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Show ROBERT N. WATTS CHARLES TAGGART "DOC" H.H. PENROD Mountain Green's Old-Time Music Heritage 1900's Swing your partners and circle all, al-a-mande-left around the hall! Take your lady by the hand with a do-si-do and a right and left grande! The voice of the square dance caller was familiar to the Mormon Pioneers on their trek across the inhospitable plains. President Brigham Young had given in¬structions that at the aid of each exhaustive day the spirits of the people would be lifted with a little dancing and singing. And sing and dance they did, across the seemingly endless plains. After a hard day of travel the lilt of the fiddle, the strumming of the banjo and the melody of the harmonica called them to join in an evening of fun and frolic as they danced and sang around the camp fires. This love of singing and dancing was continued wherever Mormon settlements sprang up throughout the valleys of the Rocky Mountains. Such tunes as the Arkan¬sas Traveler, Devil's Dream, Turkey in the Straw, Soldier's Joy, Varsuvianne, Heel and Toe Polka and waltz brought a twinkle to the eye and a tapping to the toes. Mountain Green had its share of old-time fiddlers who added to the delight and well being of the settlers. They were joined by other fidd¬lers from South Weber, Uintah and Milton. Joseph Warren Wadsworth, 'Doc' Henry H. Penrod, Byram Bybee 'Doc' Alfred Putnam, Charles Taggart, Heber Robinson, James Rob¬inson, Robert Watts, Thomas Ray, and Oscar Anderson played fid¬dle. Niven Robinson, Alonzo Robinson and others were on banjo and piano. The little log school building was the first place for 'DOC' PUTNAM 90 |
