Live Field Recordings

Frank George & John Hilt

W. Franklin “Frank” George

Frank George

Frank was my mentor. We traveled around West Virginia for years playing music. Frank was a West Virginia treasure. He played banjo, fiddle, autoharp, mountain “rebec” dulcimer, hammered dulcimer, bagpipes and did perfect hambone. Aside from being a musical genius, Alan Jabour, former Director of the Library of Congress Folk Archives Division, told me that Frank knew at least 1,000+ tunes and had forgotten at least that many or more. Frank was my idol when I was a teenager.

Frank George at home

He was a surveyor, by trade. His real love was Old-Time fiddle tunes. His daddy, Odie George, taught him banjo and fiddle and he carried those tunes forward until his death. He spent a great deal of time with French Carpenter, a WV fiddler who was born in the late 1800’s and hailed from Clay County WV. French is the documented source of the now famous fiddle tune, Elzics Farewell. In the story section of this website, I share “Frank” stories.

John Fitzgerald “Johnny” Hilt

John Fitzgerald Johnny Hilt

Frank and I were playing at Don West’s, Pipestem, WV Festival, around 1967 or 1968. On Friday morning of that week at breakfast he said, come on and let’s go down and I’ll introduce you “Old man Hilt.” We wound up Tannersville, Virginia. John’s house was on the South side of Clinch Mt. As we approached John’s house Frank called, hollered, Whoo John.

Johnny Hilt

You could have heard that salutation two blocks away. We waited. I asked Frank why he did that. He said, “it’s better to approach John’s by letting him know you’re here.” Out on the porch stepped the spitting image of Santa Clause. No kidding!

John came out of the door, saw Frank, smiled, and said, “come on in.” That was the first time I met him, but not the last. In the Fred’s Stories section of this website, I share a few John Hilt stories. Until his death, I considered him as close as my grandfather, and he told me he felt the same. What a bow style! On the web, I heard a Scottish fiddler play a tune that only Johnny played. I cried when Frank George called me and told me of his death. I loved him so.

12 Recordings

John Fitzgerald "Johnny" Hilt

A collection of tunes featuring John Fitzgerald "Johnny" Hilt.

1. Boatman
2. Cripple Creek
3. Ebenezer
4. Fisher's Hornpipe
5. Harv Brown's Dream
6. McDonald's Reel
7. McCloud's Reel
8. Sourwood Mountain
9. The Cuckoo's Nest
10. The Snoring Mrs. Gobilel
11. Three Forks of Reedy
12. Unknown - John Hilt
Frank George and John Hilt
21 Recordings

Frank George - Johnny Hilt - Fred Coon - Others

Traditional tunes featuring Frank George, Johnny Hilt, Fred Coon and other musicians.

1. Unknown - John Hilt, Fiddle / Frank George, Banjo
2. Boatman - John Hilt, Fiddle / Frank George, Fretless Banjo
3. Cluck Ole' Hen - John Hilt / Frank George
4. Cripple Creek - John Hilt / Frank George on Chestnut Banjo
5. Cripple Creek - Johnny Hilt / Frank George
6. Fisher's Hornpipe - Frank George, Fiddle / Fred Coon, Banjo
7. Sally Goodin (Rare Version) - John Hilt, Fiddle / Frank George, Fretless Banjo
8. Unknown - Frank George, Fretless Banjo / John Hilt, Fiddle
9. Arkansas Traveler - Frank George / Fred Coon
10. Bill Cheatum - Frank George / Dave Morris / Fred Coon
11. Black Eyed Susie - John Hilt, Fiddle / Frank George, Homemade Chestnut Banjo
12. Devil's Dream - Frank George, Fiddle / Fred Coon, Banjo / John Morris, Guitar
13. Forked Horned Deer - Frank George / Fred Coon
14. One More River To Cross - Frank George / Fred Coon
15. Ricket's Hornpipe - Frank George / Fred Coon
16. Soldier's Joy - Frank George / Fred Coon
17. Sourwood Mountain - John Hilt / Frank George
18. Sugar In The Gord - Frank George, Banjo / John Hilt, Fiddle
19. Unknown Tune - Frank George, Hawks Nest, WV
20. Wild Horse - Frank George, Fiddle / Dave Morris, Guitar / Fred Coon, Banjo
21. Wind That Shake's the Barley - Frank George / Fred Coon