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Henry Ford's Dance Revival and Fiddle Contests: Myth and Reality

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 July 2010

PAUL M. GIFFORD
PAUL M. GIFFORD*
Affiliation:
[email protected], [email protected]
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Abstract

Henry Ford's interest in reviving the dances of his youth and publicizing old fiddlers was a major media phenomenon of the 1920s. The claims of one fiddler became the source of the often repeated, but erroneous, assertion that Ford sponsored a national fiddlers' contest, which in turn has become a part of country music lore. This article, based mostly on archival sources and newspapers, attempts to describe the particular musical and dance traditions that interested Ford, his personal activities and ambitions in this area, his motivations, and the larger popular interest in the subject itself.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Society for American Music , Volume 4 , Issue 3 , August 2010 , pp. 307 - 338
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for American Music 2010

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References

References

Detroit Free Press

Detroit News

Detroit Times

New York Times

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Grady, Henry, W. “Reviving Old Time Dances.” The Playground 20/3 (June 1926): 152.Google Scholar
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Ford, Henry, with Samuel, Crowther. Today and Tomorrow. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Co., 1926.Google Scholar
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Hofstadter, Richard. Anti-Intellectualism in American Life. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1966.Google Scholar
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Richards, William C. The Last Billionaire: Henry Ford. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1948.Google Scholar
Russell, Tony. Country Music Records: A Discography, 1921–1942. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rust, Brian. The Victor Master Book, Volume 2 (1925–1936). Stanhope, N.J.: W. C. Allen, 1970.Google Scholar
Sanjek, Russell. American Popular Music and Its Business: The First Four Hundred Years. Vol. 2: From 1790 to 1909. New York: Oxford University Press, 1988.Google Scholar
Shadd, Ruth Ann. Breaking Loose: African-Canadian Dance in Southwestern Ontario, 1900–1955. N.p., 1994.Google Scholar
Sorensen, Charles. My Forty Years with Ford. New York: Norton, 1956.Google Scholar
Twork, Eva O'Neal. Henry, Ford and Benjamin, B. Lovett: The Dancing Billionaire and the Dancing Master. Detroit: Harlo Press, 1982.Google Scholar
Wolfe, Charles K. The Grand Ole Opry: The Early Years, 1925–35. Old Time Music: Booklet 2. London: Old Time Music, 1975.Google Scholar
Zunz, Olivier. The Changing Face of Inequality: Urbanization, Industrial Development, and Immigrants in Detroit, 1880–1920. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1982.Google Scholar
Van Arsdale, Paul. Dulcimer Heritage. Folk Legacy FSA 87, 1982.Google Scholar
Clip Books, Accession 7. Benson Ford Research Center, The Henry Ford.Google Scholar
Fairlane Papers, Accession 1. Benson Ford Research Center, The Henry Ford.Google Scholar
Greenfield Village. Bennett Jewelry Shop, Accession 356. Benson Ford Research Center, The Henry Ford.Google Scholar
Office of Henry Ford. Records. Accession 285. Benson Ford Research Center, The Henry Ford.Google Scholar
Cordell, Harold. Reminiscences. Benson Ford Research Center, The Henry Ford.Google Scholar
Finzel, William. Reminiscences. Benson Ford Research Center, The Henry Ford.Google Scholar
Liebold, Ernest G. Reminiscences. Benson Ford Research Center, The Henry Ford.Google Scholar
Lovett, Benjamin. Reminiscences. Benson Ford Research Center, The Henry Ford.Google Scholar
Ruddiman, Margaret Ford (Mrs. Stanley). Reminiscences. Benson Ford Research Center, The Henry Ford.Google Scholar
Connor, Mamie. Diaries. Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan.Google Scholar
McCreery Family. Papers. Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan.Google Scholar
Gunning, Volney. Diaries. Private collection.Google Scholar
“Another Fiddlers’ Contest Staged.” Greater Flint 2/3 (March 1924): 12–13.Google Scholar
Beynon, Erdmon Doane. “The Gypsy in a Non-Gypsy Economy.” American Journal of Sociology 42/3 (November 1936): 358–70.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
“Country Dance Tunes.” The Nation 122 (3 February 1926): 106.Google Scholar
Crowther, Samuel. “Henry Ford Takes Up Dancing: Not Jazz, But the Graceful Steps of Olden Days.” Country Gentleman 90 (September 1925): 13.Google Scholar
“Fiddlers’ Contest Great Success.” Greater Flint 2/2 (February 1924): 10.Google Scholar
Gifford, Paul M. “Jasper E. ‘Jep’ Bisbee: Old-Time Michigan Dance Fiddler.” The Old-Time Herald 9/6 (Winter 2004/2005): 30–34.Google Scholar
Grady, Henry, W. “Reviving Old Time Dances.” The Playground 20/3 (June 1926): 152.Google Scholar
Green, Steve. “Uncle Joe Shippee and the All New England Fiddle Contest Held at Providence, Rhode Island in January, 1926.” http://traildriver.com/web_content/projects/new_england/all_new_england_contest/untitled%20folder/01_introduction.html.Google Scholar
Huber, Patrick H. “The Interstate Old Fiddlers Contest of 1926: WOS, Rural Radio Audiences, and Music Making in the Missouri State Capitol.” Missouri Historical Review 100/1 (2005): 9.Google Scholar
La Chappelle, Peter. “Is Country Music Inherently Conservative?” HNN, 12 November 2007. http://hnn.us/articles/42602.html.Google Scholar
Leggett, Mortimer. “Reminiscences of Mortimer A. Leggett.” Michigan Pioneer and Historical Society Collections 35 (1907): 689.Google Scholar
Lewis, David L. “The Square Dancing Master.” American Heritage 23/2 (February 1972): 49–52.Google Scholar
Meade, Guthrie. “Fiddles and Fords.” Journal of Country Music 12/3 (1989): 37.Google Scholar
Menius, Art. “Our Ford: Old Time Fiddling and Dancing.” Bluegrass Unlimited (February 1992): 36–39.Google Scholar
“Musicians of Yesteryear Will Feature J.C. of C. Program.” Greater Flint 2/1 (January 1924): 7.Google Scholar
Perry, Clayton A. “Fiddling for Henry Ford.” Musical Observer 25 (July 1926): 11.Google Scholar
Piper, Edwin Ford. “Quadrille Calls.” American Speech 1/7 (April 1926): 391–95.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rifkind, Robert S. “Confronting Antisemitism in America: Louis Marshall and Henry Ford.” American Jewish History 94/1–2 (March–June 2008): 71–90.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Robbins, Allison. “Henry Ford and the Mass Production of Old Time Music and Dance.” Paper presented at the American Musicological Society, Capital Chapter, Spring 2005. Abstract at http://www.ams-net.org/chapters/capital/2005Spring.html.Google Scholar
Roberson, Don. “‘Uncle Bunt’ Stephens: Champion Fiddler.” Devil's Box 12 (1970): 2–6.Google Scholar
Ruddiman, Margaret Ford. “Memories of My Brother Henry Ford.” Michigan History 37 (1953): 261.Google Scholar
Schneider, Estelle, and Bob Norman. “The Henry Ford Dance Movement: Fiddling While the Crosses Burned.” Sing Out! 25/4 (1976): 24–27.Google Scholar
Shea, Tom. “Finney's Orchestra.” Newsletter of the Ragtime Society 4 (July–August 1965): 35.Google Scholar
“St. Joseph County. Proceedings at the Annual Meeting of the St. Joseph County Pioneer Society, at Centreville, Mich., June 14, 1882,” Pioneer Collections. Report of the Pioneer Society of the State of Michigan 5 (1884): 516.Google Scholar
“Start the Day with a Song”: A Conference with the World's Most Famous Industrial Leader, Henry Ford.” Etude (April 1936): 204.Google Scholar
Sutherland, Pete. “Beware of Old-Time Music Revivals! The Henry Ford Story.” The Old-Time Herald 2/7 (1991): 33–37.Google Scholar
Wells, Paul F. “Mellie Dunham: ‘Maine's Champion Fiddler.’” JEMF Quarterly 12/43 (Autumn 1976): 112–18.Google Scholar
Woeste, Victoria Saker. “Insecure Inequality: Louis Marshall, Henry Ford, and the Problem of Defamatory Antisemitism, 1920–1929.” Journal of American History 91/3 (2004): 877–905.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bealle, John. Old-Time Music and Dance: Community and Folk Revival. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2005.Google Scholar
Bennett, Harry. We Never Called Him Henry. New York: Gold Medal Books, Fawcett Publications, 1951.Google Scholar
Berry, Chad, ed. The Hayloft Gang: Story of the National Barn Dance. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2008.Google Scholar
Brighten the Corner: A Book of Musical Memories of Monroe County, Michigan. Edited by Music History Committee of Monroe City County Fine Arts Council. N.p.: Monroe Fine Arts Council, 1977.Google Scholar
Bronner, Simon J. Old-Time Music Makers of New York State. Syracuse, N.Y.: Syracuse University Press, 1987.Google Scholar
Bryan, Ford R. Friends, Families & Forays: Scenes from the Life and Times of Henry Ford. Dearborn, Mich.: Ford Books, 2002.Google Scholar
Casey, Betty. International Folk Dancing U.S.A. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1981.Google Scholar
Dahlinger, John Côté. The Secret Life of Henry Ford. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1978.Google Scholar
Ford, Henry, with Samuel, Crowther. Today and Tomorrow. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Co., 1926.Google Scholar
Gifford, Paul M. “Fiddling and Instrumental Folk Music in Michigan.” In Michigan Folklife Reader, ed. Dewhurst, C. Kurt and Lockwood, Yvonne R., 187–204. East Lansing: Michigan State University Press, 1987.Google Scholar
Gifford, Paul M. The Hammered Dulcimer: A History. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press, 2001.Google Scholar
“Good Morning”: After a Sleep of Twenty-five Years, Old-fashioned Dancing is Being Revived by Mr. and Mrs. Henry Ford. Dearborn, Mich.: Dearborn Publishing Co., 1926.Google Scholar
Hofstadter, Richard. Anti-Intellectualism in American Life. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1966.Google Scholar
Lewis, David L. The Public Image of Henry Ford: An American Folk Hero and His Company. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1976.Google Scholar
Malone, Bill C. Don't Get above Your Raisin’. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2002.Google Scholar
Mellie Dunham: A Remembrance: Norway, Maine, Summer Festival 2003. Cover image. http://www.dwsanderson.com/dunhambooklet_cover.htm.Google Scholar
Michigan State Gazetteer and Business Directory 1883. Detroit: R. L. Polk, 1883.Google Scholar
Munn, W. Scott. The Only Eaton Rapids on Earth: The Pioneer History of Eaton Rapids and Hamlin Township: With Reminiscences. Ann Arbor, Mich.: Edwards Brothers [1952].Google Scholar
Nevins, Allen, and Frank, E. Hill. Ford: The Times, the Man, the Company. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1954.Google Scholar
Peterson, Richard A. Creating Country Music: Fabricating Authenticity. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1997.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Richards, William C. The Last Billionaire: Henry Ford. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1948.Google Scholar
Russell, Tony. Country Music Records: A Discography, 1921–1942. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rust, Brian. The Victor Master Book, Volume 2 (1925–1936). Stanhope, N.J.: W. C. Allen, 1970.Google Scholar
Sanjek, Russell. American Popular Music and Its Business: The First Four Hundred Years. Vol. 2: From 1790 to 1909. New York: Oxford University Press, 1988.Google Scholar
Shadd, Ruth Ann. Breaking Loose: African-Canadian Dance in Southwestern Ontario, 1900–1955. N.p., 1994.Google Scholar
Sorensen, Charles. My Forty Years with Ford. New York: Norton, 1956.Google Scholar
Twork, Eva O'Neal. Henry, Ford and Benjamin, B. Lovett: The Dancing Billionaire and the Dancing Master. Detroit: Harlo Press, 1982.Google Scholar
Wolfe, Charles K. The Grand Ole Opry: The Early Years, 1925–35. Old Time Music: Booklet 2. London: Old Time Music, 1975.Google Scholar
Zunz, Olivier. The Changing Face of Inequality: Urbanization, Industrial Development, and Immigrants in Detroit, 1880–1920. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1982.Google Scholar
Van Arsdale, Paul. Dulcimer Heritage. Folk Legacy FSA 87, 1982.Google Scholar