John Specker and The Correctone Stringband
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"During his years with the Correctone Stringband in Ithaca, Specker began to develop his distinctive style of playing, which is rife with double and triple stops and includes a certain amount of footstomping. Although he was playing a wash-tub, Hayward (who would go on to play bass with the Horse Flies) was executing complicated runs of single notes. Brown developed a rapid-fire harmonica style which resembled button accordion playing, and eventually added mandolin to his harmonica contributions. All this plus the twin fiddles of Specker and Kornblum, and sustained commitment to having a good time, meant that the Correctones were following the lead of the Highwoods, but adding distinctive twists."
~ Ithaca Old Time Roots “Visits,” ( Heritage Records, 1981), a two-album ‘best of the old timers / best young musicians’ compilation of tunes collected during the 1970’s by Ray Alden, features The Correctone Stringband performing a live version of “St. Anne’s Reel/ Growling Old Man, Growling Old Woman”. Ray’s liner notes reveal how ground-breaking this band’s style was for its time : “The dance music with which our generation grew up, rock ‘n roll, has influenced the old time dance music many of us have since come to play. In fact this band’s name was derived from rhythm and blues singer Wilson Pickett’s publishing company, Correct Tone. A poster that advertised The Correctones proclaimed them 'The Best in Ante-Bellum Rock ‘n Roll.' The Correctones spent much of their time in their home north of Ithaca, New York, listening to soul and Latin music. At the same concert at which I recorded this medley, they played 'Black-Eyed Susie' using Latin maracas. In fact, if you were ever at the Brandywine Old-Time Music Festival and heard someone playing fiddle tunes with a Latin beat and accompanied by a conga, then you surely heard John Specker of the Correctones.” ~ Ray Alden |