The King of Ramps (The Music of Melvin Wine)

Old-time fiddler and banjo player Ben Townsend pays homage to a revered master of West Virginia fiddling, Melvin Wine, on The King of Ramps; the first in a series of recordings showcasing the playing of fiddlers and banjo players from Townsend’s home state. Wine hailed from Braxton County and was apparently quite prominent in the tradition, with many WV fiddlers learning repertoire from him. Townsend learned some material from Wine shortly before he passed away in 2003 and even attended his funeral as part of a school trip. The playing of this keystone fiddler has clearly made a lasting impression on the old-time scene.

Townsend, a member of several bands including The Fox Hunt, Old Sledge and others, plays with many intricate observances, using cross tunings, bowings, ornamentation and other idiosyncrasies of Wine’s style. After giving fiddle renditions of nine tunes, he then repeats them, with even more gusto, on banjo. Rough and ready, this is straight up fiddle and banjo playing with no accompanying instruments, effects or dilutions of any kind. An album for the special-interest enthusiasts perhaps, but one that hopefully extends an important and beautiful legacy into the future.