West Virginia
Clark Kessinger was born near the Lincoln/Kanawha county line on July 27, 1896. He started playing banjo at age five but soon switched to fiddle. At an early age, Kessinger’s father took him to local saloons where he would fiddle and dance for the patrons, taking in $10 to $15 a night in tips – more than his father made in a week. During the 1920s, Kessinger’s reputation grew as he won fiddling contests throughout the Kanawha Valley. Accompanied by nephew Luke, Kessinger was regarded as the “fiddler to beat” at contests and the “fiddler to hire” at dances. The Kessinger Brothers, as they were known, were among the earliest performers on the air when Charleston got its first radio station in 1927.
In February 1928, a scout for the Brunswick record label set up shop in nearby Ashland, Kentucky and requested that Kessinger audition. His recording of “Wednesday Night Waltz” went on to be top seller and launched a recording career for the Kessinger Brothers. By September 1930, the two had recorded more than seventy sides, including the best-selling fiddle records in Brunswick’s sizable catalog and arguably some of the finest southern fiddling ever recorded.
Tunes like “Hell Among the Yearlings,” “Sally Ann Johnson,” and “Poca River Blues” quickly became fiddling standards. And, while others copied his repertoire, no fiddler alive could match his technique. His smooth and powerful bowing, perfect intonation, unmatched tone, and careening improvisations drew the attention and praises of classical violinists and traditional fiddlers alike. (https://www.wvmusichalloffame.com/hof_kessinger.html)
The two tracks featured here, "Sally Goodin" and "Chinky Pin," were recorded in New York City on February 4 and 5, 1929, respectively. "Sally Goodin" showcases Clark Kessinger's skills as a master fiddler, and "Chinky Pin" was the first version of "Chinquapin" ever recorded.
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