Something Blue

DJ Hairy Larry Presents The Rockford Family Playing Old Spinning Wheel In The Park
Something Blue – King – 29 second spot

Thanks Marty, today we’re going to hear a Northeast Arkansas family band playing Old Spinning Wheel In The Park.

I call From The Archives Of Something Blue my musicology podcast and I know some of you are wondering what musicology is.

Well, the definition is simple, a musicologist preserves and documents music.

So first we try to make sure that the music isn’t lost, and then we try to come up with when and where it was played, who played it, and most importantly, what’s the story about the song, the performance, and the performers.

In practice, though, it’s difficult. Just finding the music isn’t always easy. Then you have to deal with digitizing old recording formats to preserve the song. And it can also be difficult to come up with the who, when, where, and the story about the music.

But sometimes, to paraphrase The Generator Man, it just pops up when you least expect it.

We were playing music at the Union Grove United Methodist Church Homecoming which is a joy in itself but comes with the added benefit of a potluck dinner.

Now I know Eileen from Wednesday morning Bible study and I sat down with Eileen and Billy Clifft, to eat. And, as you do, we got to talking.

Now Billy is from a musical family and he has a lot of cassette tapes from family gatherings and family bands. And taking it one step further he’s a computer hobbyist and he has been digitizing these cassettes.

So I lucked out there, I found the music and it’s already digitized.

And I have just told you the story of how that happened.

But there’s a lot more work to be done, filling in the blanks, for each performance and each song.

The song I’m going to play for you today is called “Old Spinning Wheel In The Park”. It’s an instrumental so how do I know that? It’s on the tape. After the guitarist finished playing the song someone asked him what song he played and he told them.

Now, I’ve never heard of “Old Spinning Wheel In The Park” and neither has the internet. If you know anything about the song I am deputizing you. Contact KASU. Let them know what you know and they’ll see that I get it.

I also know the performers because the digitized file is called Tape 4 A Rockford Family.

But I have more questions. When was it recorded? Who was the guitarist? And where did he come up with the song?

Hopefully, Billy Clifft will be able to fill in some blanks.

So now, here’s the Rockford Family playing “Old Spinning Wheel In The Park”.

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