THREE GOOD OLD TIME TUNES PROBABLY
NEVER PUBLISHED WITH OTHERS.
The following three tunes, "Three Forks of Cumberland", "Big
Tennossee and "Chadwell's Station," were played by David R. Hamblen
(1809-1893) of Cumberland Gap, Leo County, Virginia. It is Believed
they were never published except as they were passed by ear from one
local playor to another and wore composed by some local musician of that
region. Mr. Hamblen moved to Brown County, Indiana, 1857. No one outside
the Hamblen families ever know or played them there.
John Marshall Gillaspy was a professional musician as was also his
brother Richard J. Gillaspy. They both traveled and played extensively
over Indiana and Illinois. Both asserted that they never hoard any one
play these tunes except as stated above. John Marshall Gillaspy (1877-
1952) composed a number of excellent compositions. Among these were the
marches, "With Flag And Fleet" und "Culver Black Horse Troop" which
were published, copyrighted and played by military bands extensively.
The later was adjudged by some very competent band masters as, "The
greatest march ever written."
Mr. Gillaspy was a Grandson of the Reverend William Hamblen, a
brother of David R. Hamblen. A. Porter Hamblen who arranged these
melodies in this booklet in co-oporation with Mr. Gillaspy was a
grandson of David Russel Hamblen and played the violin and composed
a numbor of songs and instrumental numbers.
Referring to "THREE FORKS OF CUMBERLAND" Mr. Gillaspy wrote;
"This tune was my favorite of all dear Uncle David's library and
I believe it is the hardest tune to put on paper I have ever tackled.
This haunting molody will come to you as you play it. Tune your violin
with D and G strings up (to E & A) David callod it "Italian Key";
I am mailing you as perfect a photocraph of Uncle David's playing this
tune as it would be possiblo for me to make.You know it has been a
long time since I sat at his knee to record it and he pronounced it
perfectly. Let us hope that nothing has sliped."
