Sprout Wings and Fly (1983)

"Sprout Wings and Fly" is a compassionate, life-affirming, altogether extraordinary document by Les Blank (www.lesblank.com) on old-timey Appalachian fiddler Tommy Jarrell. It's a fascinating film on the theme that art, music, dance, food and earthly pleasures help human beings live joyously in the face of certain death. It offers fine old-timey music, crazy jive, and a fascinating cast of backwoods characters." --Michael Goodwin, Berkeley Monthly

[@MahinaSinger]

grew up flatfooting with my cousins at Round Peak/Low Gap NC at my Uncle Charlie Lowes (clawhammer banjo)house. Used to move all the furniture out of the front room, somebody would magically produce a jug and the danncing would commence- great music and memories when charlie and tommy played - magic!.

[@DrVonChilla]

"My shoes is all tore up, my toes are stickin' out".....TOMMY JARRELL LIVES

[@jeremyreagan9085]

I play fiddle Tommy is style I try to play. Playing and singing is so beautiful!

[@bumblecrow]

I CANT GET ENOUGH OF THIS MAN

[@surreypasty]

I recently got my copy of the full film from Les Blank's website, about 2 weeks to the UK. The film is nearly 30 years old now but worth the wait and worth every penny - if you are interested in old time music this truly is poetry! I just wish I could have experienced some of Tommy's playing first-hand but, alas he departed when I was just ten! So glad to have discovered his legacy though and try to bring a little of this out in my playing. PS - The 2 bonus films on the DVD are great too.

[@Melvorgazh]

1983?!? Really? Pretty clean and good quality! Impressive. And great Music! 😽🎼☘🦄

[@BOyer-cs9ts]

I stumbled across this several years ago and every once in a while come back and listen again. I love listening to him play the fiddle......Thank you for putting it on here and keeping it here......

[@batemon85]

I wish!! I grew up in Santa Cruz, and miss it horribly :( But for Christmas my hubby spoiled me with a mountain dulcimer, which I'm learning!! Pretty exciting stuff :D

[@violinistx100]

my great-grand pa is great at fiddle he's been playin' it for 60 years! He said it took him years befor he finally got good at it.

[@alexandriasemones4689]

Wish I could have met him

[@zachb8012]

Heh. That's pretty funny the lyric, "I'll eat when I'm hungry and drink when I'm dry - get to feeling much better, gonna sprout wings and fly" came from Tommy. That's probably my favorite lyric of the song. I usually wrap up the tune it on that pretty measure that begins with C maj by singing that verse, then again with the, "gonna make myself welcome wherever I go" line.

[@9lontoonieful1]

Very good!

[@danzigvi]

This is most excellent. Thanks a lot for posting it on KZbin.

[@mandotoot]

Now thats what I call old timey!

[@aaalpha3]

thanks a lot for this, reallly great

[@Knockdownbanjo]

I am in AWE of Tommy. I am so glad I can watch this and learn about him. Thank you for your time to post this gem.

[@colindominy]

@MahinaSinger : I love your story, friend ... congrats.

[@streible]

At 2:00. My favorite pan shot of all time.

[@jeffandrewmusic]

Snake charm in a fiddle! Fuckin right! I'd be okay with spiders too, as long as you could work out an arrangement where they clear out when it's time to play. Maybe stay at a neighbour's fiddle for the night.

[@Jim1Coe]

"Gonna bang on the table... gonna hear the glass ring... more brandy more brandy more brandy to bring."

[@scotty2tone]

If the ocean was whiskey and I was a duck, I'd dive to the bottom, I'd never come up.

[@wroubel4498]

great

[@fiddler9635]

I have one in my old fiddle and i swear to god some how playin that one comes easier to me. no joke.

[@Blkbanjoman]

Those instruments are available here. Especially up north in the Bay Area. Come on up!

[@TheSpartanMartin]

this dude is cool...

[@francaisemichif]

@MahinaSinger sounds like good times!

[@mrgroovestring]

Reminds me of home

[@LostintheHoller]

This song is called "The Drunken Hiccups"

[@batemon85]

I had the privilege of living in West Virginia for a while (Morgantown and Teays Valley), and now that I am married to a musician, I WISH I could get a dulcimer or banjo for him, but they are hard to find in CA! Wish I knew I'd be marrying a musician when I lived there-- I could find one, easy! Miss gatherings with spontaneous flatfooting!!

[@writerrad]

dulcimers or even banjos are probably easier to get these days in California than W Va these days. Indeed some of the best builders of both are ou tthere

[@batemon85]

@@writerrad I got one! My husband found one and gifted it to me for Christmas 2013, and we love it! I joined a forum online and everyone said they recognized it, too, which was really cool. I don't think I've been blessed with the proper timing, but I can plunk along with my husband and uncle when they would play. :D

[@szatmar666]

real music is awsome.

[@mandlnpickr]

I've got a snake rattle in my mandolin. Wasn't sure why....just knew Monroe did it. Seriously.

[@ryoungatlmidotnet]

From a December 2014 e-mail from Les Blank's son Harrod: "Dear Friends, Fans, & Family of Les Blank: We wanted to update you with what has happened with Les Blank and Flower Films since his death last year. As you may not know, Flower Films has been replaced by the non-profit Les Blank Films since Drew Barrymore's company had trademarked the name before Les had a chance to. Les Blank Films was established to preserve, promote, and distribute Les' films and many films have been re-mastered or are in the process of being re-mastered. Thanks to the Criterion Collection, 14 of Les' earlier films have been digitally re-mastered and are being released in a Les Blank box set called "Always For Pleasure." Criterion did a beautiful job on this release which includes interviews, extra shorts and images from Les' personal collection. Recently, Gina Leibrecht completed one of Les' last films that she edited and co-directed, "How To Smell A Rose," which premiered this year at the Telluride Film Festival here in the US and internationally at the IDFA in Amsterdam. This film is currently being released. We will be making announcements once the film has any theatrical bookings or is released on DVD/BLURAY. Next year, it is anticipated that one of Les' best films which was never released, "A Poem Is A Naked Person" about the music legend Leon Russell, will actually have its theatrical debut. We will let folks know once that becomes a reality. Please consider supporting Les Blank Films by purchasing the Criterion box set. There is also a Les Blank Films Facebook page which you could join if you like. Thank you - Harrod"

[@bobsaget748]

Are you the Ryan Young from Trampled?

[@surreypasty]

Tuning for first tune (Drunken Hiccups) is AEAC#

[@mandlnpickr]

Ok, I'll listen again. I've been trying to play it AEAE. I've never heard the term "calico", my old fiddler buddy calls AEAC# "black mtn. rag tuning." lol I'll give it a run in calico and see how it turns out.

[@colindominy]

Fliefer .. this is a great post !! Congrats !! Mention is made here of the subject film featuring Tommy. To me .. Tommy is one of the hallmark legends .. just like other wonderful artists in this genre such as JE Mainer, George Pegram & Lost John Ray .. just to mention a few of the 'Old Originals". Could you please advise : is this film / DVD available for purchase ? I have a genuine hard-core, life-long love & adoration for old-time music + original old-time greats like Tommy ...

[@coreyblack6489]

Wow

[@OpakeArawra2]

holy shit, this song is the bee's fucking knees.

[@xraycam3709]

Got here...searching for "why" rattle snake tail in violin. Thanks KZbin/Google

[@darwinkemp4874]

If the ocean was spiced rum And I was a whale I’d swim to the bottom With all the strength in my tail

[@giselepelletier3420]

Give it hell babe!!

[@LostintheHoller]

Nah, its AEAC#, some call it Calico tuning. You could play it in AEAE but you wouldn't get the same sound for the off beats if that makes sense. He bows the open C# on the off beats.

[@Spaxcore]

How the hell be plays with a bridge that flat I'll never know

[@wolfieboyer]

TEASE!

[@vacuuming]

if the ocean was whiskey and i was a duck i'd dive to the bottom and never come up!!!

[@Melvorgazh]

I was born in 1983 ^^

[@mandlnpickr]

If it'll help...I'll slip one in mine. I need it.

[@timsmusicadventures]

Right. And it's called calico tuning.

[@melodysokolow786]

Any way to get this film back here so I can see it?????

[@hamrzlawnlake]

If the ocean was whiskey, and i were a duck, I'd dive to the bottom and never come up. Hang on to it, or it will all be lost.

[@dajand8]

No it's not. I believe it's tuned A E A C# (lowest to highest).

[@walrus6348]

You're right

[@theforlanjoker4457]

You never did believe but ya did it

[@LostintheHoller]

Wouldn't that be AEAC# then?

[@oracioholiveira]

people are saying this is in AEAC#, but I'm listening to where he's plucking the strings individually, & clearly hearing that high E. I guess the song can be played in either tuning, & that slide up into the double C# can sound nice, but I'm close to positive he's in AEAE here...

[@3lackdog]

Get your fiddle out and check that. It’s a C#, not the octave of the third note plucked (an E by both tunings).

[@mojorayjones]

Great music! What type of bird is that???

[@TheEditerz]

OH! how is that tuning!??!?!?

[@michaeldinkins9145]

It was the devil's instrument til the devil went down to Georgia lookin for a soul to steal

[@TheSpartanMartin]

any idea if this is standard tuning anyone?

[@eckcody15]

whats the guitar chods pleasee?

[@jizzypimp123]

Does anyone know what type of strings he used?

[@jizzypimp123]

@@apostasiaelegcho5612 it took 6 years but i finally got my answer 😂👍 many a thanks!

[@jizzypimp123]

@@apostasiaelegcho5612 you actually reminded me about this man so thank you 😂👍

[@michaeldinkins9145]

Fiddles use metal strings and violins use fiber strings. Like my Pa said. Violins use strings and fiddles use STRANGS

[@FredtheDorfDorfman1985]

Is there some aversion to cleaning rosin off of a violin/fiddle's sound board, strings, and the tail end of the fingerboard? I've heard the longer it sits, the harder it is to get off. So, why would so many players I've seen not make efforts to keep their instruments clean after every use? It wouldn't be left purposefully to show the high usage of the instrument, would it? Are they just way over rosining their bows and this large amount is depositing during each use? Or is it, the answer I hope not to hear, that they're just being lazy and not cleaning their instruments?

[@KM-om1dy]

Laziness with a little bit of moonshine.

[@mandlnpickr]

Just aeae. Isn't it?

[@brodank]

Fiddle is the Devil's instrument? i would think the Banjo is closer to the devil than the fiddle!!

[@michaeldinkins9145]

I play a musical saw that sounds devilish

[@nickolasmccombe1]

Drunken hiccups or Jack of diamonds or even whiskey and rye but never wings and fly

[@dkfsjdhfaskldjfh]

@heybulldog13 Keep your imaginary friends away from my music.

[@hdz68]

Where can I see the film in its entirety?

[@writerrad]

yes, i have had that film for about 20 years and know several of the film maker sso it seems odd, this is just one song