No One Hollerin' Goat

March 5, 2003 11:18 AM

Legendary cane fife playerOtha Turner dead at 94 [nyt-rr]. Considered one of (if not THE) last surviving cane fife player, Turner has been nominated for a WC Handy Award, played on records by The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and The North Mississippi All Stars, and released albums with his own bands The Afrossippi All Stars and the Rising Star Fife & Drum Band. Some sound recordings here.
posted by dobbs (11 comments total)

I was at his birthday party last year. Free beer and fried catfish on a hot Nashville night. Unforgettable.
posted by mikrophon at 11:27 AM on March 5, 2003

Another story from this week's Nashville Scene.
posted by mikrophon at 11:36 AM on March 5, 2003

You left off the Gangs of New York soundtrack! Thanks for the links, hopefully someone will pick up where he left, but if not, I suppose the cane fife will go the way of the hurdy-gurdy.
posted by Pollomacho at 11:37 AM on March 5, 2003

The best part of his birthday party was the little girl, I guess she was his great-granddaughter or some other relation, who roamed the crowd playing along with the band. Maybe she'll carry the cane fife torch.

Although I can't remember if she was playing fife, snare drum, or some of both. Either way, she was pretty amazing.
posted by sklero at 1:05 PM on March 5, 2003

HOLY CRAP! My week is ruined.

Note: if he is dead, he is not a "surviving" cane fife player.
posted by Ogre Lawless at 1:16 PM on March 5, 2003

Othar (aka Otha) Turner - Mississippi Writers and Musicians Project of Starkville High School
posted by y2karl at 3:22 PM on March 5, 2003

Cag Young is another surviving fife and drum musician.

For the flavor:

The Land Where The Blues Began is a Vestapol video with Napoleon Strickland's Fife and Drum band, available at better libraries and video stores everywhere. Delta Blues & Cajun Two-Step features performances by and an interview with Ed and Lonnie Young, also fife and drum legends.
posted by y2karl at 3:39 PM on March 5, 2003

.

That's the first time I've ever done that. And . . . (Slaps self, says to shut the hell up, already, since it's a moment of silence here.)
posted by raysmj at 8:43 PM on March 5, 2003

dobbs, you've certainly created a fitting tribute to the man and his music with all the great links you've posted - thanks.
posted by madamjujujive at 8:51 PM on March 5, 2003

Wow. That's eerie. Turner was featured just on Monday, on the first of Radio 4's series on the history of the blues: Deep Blue. His fife playing was like a lancet into the bloodstream of a lost generation. He'll be missed.
posted by riviera at 3:36 AM on March 6, 2003

Along these lines, people might be interested in Sugar Belly Walker, a Jamaican musician (d. 1990) who invented and played the bamboo saxphone. I first heard him on a fantastic oddball CD (and also book) called Gravikords, Whirlies & Pyrophones.
posted by LeLiLo at 7:12 AM on March 6, 2003