# Music by Genre > Old-Time, Roots, Early Country, Cajun, Tex-Mex >  Gypsy Gyppo String Band

## Leverman61

Anybody have a copy of the Gypsy Gyppo String Band Lp ( Bay 209 )  they would like to sell or info on a source for it or downloads from it?   Recent forum postings of Clyde Curly and the passing of Warren Argo have got me looking for music from this Nw Coast String Band.  Thanks  Dan

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## Paul Kotapish

I"d love to find a copy, too. The Gyppos and their sound--especially the interplay of Jerry Mitchell's mandolin with the fiddle--were a big influence on my early years of mandolin playing. They were a great band. I'm surprised that LP hasn't yet been reissued, although the recording didn't quite capture the infectious energy of their live shows.

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## Jim Garber

They were the main string band in residence at Pinewoods American Week I attended many years ago. Great music and great parties too. I PMed both you guys.

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## Paul Kotapish

Thanks, Jim.

That year with the Gyppos at Pinewoods is legendary. I didn't get there for the first time until a few years after that and folks were still talking about it. As most of the left-coast and NW old-time crowd knows, Warren Argo, banjo player with the Gyppos (and a generally huge presence in the NW traditional-fiddle-music scene) passed away in September. He had a huge heart, and it gave out on him. 

Here's a link to a page of memories about Warren: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Warren...42176245826504

And here's a picture of the band--L to R: 
Jerry Mitchell, Jack Link, Warren Argo, Sandy Bradley, Bob Naess (In a later version, Armin Barnett replaced Jack Link.)

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## Phil Sollins

Hi Paul -That's a great picture of the gang. They look young. Very early 70s maybe? 

At Centralia in maybe 2009, Jack Link was telling me about efforts to rerelease the album as a cd --- all sorts of probems involving personalities. Then more recently, maybe this summer at Mt Airy or Rockbridge someone told me it was out. But I can'y find any mention of it through Google. If anybody has current info on this I'd like to hear it.  I do have the record, in reasonably good shape, and I'd be happy to loan it to someone who can convert it to mp3. Won't be back in Oregon until after the Portland OldTime Gathring but if anyone is interested in "ripping" mp3s from th evinyl, see me at the festrival.  - Phil

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## Gary S

I have that lp. They were a mighty fine string band. I have also converted it to digital. Since it has not been re-released to cd and therefore would not diminish any comercial revenue, I would be glad to share it with interested folks in the spirit of passing on music in the old time (with a new twist) tradition.

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## Al Bergstein

Jack Link showed up at Fiddle Tunes today. Yeah Jack!

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## Al Bergstein

You are all aware as well, that Warren is gone from us for some months? Given the age of this post I thought it worth noting. We miss you Warren.

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## Jim Garber

> You are all aware as well, that Warren is gone from us for some months? Given the age of this post I thought it worth noting. We miss you Warren.


Paul noted above: 


> Here's a link to a page of memories about Warren: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Warren...42176245826504

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## toddjoles

I don't know their music, it was probably great, but the name "Gypsy Gyppos" is seen as highly offensive to anyone of Romany ancestry.  It's the equivalent of starting a mariachi band and call it the "Mexican Beaners."

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## Paul Kotapish

Todd,

The term "Gyppo" is a an old Pacific Northwest term for an independent logger or woodsman who worked piecework jobs for short pay. A "Gypsy Gyppo" was an itinerant woodsman.

Here's an article about the heyday of the so-called "Gyppo" loggers: http://www.ohs.org/education/oregonh...ubtopic_ID=576

And an excerpt from a scholarly paper:
http://www.jstor.org/pss/3317385

The term was pervasive and still in common parlance north of the border in Vancouver timber country. There are different theories about the origins, with some (such as the writer in the first article) suggesting that the term alluded to dishonesty, and other suggesting that the origins had to do with the early gyppo loggers using a two-horse system for moving logs--much like the powertrain of an old Roma caravan.

Knowing the band members, I'm sure there was no intended slight, and they were referring to a NW tradition. 

That's not to say that the term isn't still offensive to some, but I'm not sure that the current awareness of the potential offense would have been so well known in the early '70s when the band was started. They might not have selected the same moniker today.

I suspect they liked the NW-regional reference, liked the way it sounded, and were making a little pun on the fact that they all swung different "axes" than the original NW gyppos.

FWIW, Jerry Mitchell and Sandy Bradley also play(ed) Balkan and eastern-European music, so there certainly was no bias there, but the GGSB was purely old-time music.

AlB-Warren's passing was noted in the posts back in November.

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## toddjoles

Paul, thanks for the clarification and the articles.  

It does look that originally the logging industry used the name in an effort to draw negative parallels and to show independents as small shirttail/unstable/untrustworthy/fly by night operations.  I now remember that I have a friend who grew up in a Gyppo logging family.  He once let the term slip in conversation and quickly followed up with that that was just what they were negatively called by the big boys.  Still, it doesn't make the use of the names right, it makes it worse.   

Speaking as someone who comes from a Rominichal horse trading family, I can't see where the referance to a double team would apply.  Vardos/caravans were most often configured to use a single horse, not a team.  These wagons were considered very precious and were very expensive.  A spooked horse could destroy all your belongings so you walked along side of the horse where you could control their head and rarely moved faster than a walk.  Two horses were considered too unpredicatable.  They could have been refering to the act of walking along side the team/horse, but most who travelled accross the plains in a conestoga did the same thing.

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## Paul Kotapish

Beats me, Todd. Just passing along what I read. I doubt that anyone was being overly accurate--and I am not aware of any Rominichal Vardos in the Pacific NW, although I could be wrong. There are Basque caravans in Wyoming, so . . .

As with all of terms describing "others," it's rare that a term itself is inherently pejorative. It's usually the cultural assumptions and biases--and sometimes flat-out racism--about any group that taints the term. Linguists and comedians--notably Lenny Bruce--have covered this extensively. A lot of terms we find offensive or inappropriate today were considered perfectly respectable and appropriate when first coined.

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## chasgrav

Maybe it's time for everyone to lighten up, as the Carolina Chocolate Drops in my neck of the woods have been happy to do.  

Gypsy Gyppo.  Yeah, great band.  I'd snap up a CD if it became available.

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## Jody Kruskal

Hey Jim,

I remember that year at Pinewoods too. Sandy and her wild crew blew me away with their fun and energy. Made me want to start playing. An inspiring summer.

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## fiddlebee

> Maybe it's time for everyone to lighten up, as the Carolina Chocolate Drops in my neck of the woods have been happy to do.  
> 
> Gypsy Gyppo.  Yeah, great band.  I'd snap up a CD if it became available.


Hi All,

It is my understanding that the LP The Gypsy Gyppo Stringband has been reissued on CD. 
I am doing a little research to find the CD.  So far, no luck, but I know it exists because a local community radio station was playing selections from it.  Upon contacting the DJs I learned they had just purchased the CD from a vendor at Clifftop last week.  I have contacted the West Virginia Division of Culture and History to obtain a list of the vendors selling CDs.  I am waiting for their call back.  Maybe I will have some good news for my next post.

chasgrav- I love the CCDs too.  It's good to see someone focus on the positive aspects of black culture.

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## Phil Sollins

To add to Paul K's comments a while ago, Gypsy Gyppo pretty much just renamed itself ZMO (Zagreb Municipal Orchestra) whenever it went Balkan. Hank Bradley was instrumental in the Balkan side of their music. And I  don't rememiber anyone sitting out when ZMO replaced GG on stage - Jack, Bob, seems to me all of them (maybe not Bob) had travelled together to Croatia, Slovenia, and Serbia (it was all Yugoslavia back then), maybe even Macedonia.  At Inside Passage, on Th nights, they would routinely do a ZMO set. Can't really remember that far back but it seems to me that Jerry and Jack took the lead, with Sandy on guitar, but maybe Hank sat in on some of those. Those Th nights will live on forever in my memory.

And yes the CD is out.

At the risk of finding out something I really don't want to know, anybody know how's Jack doing?  

take care all, Phil Sollins

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## sugarinthegourd

Yes, John Hatton was selling this CD at Clifftop. I almost bought a copy, but I already have the LP so I passed... It was a home-made affair and I think Jihn said he'd gotten them from one of the band. I've not seen the CD for sale elsewhere. Maybe ask Sandy Bradley?

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## elwoodan

I'm not sure whether this is a sanctioned source or not, but I was just able to download much of the Gyppo's ouevre here: 

http://gypsygyppostringband.bandcamp...the-wagon-yard

This is a link to one tune, though there are many others available on the same site.  







> Anybody have a copy of the Gypsy Gyppo String Band Lp ( Bay 209 )  they would like to sell or info on a source for it or downloads from it?   Recent forum postings of Clyde Curly and the passing of Warren Argo have got me looking for music from this Nw Coast String Band.  Thanks  Dan

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mandolinlee

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## Rod Freeland

Thanks, Elwoodan, for that link! I just downloaded the following 25 items from the Bandcamp site for Gypsy Gyppo String Band (Bay #209):

   Ain't Gonna Work              
   Ain't No Use
   Big Scioty
   Coot from Tennessee
   Cotton-Eyed Joe
   If I Lose, Let Me Lose
   Jerusalem Moan
   Katy Did
   Let Her Go
   Mama Scolds Me For Flirtin'
   Mansions in the Sky
   Milwaukee Blues
   Mistreated Mama
   Peacock Rag
   Polecat Blues
   Rambler
   Rise When the Rooster Crows
   River of Jordan
   Sea of Gallilee
   Ship in the Clouds
   Single Footin' Horse
   Sporting Cowboy
   The Miller's Will
   White Mountain Reel
   Wish I'd Stayed in the Wagon Yard

Now I'm wondering if there were more tunes/songs on the original vinyl.  Can any of you who have it compare the above list with the actual tracks on the LP?  It's really fantastic material and I've wanted to have it for a long time!
Rod Freeland

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## Mandotarian

> Thanks, Elwoodan, for that link! I just downloaded the following 25 items from the Bandcamp site for Gypsy Gyppo String Band (Bay #209):
> 
>    Ain't Gonna Work              
>    Ain't No Use
>    Big Scioty
>    Coot from Tennessee
>    Cotton-Eyed Joe
>    If I Lose, Let Me Lose
>    Jerusalem Moan
> ...


Not sure if you have figured this out already, but I stumbled on this thread while searching for info on the band while digitizing the LP and there are a couple songs not on the list above.

The Wreck of the Tennessee Gravy Train and Grub Springs

There are also some funny little anecdotes about each song on the back which I can post if people are interested.

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## Jim Garber

> I'm not sure whether this is a sanctioned source or not, but I was just able to download much of the Gyppo's ouevre here: 
> 
> http://gypsygyppostringband.bandcamp...the-wagon-yard
> 
> This is a link to one tune, though there are many others available on the same site.


Seems like it is sanctioned at least by one member, Jerry Mitchell:




> Gypsy Gyppo String Band
> The band members in 1976 were Jerry Mitchell, Warren Argo, Sandy Bradley, Jack Link and Bob Naess. Jerry Mitchell is beginning a Gypsy Gyppo String Band catalog. Tunes will be added when possible, please feel free to download the tunes and share them. Jerry will be updating and enhancing this site as time allows

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## mandolinlee

elwoodan 
Loved "the Peacock Rag"
Lee

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## stevewise

> Not sure if you have figured this out already, but I stumbled on this thread while searching for info on the band while digitizing the LP and there are a couple songs not on the list above.
> 
> The Wreck of the Tennessee Gravy Train and Grub Springs
> 
> There are also some funny little anecdotes about each song on the back which I can post if people are interested.


I have a set called Gypsy Gyppo Outtakes which was part of a 1.6Gbytes archive I got called Free Little Birds - field recordings from the 1970s. The track list is

01. 1 Katy Did (01:48)
02. 2 My Wife Went Away And Left Me (02:41)
03. 3 I Got A Bulldog (02:23)
04. 4 Benton's Dream (02:50)
05. 5 I'll Rise When The Rooster Crows (02:48)
06. 6 This Morning This Evening Right Now (01:58)
07. 7 Rocky Pallet (02:31)
08. 8 On The Sea Of Galilee (02:10)
09. 9 I Don't Mind Marrying (The Rover) (03:13)
10. 10 Single Footin'  Horse (02:02)
11. 11 Don't You Hear Jerusalem Moan (03:00)
12. 12 To My Mansion In The Sky (02:56)
13. 13 Peacock Rag (02:01)
14. 14 I Ain't Gonna Work Tomorrow (02:33)
15. 15 Let Her Go God Bless Her (03:03)
16. 16 When The Leaves Turn To Brown In The Fall (03:34)
17. 17 Mistreated Mama Blues (01:47)
18. 18 Bound To Ride (02:18)

The origin of this material is explained as follows

Jerry Mitchell of the Gypsy Gyppo String Band saw me at the NW Folklife Festival and handed me a CD of outtakes from their vinyl recording asking that it be spread around.  While it is of local interest, it has been left in this iteration of the archive so that everyone gets the same material.

If folks are interested I'll create a zip file of the tracks and put them up on mediafire.

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## Paul Kotapish

Sad news about the passing of Jerry Mitchell--mandolinist with the Gypsy Gyppo String Band. That's three of the original members gone now.

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## Jim Garber

Paul: Warren and now Jerry. Who is the other one?

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## Paul Kotapish

> Paul: Warren and now Jerry. Who is the other one?


Jim, the original fiddler and main singer was Jack Link, who died a few years back. 

L to R: 
Jerry Mitchell, Jack Link, Warren Argo, Sandy Bradley, Bob Naess (In a later version, Armin Barnett replaced Jack Link.)



After Jack left the band, Bob Naess and Armin Barnett were the fiddlers, but it was the band with Jack that defined their sound in my mind. Jack later went on to play in the original version of the Hurricane Ridgerunners, with Jerry Gallaher and Scott Nygaard, I group I joined a few years later along with Mark Graham and Armin Barnett.

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