[Dixielandjazz] Follow-up on Mr. Ingle's reference to OKOSM (Read our Kind of Scottish Music)

[G. William Oakley]

Monday, Aug. 13, 2007
Dunoon, Scotland

Real highland gatherings are a little more raucous than skirling 
bagpipes, kilt-wearing clansmen, and nimble dancers performing politely 
in from of a benevolent chieftain.

The Cowal Games is all about atmosphere, more gutsy than polite, 
definitely more plebeian than royal, and unashamedly competitive. 
Established in 1894, this event is the biggest on the Scottish circuit.

More than 3,000 competitors and some 20,000 spectators descend on the 
small town of Dunoon in southern Argyll for the three-day event to pipe, 
dance, march, and toss objects of varying sizes into the air. But most 
of all they come to party.

Dunoon is just an hour from Glasgow. Although it is not an island, most 
visitors arrive by boat. Bands assemble at the pier and parade through 
the main street to the stadium to mark the beginning of the Games. The 
march eases competitors into the rigors of the long day, warming up 
their pipes, allowing their kilts to soak up the first of the rain which 
forms an intrinsic part of any Scottish summer.

The high street is lined with visitors and locals alike. American 
accents are prominent--for 25 years the nearby Holy Loch played host to 
a U.S. submarine base and many expat families make a point of being in 
Dunoon for the Games.

Most people stay in town, which has a good selection of guesthouses and 
hotels. I recommend Abbot’s Brae Hotel 
<http://www1.youreletters.com/t/1321711/14479904/828012/0/>. Stylish, 
Scottish, fantastic food. During the Games, rooms go fast, so you’ll 
need to book in advance. Rooms cost £50-£75 ($100-$151) per person which 
includes breakfast.

In the afternoon, the focus is on the stadium. It’s a long day, but a 
large beer tent provides vital refreshment (it is a well-known fact that 
good piping requires regular liquid intake).Well-equipped spectators 
come armed with a picnic (or “pieces” in the local lingo). Dancers, in 
full highland dress leap and fling under a covered stage. The wail of 
bagpipes emanates from every part of the field as pipers vie for the 
many different competition categories.

“Heavy” athletics provide further entertainment--brawny men clad in 
vests and kilts throwing a large pole (caber), a stone (putt), or a lump 
of metal (hammer) as high and as far as possible. Slightly less-brawny 
women compete too.

The day ends with the massing of the pipe bands for the second march out 
of the stadium and back down the high street in the early evening. It’s 
a noisy, rowdy event, fuelled by beer, adrenalin, and sheer exuberance. 
Pipe majors hurl their maces high into the air. Spectators jig behind 
the bands. Trophies are held proudly aloft. Crowds cheer 
enthusiastically--and continuously. Afterward, the action moves to the 
pubs, which do a roaring trade. An evocative aroma of damp tartan, fish 
and chips, and stale beer pervades the air.

Slowly, the town empties and the ferries resume their relentless trips 
back and forth across the estuary. Dunoon goes to sleep for another year.

Aileen Torrance
For /International Living/

P.S. Cowal Games take place this year Aug. 23-25. See 
http://www.cowalgathering.com 
<http://www1.youreletters.com/t/1321711/14479904/828007/0/> for more 
information. If you arrive in Glasgow, the ferry service Caledonian 
Macbrayne (http://www.calmac.co.uk 
<http://www1.youreletters.com/t/1321711/14479904/828013/0/>) offer a 
train connection from Glasgow to Gourock (three trains per hour, 45 
minutes journey), and from Gourock you take the 20-minute ferry journey 
to Dunoon (usually one per hour, two per hour on the Friday and Saturday 
of the games). Alternatively if you hire a car the drive is 30 minutes 
on the M8 to Gourock.

*//*
Don Ingle wrote:
> Since the name Mary Lee (teen vocalist with the Ted Weems Band in the 
> late 30's early 40's) surfaced recently, and the subject of yodeling 
> also popped up, let me add this one to your list.
>
> "There'll Be Some Changes Made," Mary Lees vocal with the Weems Orch., 
> Decca, ca.1940-41. Arrangment by Rosie McHargue.
>
> As to bagpipes -- well, as an owner of a full set of Snclairpipes my 
> father brought me from a visit to the family place of origin, have not 
> played them since my teens - and have lost no friends since.
>
> Still wear my kilts on Burns Night affairs, St. Andrews Day, and at 
> the opeing of trout season at my club lodge as we saltue the
> wee trout with a we dram or several of some decent malt.
> Slainte, m'hath,
> Don Ingle
> Don Ingle
>
>
> Phil O'Rourke wrote:
>> Hans
>>
>> I filled in most of the ones you did not have dates for.
>>
>> Phil O'Rourke
>> Australia
>>
>>
>>> Some days ago I asked for recording info according the CD American
>> Yodeling
>>> ( Trikont CD-0246). Thanks to the Louis Armstrong - Johnny Cash video
>>> fragment that was posted on this list the subject became a bit more
>> popular
>>> ( <http://keepswinging.blogspot.com/2007/08/american-yodeling.html>) 
>>> than
>>> before. Maybe some people can help me to date the tracks of that CD. 
>>> This
>> is
>>> the track list. Can someone help me?
>>>
>>> 1. Yodeling Mountaineer
>>> Mainer, J.E.'s Mountaineers 2:50
>> after 1942???
>>> 2. Gonna Quit My Rowdy Ways
>>> Callahan Brothers 3:11
>> 2 January 1934
>>
>>> 3. The Arizona Yodeler
>>> De Zurik Sisters, The 0:22
>> 16 December 1938
>>
>>> 4. My Clinch Mountain Home
>>> Carter Family, The 3:17
>> 14 February 1929
>>
>>> 5. The Devil's Great Grandson
>>> Sons Of The Pioneers 3:01
>> 14 December 1937
>>> 6. Cowboy Night Herd Song
>>> Rogers, Roy 3:03
>> 28 October 1937
>>
>>> x 7. Worried Devil Blues - 80927-1 chicago 27 Oct. 1934
>>> Tampa Red 3:24
>>>
>>> 8. Will There Be Any Yodelers In Heaven?
>>> Girls Of The Golden West 2:40
>> 9 Ocober 1934 or 28 February 1938
>>
>>> 9. The Nasty Swing
>>> Carlisle, Cliff 3:24
>>
>>> 10. Yodeling Mule
>>> Three Tobacco Tags 2:44
>> 5 February 1939
>>
>>> 11. Lost Lover Blues
>>> Kimbrough, Lottie/Holmes, Winston 3:11
>> 21 August 1928
>>
>>> 12. The Yodeling Teacher
>>> Reeves, Goebel (The Texas Drifter) 3:00
>>>
>>> 13. Lonesome Yodel Blues
>>> Delmore Brothers, The 2:40
>> 28 October 1931
>>
>>> 14. La Valsa De Marriage
>>> Guidry Brothers, The 2:57
>> 1 October 1929
>>
>>> x 15. Lovesick Blues - 400783-b nyc 12 Jun 1928
>>> Miller, Emmett 2:50
>>>
>>> 16. I Want To Be A Cowboy's Sweetheart
>>> Montana, Patsy 3:06
>> 14 February 1935 or 24 April 1941
>>> 17. My Swiss Moonlight Lullaby
>>> Carter, Wilf (Montana Slim) 3:08
>>>
>>> 18. Mule Skinner Blues
>>> Monroe, Bill &His Bluegrass Boys 2:43
>>>
>>> 19. Rockin' Yodel
>>> Leake Country Revelers 3:01
>> 13 December 1928
>>> x 20. Yodeling Fiddling Blues - 404146-b sa 12 June 1930
>>> Mississippi Sheiks 3:12
>>>
>>> 21. Standin'on The Corner (Blue Yodel Nr.9) - 54867-2 la 16 Jul 31
>>> Rodgers, Jimmie 2:44
>>>
>>> 22. Sauerkraut
>>> Puckett, Riley 3:07
>> 20 April 1926
>>
>>> 23. Yodeling Radio Joe
>>> Foley, Rambling Red 3:08
>> 9 December 1935
>>
>>> 24. Blue Yodel _1
>>> Wills, Bob &His Texas Playboys 2:23
>> 8 June 1937
>>
>>> 25. You Gotta To Go To Work
>>> Griffin, Rex 2:23
>> 26 September 1939
>>
>>> 26. Sleep, Baby, Sleep
>>> Watson, George P.
>>>
>>>
>>> American Yodelers:
>>> <http://keepswinging.blogspot.com/2007/08/american-yodeling.html>
>>>
>>> Keep swinging
>>>
>>> Hans Koert
>>>
>>>
>>
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