If you’re familiar with the song “Lonesome Wind Blues” it might be because you heard Rhonda Vincent do it, she had a huge hit with the song.
The song has actually been around a lot longer than Vincent has been the darling of Bluegrass. I found this tidbit about the song on the Mudcat Cafe forum:
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lonesome Wind Blues (Rhonda Vincent)
From: GUEST,DWR
Date: 29 Apr 10 – 03:54 PMOK, let’s trace this back to the beginning. Rhonda learned this from Buck White. I have the lp with Buck’s rendition somewhere, though it’s been a while since it has been played, except in my mind, of course. It’s playing there now. (big grin emoticon)
Buck learned it from Wayne Raney, who wrote it. When? I’d have to do some searching on that, but I’m guessing mid to late 50’s. If Gene sees this, he can likely come up with something more exact. Wayne was from Wolf Bayou, just down the road a piece from where I live. I met him some years ago. He passed on back in the 90’s.
Oh, and back to Buck’s recording, it goes back to when his family group was still called Buck White and the Down Home Folks, prior to their changing their name to The Whites. I just now checked, it’s available from eMusic, and likely other places as well.
Reno and Smiley also gave the song a go and I’m betting that’s where Pap and Paul learned it. Maybe Paul will chime in with a comment and tell me if I’m right or wrong 🙂
When I stumbled on the video below a few weeks back I wondered why I never used it on the Blind Pig. A quick listen gave me the answer: I hit a bad chord on the bass. At the time I probably thought it sounded horrendous. After a few years the off sound doesn’t bother me near as bad.
LONESOME WIND BLUES by Wayne Raney
I hear the wind a-blowing through the lonesome pine
And I know my love is gone too.
I hear the wind a-blowing through the lonesome pine.
That’s why I’m blue, love, so blue.
She’s gone so far away; that’s why I’m a leaving.
She’s left me here alone among the trees,
And all that I have left is just a memory,
And it always haunts me with a breeze.
I hear the wind a-blowing through the lonesome pine
And I know my love is gone too.
I hear the wind a-blowing through the lonesome pine.
That’s why I’m blue, love, so blue.
I’ll leave the day to try to find my darling.
I don’t know where on earth she can be.
I only know I can never live without her,
Each night in dreams her face IÂ see.
I hear the wind a-blowing through the lonesome pine
And I know my love is gone too.
I hear the wind a-blowing through the lonesome pine.
That’s why I’m blue, love, so blue.
Hope you enjoyed the song and I hope you have a blessed Sunday!
Tipper
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Very good, thanks for the history, I thought it was a Bill Monroe composition; a couple of friends and I copied Don Reno’s version, which is very close to this one; and our version is close to yours as well; I didn’t like Rhonda Vincent’s version, it didn’t capture the blues at all like Bill Monroe, Don Reno or your version; If you are interested in our version I can send 2, one with a mate Gerhard, and another with friend Nikki; they are only home recorded, but in my opinion quite listenable.
Cheers, from down-under in Australia,
Great post, Tip. I figured you never used it because of the camera angle. If we’d had another video of it, I would have uploaded it to YouTube and not this one featuring the side of my knee. 🙂 You are correct that I learned the song from Reno and Smiley. It was on an album they did featuring only two guitars. They picked it very similar to how I picked it in the video, only much better. Every song on the record was a masterpiece. Some of the others were “Don’t Let Your Sweet Love Die,” Eight More Miles to Louisville,” “Freight Train Boogie,” “East Bound Freight Train,” and “Money, Marbles, and Chalk.” However, I always knew the song was a Wayne Raney tune because Pap immediately told me this was the case when I started picking it. Just like Jim, Pap used to listen to Raney on the radio, and he was very fond of the stuff that Raney and Lonnie Glosson did together. Both of them were awesome in my book, and they played together some with the Delmore Brothers on tunes like, “Pardon My Whiskers While I Kiss You Goodnight.” 🙂 Another tune from that R and S album with a cool origin story is “I’m Blue; I’m Lonesome Too,” which came just before or just after “Lonesome Wind Blues” on the LP. Hank Williams, Sr. wrote the words and Bill Monroe made the tune. How cool is that? Thanks for the post and here’s a link to that R & S album. Completely wicked flat top picking back when no one else, including the great Doc Watson, was picking like that. The heavy gauge strings on those two Martins sound like they must have been as big around as my fingers!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZRL9uQ_NFU
For anyone who follows the link, Lonesome Wind Blues begins at 8:28 in the video.
You sure have have lots good music and videos to remember. A lot of talent in your family.
Never heard this song and glad you included the written verses .
The only thing missing was ‘did she also take the dog when she left??’
She left the puppy but she took the pickup!
Tipper,
I called and asked Donna Lynn to play “Over the Rolling Sea” by Wayne Raney and Family and she found and played it. It had been about 57 years since I had heard the song, it was a bit scratchy but I enjoyed hearing it anyway. After that she played “River of Jordan” by Chitter and Chatter, and that made my day. …Ken
Tipper,
I remember hearing Wayne Raney’s Family singing when I was in grammer school. I think they were from Cincinatti or somewhere’s and they sung “Over the Rolling Sea”. We listened to Ernie’s Record Shop a lot too, and he played beautiful music. A lot of it was Gospel and after it got dark, WWL from New Orleans came in clear as a crystal on our Radio. …Ken
PS. Pap really did some good pickin’ on that one.
I listened to the song seven times before I (to a certainty) found your boo-boo. There is a pause during the first “lonesome pine” and you seem a little uncertain on some of the others. There must be a difficult chord there. I don’t claim to be a player but am a trained listener. It must have been pretty good if it took me seven tries to find it.
I did notice the E string was a little off. Has a bit of a buzz in it when it was played open. It could be a few cents low, but it is still a good E. It probably has been tuned many times since then.
Love the Sunday music.
I remember you guys going that song, it’s got one on those tunes that stays with you after the song is over. It’s a good song!
I just wonder if those “lonesome pines” were longleaf pines because the wind in them makes a lonesome sighing sound. It can sound like the sighs of someone who has lost their last best friend. I heard that sound once on Strawberry Mountain over in northwest Georgia.
My Dad used to sing on rare occasion, “In the pines, in the pines where the sun never shines, and a cold wing blows all day.” Never did know what that was from.
Where can I buy ya’lls music recordings Tipper?
BEAUTIFUL Pickin and Singin on a Sunday morning!
Thank you.
Tipper–This post brought me joy on a variety of fronts. First, it was hearing Jerry and Paul sing a song I hadn’t heard them perform before. Second, it was the mere mention of Rhonda Vincent, a performer for the ages and my favorite bluegrass singer. Third, and here’s the real surprise (I think) is to learn that Wayne Rayney wrote “Lonesome Wind Blues.”
I’m assuming that is the same Wayne Rayney who was a radio dj. If so,in my mind I can still hear his voice from the 1950s on WCKY out of Cincinnati, Ohio: “This is your old friend, Wayne Rayney, coming to you on the 50,000 watts of pure power on WCKY.” The station, along with WLS and WSM, was at that time one of the few playing country music which you could pick up consistently (at night) in Bryson City. I listened to him many a time over the years. Now to learn that he was from your area, and to have his memory revived this way–well, as Momma used to say, “that’s just special.”
Jim Casada
Jim,
Yes it was the same Wayne Raney.
encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=4454
Wayne Raney and Lonnie Glosson – Lonesome Blues – YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oimhHBiU1Hc
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Nicely done, most folks want even notice the little slip, I had to listen twice to catch it.