The Battlefield - Erica Greer - 44th Fries Fiddlers Convention 2010

44th Annual Fries Fiddlers Convention Folk Song 5th place 2010
The Battlefield - Erica Greer

I learned alot standing in the line for this, my first competition, my first performance on a stage to a crowd. I was all nerves and ended up next to an old pro in line. Ms. Tina Liza Jones. She made my line standing such a blessed experience and taught me alot along the way.

In true folk song fashion, my father learned this song after hearing an elderly man he worked with in the coalfields singing it at work in the mid-seventies in Russel County, Va. He wrote down every word, came home and worked it out on the piano. He sang it in church from time to time. He taught it to me as I was growing up and I would also sing it in small mountain churches occasionally. I have very rarely heard it elsewhere. It is set to the same melody as an Old Time tune called In the Willow Garden. I was lucky enough to have Brian Grim learn it on fiddle and accompany me. There are actually two more verses that my father wrote down that I didn't sing here for times sake... They are as follows....

I say unto my saviour
My talent is but small
Although I am a soldier
I am the least of all

I'll take this gospel trumpet
And I'll begin to blow
And if the Lord will help me
I'll blow it wherever I go

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Fries
• Fiddlers
• Convention
• 2010
• Folk
• Singing
• Old
• Time
• Bluegrass