Recently the girls have been doing the song “Way Back in the Hills.” It was written by Bob Amos and we learned it from a band he used to play for called Front Range. The band was a bluegrass band, but it was from out west instead of here in the east. Paul and I always wondered if that’s why the band never really made it to the big time in the bluegrass world. They had amazing music and amazing songs too.
Paul and Pap first did “Way Back in the Hills” and over the years the girls tried it a few times. I know they did it at a concert in Blairsville several years back because we have a video of it and Chitter makes a funny noise at the beginning of the song. If I remember right I don’t even think she played her fiddle on it, but she does now.
I’m not sure what turned the girls back onto the song. They’ve wanted to do it at pretty much every concert we’ve played this summer and I’m glad.
As we were playing the song yesterday evening for the Clay County American Legion I decided I need to share Pap and Paul’s version again for you all. It was one of the first songs we uploaded to Youtube way back in 2008 when I first started the Blind Pig and The Acorn. Since that time, its received over 26,000 views. I guess a lot of other folks like it too. If you look close at the camera shots of Paul you can see Chatter laid over the back of the couch doing something silly I’m sure.
I hope you enjoyed the old video of Pap and Paul doing one of my favorite songs.
Tipper
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Beautifully played and sung. Such a rich & beautiful family legacy to have.
Everytime I watch one of your videos with your dad, I think about how fortunate you are to have them, and wish that we had more of my Daddy. My mom recorded every Sunday sermon and Sunday School lesson on a small tape recorder. We are trying to get them transferred to digital format. It isn’t the same as ” seeing” him though. What a blessing for you.
Wonderful tune
Great song Tipper. Glad you shared it. Your girls are very talented. I love the pic. Of the mountains. God Bless!
Awesome song and playing ,,, so enjoyed listening….
tipper that is my favorite of all the songs you shared with us…I think I just about have it worn off the cd I got with it on lol…I turn the music up and sing like a wild woman…
thank you for posting it again..my how time flies…
sending love and big ladybug hugs
Dear Tipper, that is one of my favorite songs too! Seeing the video made me think of your nephews. How are they doing? I think one of them was involved in making a movie or something. I also remember them singing with their college choir on one of your videos. I hope you all still get to sing together sometimes. You have such a wonderful family.
Thank you for the music and your blog. We were born and raised in California but bought a gristmill in Tennessee a couple of years ago. My family settled the land in the late 1700s and the small town is named after them. We are trying to learn all we can about a time and a part of the country that we never experienced. You are helping us do this. THANK YOU.
What a nice song Tipper, thanks for sharing.
beautiful thanks
My mind tends to wander at times. Back to the hills where I used to wander. Oh, how I wish my body could follow! It will!
Tipper,
I came in this morning, fed the cat, and had an answering service just a blinking. Mildred Clark left a message that her sister, Marcella had passed. I knew all of those folks well,including her daughter that passed away a few years ago and husband, Desmond. Marcella gave me some of her canned peaches and blackberries and I will always remember those things.
Back when I had a garden, I took Marcella a big box full of my Half Runners, cause I knew how well she liked to can things. She jumped on them soon as she got ’em, and called me the next day
and was so proud. She had got 24 quarts. Now that I look back at those times, I was glad to help.
Ben and Mark are so Blessed to get to play with Uncle Paul and Grandpa (Pap) . Chitter and Chatter also do that song well. …Ken
Listening to this song by the guys is how I found Blind Pig and the Acorn blog. The songs were all listed in a column on the right hand side of the page and one of the songs listed started playing when you opened up the site. My brother told me to find the song on the internet and listen to it…that we might want to learn it. I loved it and played it many times. I read the blog while I listened and I’ve been a BP&A reader ever since.
I can’t remember where I first heard that song but it didn’t sound as good as it did when I just listened to Pap and Paul singing it. The videos you post on here and on You Tube seem to make the music sound even better. With their music playing on You Tube at home and my new CD playing in my car, I’m all set. Thank you for the Lamp Lighting Cd! I will have to order a backup, as you know I will wear that one out.
Tip, there is something in this song that I find very soothing to the soul! I don’t know any better way to describe it.
Kinda tugs at me. I have done a heap of wandering way back in the hills. The song makes me think of things that were but are no more, including my youth.
Hope everyone has a blessed Sunday.
That was very good job. Its so good that you have these home videos, I don’t know how you get to where you can watch them, I guess I’m just to soft, but I’m glad that you all can.
I always loved that song, and it is played so well by your family. I always preferred the oldies or Bluegrass, and somehow never felt that connection with the modern country music. Maybe it is just me, but songs can sometimes just place one right there in a special memory lived out long ago. Sometimes memories can be sad, but mostly it lifts my spirit to remember where I used to wander.
We lived in the mountains, but Uncle Paul lived farther back in the hills. His family was so much fun, and they never let isolation cramp their style one little bit. I remember it well traveling in their old jeep long into the night after visiting with neighbors who lived over the mountain. Back then visiting was what folks did, and kids would play long into the night while the adults caught up on all the goings on. Uncle Paul would turn the radio up really loud, and travel down the mountain back home probably too fast. That is where I learned to love Bluegrass, as that radio boomed out songs by Roy Acuff and Bill Monroe. We had to sit on the most uncomfortable seats in back, but the music and company was too great to worry about a little discomfort. The entire family is gone now, as my cousin died within the last year. Your beautiful music struck a special chord this morning, and it made me remember a special uncle who really enjoyed life because he never let adulthood be a hindrance.