Biographical Material - Jim Means

Collected by Merlin Mitchell Transcribed by Kyle Perrin Reel 9 Items 1-5 Jim Means (fiddle) Goshen, Ark. Biographical Material And Fi dle Pieces November 9, 1949 Means •• I was raised back in the mountains and my family were more or less backward but myself and I never di d care for anything. I've been playing the violin--the fid le for--ever si nee I 'se nine years old. And I never did care to play for thousands of people. Played in lots of contests--traveled and played. Finally settled down-- gitten where I don't take too much interest in it now. M• •••••W ell, how about that time you said you went wild . What did you do then? Means •• Wel , I ha a family. Wife left me and then I went wild for six or seven years , an traveled and played and put o u t a lot of stuff--rough stuff. Then, I finally decided I'd settle down again, so I've not played so much music since. Little bit rusty--'fraid . •••••• Well , what are we going to do tonight? We're going to play and s ng a little it an put some fi dle pieces on this recorder, aren't we? Means •• Yes . •••••• Th sis ovember with a fid d le an to do? Means •• Soldier's Jo • 9, 1949. r. Means and I are going to play some a guitar. What's this first piece we're going Soldier's Joy--Guitar and fid le. Haste to the Tedding--Guitar and fid le. Drunken Hiccups (Rye Whiskey)--Guitar and iddle. S G.• • • Oh, if the ocean was whiskey an I uas a duck, I'd d veto the bottom and never come up. ut the ocean ain't whiskeyand I ain't no duck, So, I'll lay jack of diamonds 8nd trust to my luck. Means •• --on ne of the pieces he started out . Mrs. Means•• Hedoes sang that perty. Means•• Yeah, and I 'll tell you what, too . Dern if I on't believe it'd sound better not to play quite so loud, don't you? M• ••••• eah, beli eve t hat's t ' s right. eans •• Sound bet er on that . But , you take in a--like over here, you gotta play loud or they can'thear you. It gits o a fel a up there. Why--a guy ' s up there playing the other night and there's a lady over here--she got started up--so, she come up--I 'se in the back end--and said, I just come back here to see if you caul hear that guy ack here . vou couldn't hear--you could hear the other instruments--you couldn't hearhim. o, next he said, Now I want ou to get up here and pla some--you jar this wall back here . I said, All right.Funding for digitization provided by the Arkansas Humanities Council and the Happy Hollow Foundation