Tennessee Ramblers aka the Sievers Ramblers
Source: Second Hand Songs
The Tennessee Ramblers, aka the Sievers Ramblers, were a string band based in Tennessee, not to be confused with the Tennessee Ramblers of North Carolina, a country western band. These Ramblers consisted of Fiddlin Bill Sievers (b 1875), James Mack Sievers (son b 1904) on banjo and Willie Sievers Wiggins (daughter b 1909) at guitar. Bill was a barber when not performing music. Walter McKinney, Bill's cousin, played steel guitar with the Ramblers and appeared on their 1929 session. The Ramblers recorded from 1928 to 1930, documentation and matrices for Vocalion for the latter year lost.
The Ramblers had formed in 1922. As they toured they performed at radio stations in Tennessee and Ohio. In latter February of 1928 the Ramblers trio recorded six sides in Ashland, Kentucky, put together as 'Arkansas Traveler' / 'Cackling Pullet' (Brunswick 225), 'A Fiddler's Contest' / 'Satisfied' (Brunswick 257) and 'The Preacher Got Drunk and Laid Down His Bible' / 'Medley of Mountain Songs' (Brunswick 259). The 1929 session also in Ashland saw six titles issued as 'Rambler's March' / 'Give the Fiddlers a Dram' (Vocalion 5362), 'Garbage Can Blues' / 'Tennessee Traveler' (Vocalion 5378), 'Hawaiian Medley' (Vocalion 5394) and 'My Dear Old Sunny South (Vocalion 5398). Per above, a session in Knoxville in 1930 is lost ['Country Music Records' Tony Russell]. Titles below are listed in matrix order by date:
'Arkansas Traveler' Tennessee Ramblers
17 Feb 1928 in Ashland, Kentucky Matrix AL310 Brunswick 225 / Supertone S2083
Composition: Sandford C. Faulkner Pub by Mose Case 1863
'Satisfied' Tennessee Ramblers
17 Feb 1928 in Ashland, Kentucky Matrix AL312 Brunswick 257
Composition: Traditional
'Cackling Pullet' Tennessee Ramblers
17 Feb 1928 in Ashland, Kentucky Matrix AL314 Brunswick 225 / Supertone S2083
Composition: Traditional (A pullet is a female chicken less than one year old)
'The Preacher Got Drunk and Laid His Bible Down' Tennessee Ramblers
17 Feb 1928 in Ashland, Kentucky Matrix AL316 Brunswick 259 / Supertone S2063
Composition: version of 'Alabama Bound' by Robert Hoffman 1909
'Medley of Mountain Songs' Tennessee Ramblers
'Hop Out Ladies' 'Marching Through Georgia' 'Little Brown Jug'
18 Feb 1928 in Ashland, Kentucky Matrix AL327 Brunswick 259 / Supertone S2063
Compositions:
'Marching Through Georgia' Henry Clay 1865
'Little Brown Jug' Joseph Eastburn Winner 1869
'Garbage Can Blues' Tennessee Ramblers
27 Aug 1929 in Knoxville, Tennessee Matrix K100 Vocalion 5378
Composition: Sievers
'Rambler's March' Tennessee Ramblers
27 Aug 1929 in Knoxville, Tennessee Matrix K102 Vocalion 5362
Composition: Seivers (Sievers)
'In My Dear Old Sunny South' Tennessee Ramblers
27 Aug 1929 in Knoxville, Tennessee Matrix K103 Vocalion 5398
Composition: Ellsworth T. Cozzens / Jimmie Rodgers 1928
'Hawaiian Medley' Tennessee Ramblers
27 Aug 1929 in Knoxville, Tennessee Matrix K105 Vocalion 5394
Compositions: ?
Though the Ramblers ceased recording in 1930 they were far from finished as a group. McKinney departed in 1931 but was replaced by mandolin player, Jerry Taylor. As the Ramblers toured the Southeast they were joined by JT Jones in 1938. The group finally disbanded upon Bill's death in 1956, after which Mack and Willie formed Mack's Novelty Hawaiians. That group, for which Joe Adkins played drums, performed locally in Knoxville into seventies.
Sources & References for the Tennessee Ramblers:
Eugene Chadbourne (All Music) VF History (notes)
Recordings: Discographies: 45 Worlds Discogs Music Brainz SHS
Recordings: Sessionographies: DAHR (1928-29)
Repertoire:
The Arkansas Traveler (Sandford C. Faulkner / pub by Mose Case 1863):
The Preacher Got Drunk and Laid His Bible Down (version of Alabama Bound written by Robert Hoffman in 1909):
Bluegrass Messengers Weenie Campbell Forum Wikipedia
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