tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post4262616782088291375..comments2023-04-10T03:33:40.803-04:00Comments on Appalachian Lifestyles: Little Omie WiseMatthew Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02625103538582649633noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-88746671806068041282013-05-11T21:40:43.572-04:002013-05-11T21:40:43.572-04:00Hello, Thank you for posting about Omie. Have lov...Hello, Thank you for posting about Omie. Have loved the Doc Watson version of the ballad for decades. Just a quick correction. Jonathan Lewis and his family did not go to Kentucky, but to Indiana. He was apprehended at Elk Creek, Wayne County, Indiana, and brought back to NC. The educator, Braxton Craven, got it wrong in a history he wrote about Omie in the 1800s. Lynn Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00495904109028071319noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-79016880301583993272013-05-11T21:31:28.088-04:002013-05-11T21:31:28.088-04:00Hello, just a quick factual correction. The Lewis...Hello, just a quick factual correction. The Lewis family, including Jonathan, did not settle in Kentucky, but in Wayne County, Indiana. Jonathan Lewis was apprehended at Elk Creek, Wayne County, Indiana, and brought back to NC for trial. Someone wrote a "history" of Naomi Wise in the past that gave this mistake life. Lynn Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00495904109028071319noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-54007070147263283792009-08-31T08:21:20.153-04:002009-08-31T08:21:20.153-04:00Thanks so much for this!Thanks so much for this!simmonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09410070490992751751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-23237876969007087012009-03-14T11:01:00.000-04:002009-03-14T11:01:00.000-04:00I agree with Red Fox, Matthew, your blog is one of...I agree with Red Fox, Matthew, your blog is one of the most interesting out there, and I enjoy it immensely! Having to be away from a computer so much now I miss getting to sit as I am doing now and really absorb all the wonderful stories and enjoy what you share to the fullest. It has been WAY too long for me! You have me absolutely hooked on Omie Wise now! I went to YouTube and listened to more than a half a dozen versions. Doc Watson, Okkervil River, Greg Graffin and a couple of others were the best but I have to say I did enjoy Rattlesnake Daddy's modern take! :-) I became fascinated with ballads when I learned that my E TN cousin is also related to Sheila Kay Adams, the ballad singer (one of the few that exist now, and who did the ballad research for the movie The Songcatcher) Sheila Kay is related to Kenna on Kenna's Dad's side (I'm related to her Mom's side) and they are from that area of NW NC that is just over the mountain from SE TN. I have never met her, but would love to. I would love to hear more ballads recorded and will be searching! Thanks for an amazing post, and for introducing me to this wonderful ballad! (and to Doc Watson, Okkervil River and Grag Graffin, too, incidently!) Also, would love to hear YOU sing it one day! <BR/>MarieA Colorful Worldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06890388727784255219noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-57792058732172732952009-03-03T20:51:00.000-05:002009-03-03T20:51:00.000-05:00Just have to say that this is one of the most enjo...Just have to say that this is one of the most enjoyable blogs that I have stumbled on,even followed your links,been to Grannys and bookmarked them all.A warm fuzzy nostalgic feeling with every visit.<BR/> A Canuck visitor!The Red Foxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05159866663266149257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-47373893457600478082009-03-03T13:11:00.000-05:002009-03-03T13:11:00.000-05:00A great old song-but I never knew the history behi...A great old song-but I never knew the history behind it very interesting. I love all the old ballads-it would be hard to choose a favorite for me. Rose Conlee is one that comes to mind. I like it because he and his father show remorse for the awful deed. I think Knoxville Girl is one of most violent of the "killing" songs-and it doesn't show any remorse either. Neat post!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-11672969822073131212009-03-01T21:29:00.000-05:002009-03-01T21:29:00.000-05:00Thanks, Matthew, for adding that link. I could ha...Thanks, Matthew, for adding that link. I could have gone to youtube -- I like to go over there to listen to the original Carter family -- but thought maybe you would put in a clip of YOU singing "Little Omie Wise". Anyway, I enjoyed the post and the link.Nancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11526258792227541799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-3510841745690601952009-02-28T22:33:00.000-05:002009-02-28T22:33:00.000-05:00Nance--After your comment I went back in and added...Nance--After your comment I went back in and added a link to a version of "Omie Wise" on youtube. You will find it at the end of the post. It is fairly close to the version I sing, so you can get an idea of how the ballad sounds.<BR/><BR/>Thank all the rest of you for your comments, I'm glad you like the post.Matthew Burnshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02625103538582649633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-69751095989470787652009-02-28T22:15:00.000-05:002009-02-28T22:15:00.000-05:00I wish you would put in an audio clip. I love old...I wish you would put in an audio clip. I love old, old songs. I love singing . . . but I can't carry a tune. If I could hear the melody, I would at least sing this in the car on a solo road trip, or in the shower. Is there another song with the same tune?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-87307564037598015922009-02-28T10:20:00.000-05:002009-02-28T10:20:00.000-05:00Loved your post Matthew. That is great that you fo...Loved your post Matthew. That is great that you found out the facts. It's amazing that the ballad still lives and tells us about the story of long ago.Janet,https://www.blogger.com/profile/17796999156668844943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-60127116559768276222009-02-27T20:45:00.000-05:002009-02-27T20:45:00.000-05:00Well, I have heard Matthew sing "Little Omie Wise,...Well, I have heard Matthew sing "Little Omie Wise," on numerous occasions. I have surely lived! Anyway, don't let Matthew fool you. He has a beautiful, strong voice...overpowering really. It's just he gets stuck on one song and wants to sing it over and over. I like it when he "mixes it up" a bit with some different offerings. We do some mean harmonies on some of these old ballads. :-)Shirley Stewart Burns, Ph.D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/05232084428505396630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-35769826784516498922009-02-27T16:37:00.000-05:002009-02-27T16:37:00.000-05:00Great post Matthew. I'm imagining you singing it n...Great post Matthew. I'm imagining you singing it now. LOL. Keep the stories coming - love reading your take on history. Cheers. Kim.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-30569754035432080212009-02-27T15:52:00.000-05:002009-02-27T15:52:00.000-05:00I have not researched this one, Matthew, so your p...I have not researched this one, Matthew, so your post is really interesting to me. I learned to sing the ballad last year and I think the melody is beautiful. The words I know are slightly different than yours, but close enough. I learned it from the Doug Wallen CD; he had a beautiful aging voice that gave the song a haunted, mourning sound.<BR/><BR/>There are so many murder ballads with stories similar to this one. Think of By the Banks of the Ohio, The Brown Girl, Pretty Polly, The Two Sisters, and so many others-not all drownings, but many sad stories all the same.<BR/><BR/> Almost all the old ballads, if not all, were based on a true story, I have read. Over the years details changed as singers adapted the song and/or added local details and settings, so it can be difficult to trace back some of them to an actual event. <BR/><BR/>One of my favorites is Molly Vaunder, known by many other names (as are many of the ballads). That one is different because the death was accidental and the ghost comes back to protect her killer. An unusual twist.Granny Suehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01129064020727041161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8234215772753915781.post-50394208846502010372009-02-27T14:16:00.000-05:002009-02-27T14:16:00.000-05:00Matthew, that's another great post. I don't write...Matthew, that's another great post. I don't write long comments, just want you to know I've been here and enjoyed it very much.Verahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17462556457063528302noreply@blogger.com