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salo l musi I here are hard times on moun­ being aware that there was anyone er Hattie (nee Frost), who played fid­ reco tain people, but they have their who didn't make music. She wanted dle and recorded with her husband Recq Tmusic and culture and sad to play the after hearing her many times, including 26 recordings and songs and good songs - they pull grandfather William 'Bill' Frost tell at the Bristol Sessions in 1927, where This I through because they're persever­ how he had fallen in love as a young it was quoted in one newspaper ass is ance-type people. They're strong. barefoot boy with a young girl he saw report that Ernest was supported by Rani They don't fall by the wayside [ ___ ] riding on a waggon and playing banjo simply 'a matron' - she was denied Hen and I love 'em very very much, and in clawhammer style. The waggon the courtesy of being named. WO I'm not gonna let an audience down! train had stopped off in GALAX Rani retains a deep affection for her ing You don't do that! That's for wussies! Virginia on its travells through the family, and particularly her parents - whe I (Rani Stoneman, quoted in an inter­ mountain trails. Rani's elder brother Ernest V. 'Pop' Stoneman, inventive man view with Chris Ziegler) Calvin Scott 'Scotty' Stoneman (best and generous, and Hattie, with good tice.l known as a phenomenal fiddler) sense, humour, and a gift for mimicry. had Veronica Loretta 'Rani' Stoneman, of taught her to play in the new style of Both had strong characters that car­ the legendary Stoneman family from Earl Scruggs and encouraged her with ried their family through periods of the Galax area of Virginia, earned the help and good advice - at one time, chronic deprivation. They also raised title of 'First Lady of Banjo' at the age when she had been barred from win­ their children (who had exceptional of 17 by playing 'Lonesome road ning a Vega banjo in a contest musical talent but were not scholas­ blues' for Mike Seeger to record. The because she was a girl, he entered tic: Rani developed her reading abili­ recording was released on the that same contest a year later and won ty not from school readers but from Folkways album American banjo: a "VEGA" banjo for her. The banjo John Harrington Cox's Folk songs of J tunes and songs in Scruggs style contest was by no means the only the South (1925)) in a tradition of (1957), which is generally accepted instance of gender discrimination that being not just musicians but entertain­ as the first LP of . Rani suffered. In a relatively mild ers. Artists such as Cousin Emmy, Lily example from her teens, another high­ The vicissitudes of the Stonemans May Ledford, and Molly O'Day had school student (now a universally both as a family and as a musical previously recorded banjo-playing in respected banjo-player) refused to group are chronicled in Ivan Tribe's older styles; Rani became the first admit that she, a girl, could play The Stonemans: an Appalachian fam­ woman to play 3 finger style pickin' Scruggs-style banjo. ily and the music that shaped their and to go on to record playing Though in some respects women per­ lives. When the group's career was Scruggs-style banjo. formers seem to have had more crippled by their manager's failings, Rani recalls growing up without recognition in the early decades of its members had to cope as best they recorded , Rani's moth- could as individuals. Rani, responsi-

BLUEGRASSEUROPE · BB/20 13 ble for her young children and coping rece1vmg Rani and with the effects of abusive marriages her husband Tom in THE ROMI STOMEM.A.M STORY (chronicled in her own book, Pressing our house for four on: the Rani Stoneman story as told to days, and she may be Ellen Wright), had to forge a new the most remarkable career for herself. A new TV series, person either of us '', combining comedy and has ever met. She is a country music, was an ideal vehicle walking treasure­ for her talents. Rani joined a bunch of house of songs and of banjo-players ranging from stories from her fami­ Stringbean and Grandpa Jones to Roy ly history and from Clark, Buck Trent, and Bobby the history of old­ Thompson. In the Stonemans' own time, bluegrass, and group her sister Donna had featured country music; her as the dancer; on 'Hee Haw' it was sense of pitch makes Rani whose dancing - even with the an electronic tuner weight of a Mastertone to support - superfluous; she is held the attention. She also blos­ completely open and somed as a comedian and comic ready to talk to any­ actor, creating the character of Ida Lee one; and she is Nagger, the Ironing Woman. Rani was extremely, acutely, a cast member for twenty-three years, and often outrageous­ and has subsequently kept active as a ly funny, as audi­ solo performer or fronting a country ences in Dublin and music band. Since 2008 she has the rest of Ireland can recorded two albums on the Patuxent now testify. We look Records label with her sisters Patsy forward to her prom­ and Donna. ised video remake of This brief piece is written without the 'Stand by your man', assistance of Ivan Tribe's Stonemans, with Rani singing it in Rani's own Pressing on, or Murphy the character of a bat­ Henry's new Pretty good for a girl: tered trailer-park wife ... women in bluegrass. However, judg­ Any attempt to portray such a Protean she-is-crazy-isnt-she) is enjoyable ing by recent experience I doubt character is bound to be inadequate; reading, and you should also view the whether any publications, however but Chris Ziegler's interview article, Patuxent Records YouTube video many or large, will do the subject jus­ 'Rani Stoneman: She is crazy, isn't made when the three Stoneman sis­ tice. My wife Carol and I have just she?' (http://larecord.com/inter­ ters made their first album on the had the pleasure and privilege of views/ 2009/0 1/26/ron i-stoneman- label: http:/ /watch ?v=3 H2 PyUk7 e4E.

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