I`ve recorded quite a few numbers solo, just me singin` with my fiddle. I`ve recorded with Riley Puckett on guitar, Fate Norris on banjer (these were my 2 favorites to record with) my brother, Arthur Tanner, my son, Gordon Tanner, Clayton McMichen, Lowe Stokes, Bert Layne, Oscar Ford, Ted Hawkins, Dan Hornsby, Hugh Cross, Frank Walker, K.D. Malone, Mel Dupree, and likely a few others that I can`t recall right now.
Influences
I learned from my family & folks around home. Weren`t no such thing as radios or records when I was learnin`, but there was a few of them old Edison cylinders around.
Sounds Like
Georgia Yellow Hammers, Fiddlin` John Carson & his Virginia Reelers, Earl Johnson, Uncle Bud Landress, Fiddlin` John Carson solo, A.A. Gray
My given name is James Gideon Tanner and I was born at Thomas Bridge, Georgia on June 6th, 1885. I started learnin` to play the fiddle when I was 14 after one of my uncles died and willed a fiddle to me. I grew up to make a chicken farmer and a fiddler. When I finally married and settled down we moved to Dacula, Georgia in Gwinnet County. I got pretty well known around home for fiddlin` and singin` at the same time, I can pick a banjer too. They started them big fiddlin` contests down to Atlanta in 1913 and called it The Georgia Old-Time Fiddler`s Convention. I beleive I missed the first one, but hit about all of them after that. I even won it in 1928, and come close several other times. I think they had the last contest there about 1935. It was along about the time they started the contests that I started goin` to Atlanta and playin` on the street when it was too wet to work on the farm to make a little extra change. That`s how I met most of the ones I picked with and recorded with like Riley Puckett and Fate Norris. In the early 20`s they got that big radio station in Atlanta called WSB. We played on the radio some and was some of the first country music ever played on the radio in the nation along with ole Fiddlin` John Carson. In June of 1923 Fiddlin` John Carson made the first issued country record for the OKeh company. It always seemed like everybody got a kick out of me fiddlin` and singin` at the same time, and my double-barrelled voice that some call falsetto. Some how or other Frank Walker of the Columbia record company heard of me bein` pretty popular `round Atlanta and sent for me to come to New York City in March of 1924 to make some records for them so his company could compete with OKeh. I got a hold of Riley Puckett to go with me and we made some records. I made some records solo and so did Riley, and we played together on a few too. The first number I recorded was Boll Weevil Blues on March 7th, 1924 was solo, just me singin` with my fiddle playin`. My first record they actually put out though was Columbia 110-D with Buckin` Mule and Hen Cackle on it. Columbia also put out some of our numbers on some other labels they owned under different names, also known as you know. They came out on Harmony, Silvertone and Regal under names like Gibbs & Watson which was me and Riley, Tom Carter which was just me and Carter and Wilson which was me and Riley. I never did understand why they done that. So, me and Riley recorded a few more times in New York till October 3rd, 1925 when the record company got a portable recording outfit and come down to Atlanta to record. It was then that me and Fate Norris recorded together for the first time. Then in April of 1926 Frank Walker got the idea of some of the other Atlanta pickers he was recording to make a group with me. They called us Gid Tanner & His Skillet Lickers and had me, Riley, Fate Norris, and two more fiddler`s named Clayton McMichen and Bert Layne. We sure made some big sellers for Columbia. We all recorded together as the Skillet Lickers and also teamed up a few groups out of different combinations of us to make some records too. We all recorded for Columbia till October of 1931 when the depression busted Columbia. Then in March of 1934 me, Riley, Ted Hawkins and my son, Gordon Tanner, went plum to San Antonio, Texas to record for Bluebird. This was the last time I recorded for a big outfit like Columbia or Bluebird. We made a bunch of records for them in just a day or two. One was a huge hit called Down Yonder. It was so popular they even put it on 45rpm records when they came out. My son Gordon fiddled on that and boy if he didn`t just tear it up. After that, I just played around locally the at political rallies and such as that. I even won a fiddlin` contest once when I was 71. I reckon that about sums it all up.
GID TANNER my beloved: Could you hardly realize my joy to receive you here on My Space site and be able to share your friendship and music. Your magical fiddler and your so superb tuneful voice, beautiful and god gifted, did make the dancing bash in those so glorious days of music and splendor of yours. To me it sounds as a real shame for your birth country not to give more importance to so brilliant a country star such as GID TANNER. All songs written down by you are topping and must have knocked out many music listeners worldwide. Must I cordially thank whoever been running this site and thus helping to divulge GID TANNER's superb art, that I also adore. I promise to do my part, sending his image and songs to those closer friends of mine. Songs such as "I ain't no better now" and " I'm satisfied" are my best-loved numbers and deserve much more being shown to a much larger audience of country music I guess. My felicitations sincere. Wherever you GID TANNER are, for the beauty of his rural songs, I hope your name will live on in history, my whole life through, as an example of that real "minstrel of the woods" you positively were. I feel myself honored and proud to be here paying you this fraternal tribute, for all that lovely music and poetry you beguiled many admirers with and could I never be an exception. I love you and your impeccable art ! May the world's eyes and ears turn straightly to your marvelous rural music, to me you are a man of real repute, an accomplished musician, unfortunately not so known and appreciated in his own country for lack of cultural interest and support from the local press. God bless you and please accept a sincere embrace from your Brazilian admirer, ever,
If you have a band and would like to work in western central Massachusetts, I may be able to help book you. I started NC Booking back in '89 when I was booking a few bands from Scotland and Ireland. Now, 20 years later, I'm still booking great roots music acts. To find out more, visit http://northamptoncommunity.ning.com where you can REGISTER. Thanks!
"Ticklin' The Strings" by Sweet Hollywaiians
Amazing Japanese hot string band playing 1920's, 30's, 40's style hawaiian, swing, calypso, blues, italian music and originals,featuring vintage instruments.3 songs with Robert Armstrong and Tony Marcus(from Robert Crumb and His Cheap Suit Serenaders)
"The Sweet Hollywaiians have probably the best feel for this 20's music of any string band working today. They manage the rare feat of sounding relaxed even when their playing is hot, are top notch musicians with tasteful arrangements and a full, rich, warm sound.Plus, they have a nice gamut of tunes, from King Nawahi to Giovanni Vicari to Bobby Leecan. See them live, if you can, for an unforgettable experience. If you can't, buy their Cds!" ~ Terry Zwigoff
Thanks for all your support! The show went really well at the Laugh Factory, and the turnout was great!
If you couldn't make it, I have uploaded to my profile seven ten-minute segments from this outstanding variety show featuring Old Time Music, magic, dance, comedy and fun!
Hello, it's me, Ruby Jane.To those who don't know me, I am a 14 year old fiddler, songwriter. I have some songs posted that are fresh out of the studio. Let me know if you like the new songs..be one of the first to hear, even before they are released!Thanks! new videos too! Ruby Jane
