OKAY---so where did the phrase HIGH LONESOME really originate? Even though I grew up in the middle of Christian County and sometimes went with my dad into the deep dark jungles and forests of the eastern parts of Christian County, I first heard of High Lonesome Missouri when I became acquainted with Chloe Morrison Wolford. I attended church with Mrs. Wolford for years and also worked with her at Nixa Schools when she and I were both in the education field. Chloe Sugar Babe Morrison was raised near High Lonesome which is in the extreme western part of Douglas County, only an echo from eastern Christian County. Chloe was proud to be from High Lonesome, but also joked about it being a mighty small swallow. Today I was going through some of my rarer records picking one out for my Saturday morning radio feature which I call Waynes Rare record of the day sponsored by Barneys Rare Roofing Company. And I chose a 1964 Folkways album by Kentucky native (1912-1981) musician Roscoe Holcomb (album cover shown). It is authentic old time Kentucky folk flavored music. But Mr. Holcomb does not necessarily sing with a wailing or high pitched voice, and his choice of songs is not made up of 12 or 13 sad mournful tunes. Then tonight I was filing some 45s I recently bought and came upon a 1996 45 on MCA records by Okie Vince Gill. Vince had written a song called HIGH LONESOME SOUND. On one side of the single (shown at this post) he sings it straight solo; and then on the flip side he does a version with Allison Krauss and Union Station which is labeled Bluegrass Version. I understand this Gill performance won him a Grammy. So where did High Lonesome, Missouri get its name and when? And what does that expression in 1800s lingo mean? Is it very simple? Folks that lived in the hills of western Douglas County were high up on the hill and lonesome?? NOTE: Google did not tell me much new, except the Father of Bluegrass----Bill Monroe (also from KY) was considered a High Lonesome singer. I probably need to call Mrs. Wolford or the Douglas County Library or Museum before Thanksgiving Day or I am going to be up in the air about high and lonesome.
Posted on: Wed, 26 Nov 2014 05:13:49 +0000
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