Diggin: Wayne and Max Henderson – Wayfaring Stranger
inDiggin'on July 23, 2015
It’s festival season, a very important time for fiddlers and pickers throughout the mountains of Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee. From about the first weekend in June to the end of September, there is a fiddle festival every weekend in a municipal park or on the side of some mountain where the keepers of mountain music traditions have gathered, sometimes for generations, to have a little friendly competition, share a meal and reunite with old friends.
Competition categories include folk song, fiddle tune, banjo, solo guitar, old time band and bluegrass band. It is not uncommon to the same few songs interpreted by more than a few in every category. One of the most popular across all of the categories is “Wayfaring Stranger.” Interestingly, “Wayfaring Stranger” has had many treatments throughout the pop world as well, interpreted by a Norwegian death metal band, electronic music artist Pretty Lights, pop star Ed Sheeran, psychedelic rock band H. P. Lovecraft, Hip Hop artists Spearhead, Neil Young and many others. One of my favorite versions is this one by the brother duo, Wayne and Max Henderson. All mandolin and guitar, performed without superfluous adornment, it is faithful, somber and beautiful. Check it out!!
— Aaron
Comments
Great track. My personal favorite is the simple fiddle and vocal version by Tim O’Brien – beautiful and haunting