Roots of American Fiddle Music - Early Fiddlers
Charlie and Ira Stripling

Read more about Charlie Stripling from  Joyce Cauthen's article Alabama's Most Recorded Fiddler  from her wonderful book,  With Fiddle and Well-Rosined Bow, available from University of Alabama Press.

Charlie Stripling was born just outside of Kennedy, Alabama in 1896 and was one of the premier fiddlers of the south during the 1920's.  He, along with his brother Ira, recorded many wonderful and unusual tunes that displayed his remarkable liquid tone, admired by many.  He attributed his main source to Uncle Plez Carroll, a  local dance fiddler he heard as a young boy.  Charlie won many contests during his career and continued to play  regularly with his family and others at various community functions until the 1950's as well as  continuing to maintain his farm. He wrote many of his own tunes, such as Kennedy Rag,  which are still standard fare for current oldtime fiddlers, and was adept at many styles of playing other than just breakdowns, which contributed  greatly to his  popularity.  By 1963, he had contracted severe arthritis and no longer had a fiddle in the house and died in 1966.
  The following is in part from Jane Keefer's Folk Song Database. Stripling Brothers
   Appearance as principal performer

  1. Big Bully
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 2 1934- 1936, Document DOCD-8008, track # 10
  2. Big Eyed Rabbit
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 1 1928 - 1934, Document DOCD-8007, track # 7
  3. Big Footed Man in the Sandy Lot
    • Lost Child, County 401C (1971), cut # 12
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 1 1928 - 1934, Document DOCD-8007, track # 1
  4. Big Four
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 2 1934- 1936, Document DOCD-8008, track # 13
  5. Birmingham Jail 
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 2 1934- 1936, Document DOCD-8008, track # 1
  6. Boatsman's Delight
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 2 1934- 1936, Document DOCD-8008, track # 17
  7. Chinese Breakdown
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 2 1934- 1936, Document DOCD-8008, track # 7
  8. Coal Mine Blues
    • Lost Child, County 401C (1971), cut # 2 
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 1 1928 - 1934, Document DOCD-8007, track # 10
  9. Coal Valley
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 2 1934- 1936, Document DOCD-8008, track # 11
  10. California Blues
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 2 1934- 1936, Document DOCD-8008, track # 20
  11. Dance All Night With A Bottle In My Hand 
    • Lost Child, County 401C (1971), cut # 9 
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 1 1928 - 1934, Document DOCD-8007, track # 3
  12. Down On The L. N. Railroad 
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 2 1934- 1936, Document DOCD-8008, track # 3
  13. Forty Drops
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 2 1934- 1936, Document DOCD-8008, track # 18
  14. Flop Eared Mule
    • Lost Child, County 401C (1971), cut # 5 
  15. Get Off Your Money
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 1 1928 - 1934, Document DOCD-8007, track # 
  16. Horse Shoe Bend
    • Lost Child, County 401C (1971), cut # 3 
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 1 1928 - 1934, Document DOCD-8007, track # 4
  17. I Don't Love Nobody
    • Lost Child, County 401C (1971), cut # 11 
  18. June Rose Waltz
    • Lost Child, County 401C (1971), cut # 4 
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 1 1928 - 1934, Document DOCD-8007, track # 14
  19. Kennedy Rag
    • Lost Child, County 401C (1971), cut # 6 
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 1 1928 - 1934, Document DOCD-8007, track # 8
  20. Late In the Evening
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 2 1934- 1936, Document DOCD-8008, track # 9
  21. Lost Child
    • Old Time Fiddle Classics, County 507 (), cut # 8 
    • Lost Child, County 401C (1971), cut # 1 
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 1 1928 - 1934, Document DOCD-8007, track # 2
  22. Lost John
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 1 1928 - 1934, Document DOCD-8007, track # 6
  23. Mayflower 
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 2 1934- 1936, Document DOCD-8008, track # 15
  24. Midnight Waltz
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 1 1928 - 1934, Document DOCD-8007, track # 13
  25. Moonlight Waltz
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 1 1928 - 1934, Document DOCD-8007, track # 12
  26. My Isle of Golden Dreams
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 2 1934- 1936, Document DOCD-8008, track # 16
  27. New Born Blues
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 1 1928 - 1934, Document DOCD-8007, track # 9
  28. Over The Waves
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 1 1928 - 1934, Document DOCD-8007, track # 
  29. Pallet On the Floor
    • Lost Child, County 401C (1971), cut # 8 
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 2 1934- 1936, Document DOCD-8008, track # 14
  30. Possum Hollow
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 2 1934- 1936, Document DOCD-8008, track # 2
  31. Railroad Bum 
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 1 1928 - 1934, Document DOCD-8007, track # 16
  32. Ranger's Hornpipe 
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 1 1928 - 1934, Document DOCD-8007, track # 
  33. Red River Waltz (La Valse De La Riviere Rouge) 
    • Lost Child, County 401C (1971), cut # 10 
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 1 1928 - 1934, Document DOCD-8007, track # 11
  34. Salty Dog
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 1 1928 - 1934, Document DOCD-8007, track # 21
  35. Silver Lake Waltz 
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 1 1928 - 1934, Document DOCD-8007, track # 19
  36. Soft Voices
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 2 1934- 1936, Document DOCD-8008, track # 19
  37. Spanish Flang Dang
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 2 1934- 1936, Document DOCD-8008, track # 21
  38. Sweet Silas 
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 2 1934- 1936, Document DOCD-8008, track # 6
  39. Wednesday Night-Waltz
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 2 1934- 1936, Document DOCD-8008, track # 5
  40. Weeping Willow
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 1 1928 - 1934, Document DOCD-8007, track # 17
  41. When Shadows Fade Away
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 2 1934- 1936, Document DOCD-8008, track # 8 
  42. Whiskers
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 2 1934- 1936, Document DOCD-8008, track # 4
  43. Wolves Howling (Le Reel Du Charretier) 
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 1 1928 - 1934, Document DOCD-8007, track # 18
  44. You Are Always in My Dreams
    • Lost Child, County 401C (1971), cut # 7
    • The Stripling Brothers Vol 2 1934- 1936, Document DOCD-8008, track #

 
 
 

 

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