Ripon CC Championship - De Camptown Races on Dulcimer

De Camptown Races.

Again, please forgive a dads pride. But then again, perhaps some are tired of looking at my mug. Regardless, last weekend the Wisconsin Private Colleges held their annual State Cross-Country Championships. My son finished 3rd on the team and 9th overall out of 104 runners. Ripon College posted 5 runners in the top 11 all of them making first or second team all state. I thought that was pretty cool! I was even more impressed with A.J.s finish when I learned that someone tripped him up at the start and his shoe came untied. He had to stop and tie it mid race! He was pretty miffed, but I was pretty proud.

I figured De Camptown Races would be appropriate for this video, seeing that the race is 5 miles long. The tune was written in 1850 by Stephen Foster and one year later, in 1851, Ripon College was founded. Stephen Foster is broadly known as the father of American music. The mountain (Appalachian or lap) dulcimer can also be described as one of very few truly American instruments the banjo being the only other one that I am aware of. Also, this song is written in stereotypical African-American dialect (of the time). Ripon, WI is where the Republican Party started in 1854 by anti-slavery activists, and yet the Republican Party receives less than 15% of the black vote? The times sure change. (I bet none of yas thought you were going to get a history lesson from watching a cross-country race now did ya!)

Anyway, I am fairly certain this will be the last video of this type from me. In order to get ahead of the men running, I had to take a short cut up a seriously steep hill. (Well, steep for an old man who smokes, has twinges of plantar fasciitis, and is just a little more than a bit over weight and out of shape) Thank God for the college girls who kept me motivated in climbing the mountain. I certainly didnt want to appear out of shape to a college woman. But I did - there comes a time in life when a man just has to damn his pride to hell. That day I did, when I sat down on a bench (that was noticeably empty) at the top of the hill wheezing like an asthmatic with pneumonia. Let me put it this way - I didnt have to wait long at the finish line when I tumbled to the bottom where, thankfully the race ended.

Good gosh, I hope you enjoy this video, as it nearly killed me in capturing it.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• De
• Camptown
• Races
• Ladies
• Ripon
• College
• Mountain
• Dulcimer

[oldfolkiepad]

What a great way to do a 'family' video! A fascinating and most enjoyable piece. Your playing of De Camptown Races is a delight ,and perfectly complements the video - it was an inspired choice. I also enjoyed your most interesting and amusing description of making the movie and the history behind the song and the dulcimer. Terrific! 5*.

Paddy

[jayrbee60]

Thank you so much! It was very enjoyable putting this together. And I am very pleased to make your aquaintance!

[coolanddark]

Great job AJ!! Next time you will win the race if no one trips you up and your shoes dont come untied!! I did not know thats wrere the Republican got started!! I wish we still had capitalism and Christian traditions in this country but those days are long gone. Great camptown races banjo solo!!!

[jayrbee60]

Thanks Dan!!! yeah he did pretty good, he certainly would have finished with the front pack! (Oh, and that is my dulcimer I am playing)

[dans5819]

LOL you too funny!! great job and congrads to ypur son!!!

[jayrbee60]

lol.. thanks a million!

[jayrbee60]

lol, I got a kick out of that dance too! Also, The dulcimer is such a fun thing to play - I have a hard time putting it down. thanks a lot!

John

[marcie99]

i so was laughing at the begining little dance there! and enjoyed reading ur description as well!! and beautiful song u played ..my u really have learned that dulcimer quite quickly and very well!

[jayrbee60]

lol.. yeah, that's why I was so pooped at the end! Thanks a ton!

[skeletone111]

So cool:0

You have to be proud:)

Was you running beside him to film this and playing the Dulcimer. You have to be pretty fast to run past him to get the footage and film him running by. LOL

5***** for your son