Music.And.Dancing.Breckinridge.HISTORY-OtherFrom: KyArchives 
[Archives@genrecords.org]
Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2006 9:43 PM
To: Ky-Footsteps
Subject: Music.And.Dancing.Breckinridge.HISTORY-Other


Music And Dancing  
Breckinridge County KyArchives History Other 
Book Title: A Glimpse Of The Past 
 American pioneers fought their way with vigor and courage through the narrow 
mountain passes, which penetrated the Appalachian walls, or pushed their way on 
clumsy boats up stream to the unsettled territory of Kentucky. They brought 
with them a sense of neighborly cooperation.  Neighbor joined neighbor in 
helping a man to build a cabin, deaden trees, shuck his corn and many other 
jobs that needed to be done.  Women came in to help other women with their 
heavy work, but after all it was not exactly drudgery.  Common work became a 
sort of relaxation.  Always during these workings the bottle was passed freely 
on its round of gaiety and good cheer.  A barn dance usually followed these 
workings.  Corn bran was sprinkled on the floor and the shuffling dancers help 
to polish the floor with their feet.  Pioneers never gave a barn dance, but 
they were forever publicizing the barn dances.  These gatherings helped to 
preserve fofr America much of its rich and early culture.  Foremost of all 
forms of all entertainment, was the square dance.  The gay dancers whiled to 
and fro keeping time with the musicians strumming away on banjos, guitars and 
fiddles, they all keep pace with the caller.  He shours: 
   All hands up and circle left. 
   Swing your partner and the one you meet. 
   That's what makes the swing so sweet. 
       (First couple lead out) 
   Lady 'round the lady and the gents go slow. 
   Lady 'round the gents and gents don't go. 
      (Meet in the center and swing) 
   Ladies change and gents the same. 
   Right hands cross and "How do you do?" 
   Opposites swing, and don't forget your 
      Honey in teh center of the ring. 
         (Second couple lead out) 
   These dances, fortunately for lovers of the primitive dance, are still 
popular in parts of Kentucky. 
   Music has had a soothing effect on people since time began.  Its origin 
cannot be established as it outdates records of time and events; however, it is 
mentioned in the Bible and had continued as civilization spread to all parts of 
the world.  So, when people of many countries settled America, they brought 
their musicians and instruments with them and music became a part of all 
migrants wherever they went.  This being so, musicians entered Kentucky with 
the early pioneers.  Rural Kentucky had bands and singing groups that produced 
harmony in quality far superior to that of entertainers heard today.  Church 
singing, folk songs and music were performed with dignity, without the 
performers being dressed as beatniks with long hair, sloppy attire, jerking 
heads and twisting bodies, like the wild, infuriated animals ready for the 
kill.  There were no loud and unitelligible sounds to cause the audience to 
writhe and scream as if in pain, as is common today. 
   In every community there were family bands with banjo, mandolin, guitar, 
fiddle, and oftimes an old time organ.  Musicians with little knowledge of the 
principles of music coordinated by ear with hand and finger movements, produced 
the sweetest music this side of Heaven.  Trained musicians admit they get more 
notes and harmony out of a song, than a songwriter can write into it for an 
artist to reproduce. 
   During winter months, these home bands would get together at a neighbors 
house and give a musical program, more entertaining to country folks than a 
concert in New York's Carnegie Hall.  Very often these gatherings would develop 
into a dance, where they would select partners and dance the Waltz, Virginia 
and Irish Reels, until the wee hours of the morning. 
   Singing was also a part of pioneer life, and strange as it may seem, they 
understood its principles better than the average individual does today.  
Teaching singing schools was a profession in the days of our grandprents.  The 
singing schools were well attended, and better singing was the result.  Church 
singing was at its best in the olden days.  There was no raised platform on 
which stood a white robed choir, led by a song leader with the antics of a 
circus barker.  The audience either sat or stood, as one of the group led the 
singing and the others opened their mouths and sang praises to God as if it 
were from the depths of their hearts. 
  Another traditional social in the country was the box supper.  Girls prepared 
fancy boxes of food and offered them at public auction at a party.  Those who 
ran the party were usually seeking funds for a community enterprise and they 
were clever enough to bring about the collection of a nice sum of money from 
the audience. 
   When the fancy colored crepe covered boxes of food were offered for sale at 
public auction, the biding became rampant.  Boys often got together and run the 
prices of certain boxes up on the girl's sweetheart.  The boys were very happy 
if they could force the sweetheart to lose the bid. 
Submitted by: Dana Brown 
http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00005.html#0001067 



This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/kyfiles/