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Chase County Kansas Historical Sketches

1863 - 2003



History of County Music

Country western songs as we know them today aren't something new that have sprung up in the last 20 years or so; actually the hillbilly type of song is the oldest form of all American songs,

Some were composed when the early English and Irish settlers settled at Jamestown Va, The old brass reed type of harmonica, the guitar, and the fiddle were the only musical instruments the settlers brought along, That is wlry they wrote most of the melodies very simply, so that they could be played upon those instruments, The same three instruments are still popular today with the country-western singers, but they have added the string bass, and then later developed the steel guitar and accordian.

Many of the songs are written from true-to-life stories of their broken love affairs, train wrecks, storms, and other types of tragedies These songs reach into the human heart and leave a lasting impression. The early Homesteaders kept pushing westward and when one valley was all taken up, the newcomers would move into the next valley, homestead and settle down. Their only form of amusement was their singing and playing of the old songs the knew and each evening after supper they would gather around a log fire and sing these old songs The songs were sung and handed down from generation to generation. Just about everybody sang in his own way, even the soldiers as they went to war, During the Mexican border war flare-ups, the soldiers used to sing an old war song ''Green Grow The Lilacs.''

The Mexicans heard this song sung so often by the soldiers. that they called the Americans "Gringos" (Green Grows): and that name has stuck to us ever since. Then along carne songs like "Sourwood \lourrtain''. '`Sweet Betsy from Pike'', "Old Rattler" and the numorous types of songs. In addition there were old square dance fiddle tunes: such as "Turkey Irr the Straw'', "Devil's Dream". ''Raggtime Annie''. "Old Joe Clark ". "Buffalo Gals", etc. These types of Songs kept growing in popularity with the country and mountain folks and later spread to the cities.

And so, as a result of these old tunes being handed from generation to generation, the Kansas Oldtime Fiddlers, Pickers and Singers Association was formed in 1966, The purpose being to promote, encourage and preserve oldtime music and its re- lated skills, There are, now, six chapters in the State. Each, meeting on Sunday afternoons, once a month, to play and sing, for their own pleasure and entertainment. They have also gained in popularity, and the spectator crowds have grown to several hundred each meeting. "there are chapters in Blue Mound, Kansas; Tecumseh, Kansas; Lallarpe, Kansas; Cottonwood Falls, Kansas; Osawatomie, Kansas and Yates Center, Kansas

An Annual Fes- tival is held each year, so all members can get together and compete for prizes, and have pleasure, as well as an annual membership meeting, to tend to the business affairs of the State Association.

Written by: Margaret Stewart, Secretary KOFf)&S Cottonwood Falls, Kansas

Chase County Centennial, 1872 - 1972




Chase County Submitted Historical Sketches
compiled and abstracted from the Chase County Courant, Chase County Leader, other sources and newspapers
by Lorna Marvin
Please submit your historical sketches.



Return to Chase County Submitted Historical Sketches


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