Southwest Virginians Play For Phonograph Records In New York |
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'Fiddlin'' John Dykes on the Violin, Doc Boggs on the Banjo, and Preacher Johnson Play for Brunswick Company ------------------ BIG STONE GAP, Va. March 23?--Southwest Virginia will again be in the limelight and the name of Wise County will again be brought to the lips of the public when the six records made in New York this week for the Brunswick Balke Collender Company of the folk songs of the mountains in this section, played on arranged instruments such as the violin, guitar, banjo and autoharp by the mountain folk, and recorded by mountain people of Southwest Virginia, are released within a few weeks. These records were made by John Dykes known throughout this section as 'Fiddlin'' Dykes where he has worked at the mines in Dorchester, Josephine, and other places for a number of years and is considered one of the best old time musicians anywhere. He fiddles to perfection all the old tunes used for the dances at the mountain homes which are so vividly portrayed in the novels of John Fox Jr., when his characters go to the big "shin-digs" from which time is usually dated such as corn huskings, annual bean stringings and molasses stir-offs. Doc Boggs of Pardee, Va., who had never seen a street car nor been in a city until he went to New York to make these records of mountain tunes, played the banjo which recorded perfectly and he made a great "hit" with the officials of the company. Mr. Dykes, Mr. Boggs and Preacher Johnson of Wise, Va. were chosen at a try out at the Norton Hotel in Norton, Va., at which time 20 of the best old time musicians of Wise County played on string instruments in order that the two officials of the Company might select the best for recording the Music of the Mountains. Mr. Dykes was assisted in New York by Miss Myrtle Vermillion of Gate City and G. Hub Mahaffrey of Kingsport who with Mr. Dykes composes the famous "Magic City Trio."
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