love Ola Belle. Her husband Bud has a great recording of High on a Mountain, complete with yodeling.
THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!
Bookmarks