Flat Foot in the Ashes

I first heard this tune, about 10 or so years ago,  from my friend Kenny’s daughter Corrina, who had learned it from her teacher.

I really enjoyed the tune and did some searching on the web and found that there was a cassette put out by the Augusta Heritage Center of a Harvey Sampson and his band the Big Possum String Band, which I then ordered the cassette from the Augusta Heritage Web Site.  (Elkins, W. Va. : Augusta Heritage Records, [1986?]  AHR-004 Augusta Heritage Records)

Unfortunately they do not seem to carry it anymore, but there are some other good Old Time Music recordings and videos that can be found there.

Here is some info I found on the Fiddler’s Companion:

Old-Time. USA, central West Virginia. DGDG tuning. The tune appears to have been common in Braxton County and other areas of central West Virginia. It was mentioned by William Byrne who described a chance encounter with West Virginia fiddler ‘Old Sol’ Nelson during a fishing trip on the Elk River. The year was around 1880, and Sol, whom Byrne said was famous for his playing “throughout the Elk Valley from Clay Courthouse to Sutton as…the Fiddler of the Wilderness,” had brought out his fiddle after supper to entertain (Milnes, 1999). Augusta Heritage Records AHR 004C, Harvey Sampson & Big Possum String Band – “Flat Foot in the Ashes” (1986/1994. Learned from Noah Cottrell, Calhoun County, W.Va.).