Uncle Am Stuart
Encyclopedia
Ambrose Gaines "Uncle Am" Stuart (1853–1926) was an American Old-time
fiddle player. After winning various fiddle contests across the Southern Appalachia
n region in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Stuart made several recordings in June 1924 that would later prove influential in the development of early Country music
.
Stuart was born near Morristown, Tennessee
in 1853. He learned to play fiddle at a young age, picking up a number of tunes from Civil War
soldiers who passed through the area in the 1860s, and learning techniques while wandering though post-Civil War African-American camps. His later style represented a fusion of Civil War tunes and Appalachian folk music
. By the time he had gained regional fame as a fiddle player in the early 1900s, Stuart was working as a safe and vault salesman.
Noting the success of the Okeh recordings of Fiddlin' John Carson
in 1923, Vocalion Records
sought to recruit its own Southern mountain musicians, and the following year invited several Southern Appalachian musicians to New York
to record, among them Uncle Am Stuart. The 14 sides Stuart recorded included the first known recordings of the Appalachian folk songs Cumberland Gap
and "Forked Deer," early renditions of the oft-played fiddle tunes "Grey Eagle" and "Old Granny Rattletrap," and early renderings of later bluegrass
staples "Sallie Gooden" and "Old Liza Jane."
In 1925, Stuart attended the Fiddlers' Convention in Mountain City, Tennessee
, where he competed in a now-legendary fiddle contest against rival fiddlers such as Charlie Bowman
, G. B. Grayson
, Dudley Vance, and Fiddlin' John Carson
. Accounts vary as to the contest's results, although at least one account placed Stuart in third place. In the early 1930s, Stuart's Vocalion recordings were among those a young Roy Acuff
sought to emulate while learning to play the fiddle.
Old-time music
Old-time music is a genre of North American folk music, with roots in the folk music of many countries, including England, Scotland, Ireland and countries in Africa. It developed along with various North American folk dances, such as square dance, buck dance, and clogging. The genre also...
fiddle player. After winning various fiddle contests across the Southern Appalachia
Appalachia
Appalachia is a term used to describe a cultural region in the eastern United States that stretches from the Southern Tier of New York state to northern Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia. While the Appalachian Mountains stretch from Belle Isle in Canada to Cheaha Mountain in the U.S...
n region in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Stuart made several recordings in June 1924 that would later prove influential in the development of early Country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
.
Stuart was born near Morristown, Tennessee
Morristown, Tennessee
Morristown is a city in, and the county seat of, Hamblen County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 29,137 at the 2010 United States Census. It is the principal city of the Morristown, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Grainger, Hamblen and Jefferson counties...
in 1853. He learned to play fiddle at a young age, picking up a number of tunes from Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
soldiers who passed through the area in the 1860s, and learning techniques while wandering though post-Civil War African-American camps. His later style represented a fusion of Civil War tunes and Appalachian folk music
Appalachian music
Appalachian music is the traditional music of the region of Appalachia in the Eastern United States. It is derived from various European and African influences, including English ballads, Irish and Scottish traditional music , religious hymns, and African-American blues...
. By the time he had gained regional fame as a fiddle player in the early 1900s, Stuart was working as a safe and vault salesman.
Noting the success of the Okeh recordings of Fiddlin' John Carson
Fiddlin' John Carson
Fiddlin' John Carson was an American old time fiddler and an early-recorded country musician.-Early life:...
in 1923, Vocalion Records
Vocalion Records
Vocalion Records is a record label active for many years in the United States and in the United Kingdom.-History:Vocalion was founded in 1916 by the Aeolian Piano Company of New York City, which introduced a retail line of phonographs at the same time. The name was derived from one of their...
sought to recruit its own Southern mountain musicians, and the following year invited several Southern Appalachian musicians to New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to record, among them Uncle Am Stuart. The 14 sides Stuart recorded included the first known recordings of the Appalachian folk songs Cumberland Gap
Cumberland Gap (folk song)
"Cumberland Gap" is an Appalachian folk song that likely dates to the latter half of the 19th century and was first recorded in 1924. The song is typically played on banjo or fiddle, and well-known versions of the song include instrumental versions as well as versions with lyrics...
and "Forked Deer," early renditions of the oft-played fiddle tunes "Grey Eagle" and "Old Granny Rattletrap," and early renderings of later bluegrass
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
staples "Sallie Gooden" and "Old Liza Jane."
In 1925, Stuart attended the Fiddlers' Convention in Mountain City, Tennessee
Mountain City, Tennessee
Mountain City is a town in Johnson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 2,383 at the 2000 census. It is the northeasternmost county seat in Tennessee; Mountain City is the county seat of Johnson County.-History:...
, where he competed in a now-legendary fiddle contest against rival fiddlers such as Charlie Bowman
Charlie Bowman
Charles Thomas Bowman was an American old-time fiddle player and string band leader. He was a major influence on the distinctive fiddle sound that helped shape and develop early Country music in the 1920s and 1930s...
, G. B. Grayson
G. B. Grayson
Gilliam Banmon Grayson was an American Old-time fiddle player and singer. Mostly blind from infancy, Grayson is chiefly remembered for a series of sides recorded with guitarist Henry Whitter between 1927 and 1930 that would later influence numerous country, bluegrass, and rock musicians...
, Dudley Vance, and Fiddlin' John Carson
Fiddlin' John Carson
Fiddlin' John Carson was an American old time fiddler and an early-recorded country musician.-Early life:...
. Accounts vary as to the contest's results, although at least one account placed Stuart in third place. In the early 1930s, Stuart's Vocalion recordings were among those a young Roy Acuff
Roy Acuff
Roy Claxton Acuff was an American country music singer, fiddler, and promoter. Known as the King of Country Music, Acuff is often credited with moving the genre from its early string band and "hoedown" format to the star singer-based format that helped make it internationally successful.Acuff...
sought to emulate while learning to play the fiddle.
External links
- Juneberry78s.com – Uncle Am Stuart — several mp3s of Stuart's 1924 recordings