FTX-119 - THE LADS OF NORTH TYNE

BILLY BALLANTINE (piccolo)

Peter Kennedy recorded piccolo player and pig-keeper, Billy BALLANTINE, at Simonburn, near Wark in the North Tyne area of Northumberland in 1954, Billy was the source of many of the dance-tunes, published in Peter's FIDDLER'S TUNE BOOKS, and now played by Country Dance Bands, which Billy was anxious for future generations to enjoy. Included here are 18 tunes, with some speech-tracks about local musicians and dances.

1. WHINHAM'S "WET WHISTLE" REEL (talk before about local fiddler) - 1'22"

2. PROUDLOCK'S HORNPIPE (title given bef) - 1'13"

3. THE LADS OF NORTH TYNE Hornpipe (THE BEAUX OF OAKHILL) - 1'40"

4. BILLY BALLANTINE'S REEL (talk bef about composing the tune) - 2'31"

5. BONNY NORTH TYNE Waltz (talk bef about composition) - 2'07"

6. FATHER'S OLD POLKA (talk bef) - 1'08"

7. THE MOSSTROOPER'S POLKA (talk bef with explan of Mosstroopers) - 1'55"

8. THE WILD HILLS O' WANNIES (talk bef about composer of song, James Armstrong) - 2'12"

9. THE GIRL WITH THE BLUE DRESS ON Polka - 0'35"

10. THE BREAKDOWN Hornpipe (talk bef about step-dancing & local travelling shoemaker) - 1'54"

11. WHINSHIEL'S HORNPIPE (comp Dunk) (talk bef) - 2'23"

12. GOOD HUMOUR Quadrille tune (talk bef about uncle, melodeon-player) - 1'35"

13. THE RUSSIAN BALLET (talk bef about tune and dance description) - 1'24"

14. JACK CHARLTON'S POLKA (talk bef) - 1'20"

15. LAST FIGURE OF THE LANCERS; THERE'S SOMEBODY OUT WITH DINAH (talk bef) - 2.37"

16. DINAH (talk & part of song) - 0'19"

17. Talk about Minstrel Troupe ("The Darkie Farce"), his uncle & part of song: UNCLE NED - 1'42"

18. WHISTLE IN THE WIND (Quadrille tune) - 1'35"

Recorded by Peter Kennedy at Simonburn, near Wark, Northumberland, 29th. June,1954. Edited by Peter Kennedy and first published on Folktrax Cassettes 1975.

Although Peter first started collecting dances, 1948-9 and tape-recording in 1950, he did not return to record in Northumberland, until he was on his way North to Scotland in 1954. It was then that he returned to visit such players as Billy Ballantine, Northumbrian small-pipes player and leader of the Barnstormers, Jack Armstrong, Cambo fiddler, Ned Pearson and others (see FTX-121 & FTX-122).