Tommy Jarrell and Fred Cockerham (1971, Blanton Owen)

This 1971 film by folklorist Blanton Owen captures rare footage of Tommy Jarrell on fiddle and Fred Cockerham on banjo, playing together on Cockerham's front porch in Low Gap, North Carolina.
Original film elements found in the Blanton Owen Collection #20027 (finding-aids.lib.unc.edu/20027/), Southern Folklife Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Laboratory film preservation work by Colorlab (colorlab.com/). Funding provided by the National Film Preservation Foundation (www.filmpreservation.org/).
Learn more about the preservation grant and the film on the Southern Folklife Collection’s blog, Field Trip South:
blogs.lib.unc.edu/sfc/2019/07...

[@jamespeterson5188]

This is the best thing to happen in 2020 so far

[@donhuber9131]

Great to see Fred's finger-picking style on Reuben's Train.

[@pauzer922]

Thank you for uploading

[@clawhammer704]

I heard that wood screen door close. That brought back memories of my youth of the kids running in and out. Even the cat could open the door and go in and out.

[@marstime3712]

This is wonderful, I felt like I was hanging on the porch with them! It made me happy and sad to see two of my favorites in these forgotten days!

[@kieranmoomin5826]

What a cultural treasure.

[@zachb8012]

What an amazing video. I'll be lucky man if this is how I spend my twilight years.

[@bowrocker]

The Tunes
-----------------
0:34 Breaking Up Christmas
3:10 Old Bunch of Keys
5:01 John Brown's Dream
9:31 Cluck Old Hen
11:55 --- intermission with refreshments --
14:38 Reuben's Train
19:20 Groundhog

[@seanDF5]

Thanks Jon! but don't forget Old Bunch of Keys at 3:10!

[@bowrocker]

@@seanDF5 Thank you Sean, how could I have overlooked it! For shame! :)

[@seanDF5]

@@bowrocker lol! All is forgiven :) ha ha ha

[@eulalieronandricodonnastew4033]

This is my favorite thing on the internet.

[@timroodvoets6168]

My Russian violin teacher would have a stroke if she saw all that resin on Tommy’s fiddle. Lol!

[@OneOfManyOfOne]

My great uncle Arthur Connor told me to always clean off that resin but I do like Tommy did lol

[@ProfesserLuigi]

I bet you there's someone in the Russian countryside that has a fiddle looking just like Tommy's.

[@clawhammer704]

That rosin will mess the top on a fiddles finish. If it’s not an expensive fiddle like Tommy is playing who gives a hoot. Tommy said he paid ten dollars for that fiddle.

[@are_birds_real]

​@@clawhammer704at the time that probably was a lot of money tho 😂

[@are_birds_real]

Only guy i know that says "Wish i was nine hundred more"
What a savage 😂

[@josephrobertson3050]

g o a t

[@OneOfManyOfOne]

I hadn't seen this one before until now, thank you so much for sharing it!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wish I could watch several hours of this!

[@davidgunter6106]

Love it! ❤️🎵❤️

[@dorindacontreras1094]

May we never forget!

[@joannehack7588]

😎

[@marylyncoffey3527]

Amazing

[@KM-om1dy]

I bet a few Foxfire books were written on the porch.

[@g.j.2950]

Woa, was that Bubbles at 3:03??

[@easternkentuckyoutdoors8092]

Lol

[@OneOfManyOfOne]

I kept thinking the same thing as I watched this!

[@tite-r-tone8258]

What do you mean?

[@pumphreygooch4124]

Watch Trailer Park Boys, I bet Fred liked kittens too

[@fiddlepeg]

This you so much for this work of art. 😄😁😃🎻🪕❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥