Alabama Jubilee: A Song History

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"Alabama Jubilee" was published in New York in 1915 by Remick, with music by George L. Cobb and words by Jack Yellen.[1] Library catalogs file the original sheet music under subject headings that include minstrel music, minstrel shows and dialects.[2][3] Its cover carried a photograph of Elizabeth Murray.[3] The recording duo Arthur Collins and Byron G. Harlan cut it for Columbia in New York on April 19, 1915,[4] and again for Victor in Camden, New Jersey, on April 28.[5]

An ornate long-necked banjo with an inlaid fingerboard and decorated peghead

John C. Haynes & Co., Baystate Presentation Banjo, ca. 1890–1895. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Public domain (CC0). Shown as a nod to the string bands that took up the tune; it has no direct connection to the song.

The Traditional Tune Archive describes it as a popular song that was taken into old-time repertoire.[6] Gid Tanner's Skillet Lickers, with Riley Puckett singing and playing guitar, recorded it for Columbia in Atlanta on April 17, 1926.[7] Fiddler Bill Helms and his Upson County Band followed in Atlanta in February 1928 with an "Alabama Jubilee Breakdown" for Victor,[8] and the Tweedy Brothers recorded "The Alabammy Jubilee" for Gennett in May 1930.[9]

Red Foley recorded the song for Decca on September 21, 1951, with "Dixie" on the other side of the disc.[10] A version by the Ferko String Band made the British singles chart in August 1955 and peaked at number 20.[11] Roy Clark's recording won Best Country Instrumental Performance at the 25th Grammy Awards.[12]

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Sources

  1. University of Wisconsin–Madison Popular Sheet Music Collection: "Alabama jubilee".
  2. SUNY Open Access Repository: "Alabama jubilee".
  3. Johns Hopkins University, Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection: "Alabama Jubilee".
  4. Discography of American Historical Recordings: "Columbia matrix 45563. Alabama jubilee / Collins and Harlan".
  5. Discography of American Historical Recordings: "Victor matrix B-15964. Alabama jubilee / Collins and Harlan".
  6. The Traditional Tune Archive: "Annotation:Alabama Jubilee".
  7. Discography of American Historical Recordings: "Columbia matrix W142037. Alabama jubilee / Riley Puckett ; Skillet Lickers ; Gid Tanner".
  8. Discography of American Historical Recordings: "Victor matrix BVE-41953. Alabama jubilee breakdown / Bill Helms ; Upson County Band".
  9. Discography of American Historical Recordings: "Gennett 7240 (7000 10-in. series)".
  10. Discography of American Historical Recordings: "Decca 27810 (10-in. double-faced)".
  11. Official Charts Company: "Alabama Jubilee – Ferko String Band".
  12. Recording Academy / GRAMMY.com: "Roy Clark, Country Guitar Ambassador And Icon, Dies At 85".