Voices from the Dust Bowl

MIGRANT WORKERS’ SONGS IN CALIFORNIA
by Charles Todd and Robert Sonkin

Todd-Sonkin 1940 Fieldnotes

Arvin Camp, Arvin California, July 28, 1940

Locale

California Migrant camp (unidentified);
Photographer: Hemmig, Robert; Ventura, CA

The Arvin Migratory Labor Camp was established by the Farm Security Administration in 1937 at Weedpatch California, near Arvin, in the cotton-growing region of the San Joaquin Valley. It was the first of its kind in California, and is notable as the scene of John Steinbecke’s “Grapes of Wrath”. At the time of these recordings it contained 145 families (650 persons). The camp consists of 106 metal shelters (steel, painted with an aluminum paint said to cut off the sun’s rays perceptibly), 98 tents, and 20 adobes. At the peak of the cotton picking the camp population rises to 250 families, or 1200 persons. (Average family is 4.2 persons, said to be below the average for the nation). The adobes are assigned on a selective basis. The occupant must show a record of 6 months employment in agriculture during preceding year. The adobes are permanent homestead — including an acre of ground; we saw flower gardens, etc. Rent is $8.25 per month. Rent for the shelters or tent platforms is $.25 per week. The Comm. which chooses the residents of the adobes is a camp comm. The occupants of the adobes are “permanent” — the occupants of the tents and shelters may not stay in the camp for more than a year– altho they may move back after having lived elsewhere for a while.

Diary

El Rio CA Camp for Mexican fruit pickers;
Photographer: Robert Hemmig

The machine was set up first in the dance hall, with the help of the Camp Manager, Mr. Fred Ross. A dance was scheduled for the evening (Saturday night), but no orchestra was available. The best fiddler in camp was on guard duty and refused to relinquish his post. Nor could he be persuaded to loan out his fiddle. Numerous attempts were made. but the dance was finally abandoned. The dance hall was a large rectangular building, well-lighted, and cooled by numerous fans blowing through wet burlap (“desert-cooler”). About fifty people, mostly children, gathered about the machine — all very shy, and deeply impressed by the notion that we were “guvment fellers”. First attempts to interest them in singing brought dubious results. Most of the songs were what the old folks called “late ones”. Finally, for testing, two little girls, Eileen Russell and Erlene Gibson, were persuaded to sing “On the Beach at Bali-Bali” in two part harmony, which was very well done. An attempt was made to record “The Convict and the Rose”, but neither child remembered enough of it. At this point, a man interrupted and said, “What you want is some real old Break-down stuff, ain’t it, Mister?” We assured him it was, and he promised to bring forth the next day.

Arrived in camp next morning at 9 a.m. and set up machine in sewing room. Room was attached to the Office Building, and contained flat tables and a large weaving machine (loom). Good bit of room-tone. Camp was very quiet, and a walk about the grounds showed most of the people lying about on beds, with the doors open– reading papers, playing cards etc. A few radios. Noted several guitars being tuned. Back at the Sewing room people were beginning to gather. Talked with a Mr. Russell about the migrant situation. He approved of “Grapes of Wrath”, book and movie, and said it was true — every word of it. “We didn’t expect no relief from the State — knew it was root-hog or die”. Favorite expression of Mr. Russell’s was “It kicked the dog outa me” — referring to cotton picking.

Went into Sewing room with Charlie Springle from Bryan County, Okla., Tom Johnson, a medicine show artist from Oklahoma City, and Willie Judd. These three sat around the table, and we recorded a few stories ["Interview about dust storms, sleet storms, and tall stories (part 1 of 2)" 4:33 mp3]. All very self-conscious. Johnson a character, as it later developed. Best square dance “caller” in camp. Had dozens of tall-stories ["Interview (part 2 of 2)" 2:27 mp3] about his Uncle Moon and Uncle Ezra. Not a very successful record save for dialect. Wondering about best way to avoid mike fright. Finally put mike in back and had them tell story to Ed who sat opposite and looked very interested. Needs someone who can do that.

Todd/Sonkin 1940 Log of Recordings

About 11 a.m. Nathan Judd wandered in with a guitar. Said he could sing some old ones which he learned back in Arkansas. Very hard to talk with — refused to open his mouth. About twenty years old, good looking and shy. Learned several of his songs from wax disk back in Arkansas. Called his songs mostly “sad songs and love songs”. During the first number he had to be cautioned about tapping his foot too violently. It was very difficult to get his words, and he had a tendency to shift away from the Mike ["I'm Leaving You This Lonesome Song" 1:40 mp3]. Nathan’s wife a pretty girl, aged 17, with one child. Extremely shy. Joined him later with a nasal soprano. Both sang with poker faces and looked straight ahead of them.

At this point had a struggle with children and their mothers, who wanted records made. Every child was a singing star. Among their offerings were “Dream Boat”, “Little Sir Echo” [also: Ruth Elliot "The Old Apple Tree in the Orchard" 1:48 mp3]. Finally, however, little Estelle Spurlock came forward, and sang a song she learned from Gussie Stone — called “Nine Little Devils” [2:47 mp3]. A yodeling refrain. Estelle was 9 years old, red hair and freckles. Lots of confidence and grim determination. Looked as though she would topple over backwards, but never missed a line.

As this went on a crowd began to gather in the room, and as we had to turn the fan off for every recording it became very hot. Bob noted that “The folks never seem to wipe the sweat off their faces like we do”. True, the women didn’t seem to worry over the large beads on their foreheads.

All shyness was disappearing fast. Instruments appeared by magic, and I estimated an audience of about a hundred. Keeping children from tripping over the mike cord was a problem, and at least three babies left their wails on our records. One little boy ran into the mike, but his father caught it and the child at the same time. A public spanking ensued.

(l to r) Will Neal, recorded by Sonkin & Todd
Photographer: Robert Hemmig, Arvin Camp 1940

Two solemn faced musicians entered, Luther Quinton with Fiddle and Floyd Jones with Guitar. Refused to answer when asked what songs they knew, but I gathered they knew “everything”. First number contained “Grady Watson’s Favorite” [2:12 mp3] which I mistook as “Lady Watson’s” and was promptly corrected. Both from Oklahoma. Fiddle pretty squeaky. Impossible to get anything beyond music from these two.

Finally Mr. Ross, Camp manager came in with a song which had been written several months ago by an anonymous camper. It had appeared in the Arvin “Tow-Sack Tattler” ["Cotton Fever" 2:43 mp3] Ross didn’t quite know how to do the song, but said it should be spoken to a square dance tune. Quinton and Jones volunteered with “The Wagonner”. Made one recording, but Ross fell behind the music. His wife suggested another try. Song called “Cotton Fever”. This time Tom Johnson joined in with the square dance calls, Fairly good, but Ross is no Okie. The fiddles tried to slow up but got off the beat.

After this was done, Nathan Judd reappeared with his wife and asked to do five more numbers, including one he could keep (a paper disk). They both marched solemnly to the chairs and went to work. Lura, Judd’s wife said nothing, and sang as though some one had turned her on. After listening to “Maple on the Hill”, I played Frank Luther recording and we discussed the variation in tunes. The Judds were skeptical of Luther’s tune, but Rosetta Spainhard, Lura’s mother, spoke up and said that the Luther tune was the “real old ‘un”. “T’other’s a late ‘un”, she added. This interested me in Mrs. Spainhard and I asked her some questions. Finally gathered that she knew “Barbara Allen”, “Little Mohee”, and several others. Promised to sing them on Thursday, if she could find someone to play the fiddle. Had them written down somewhere. After some persuasion Mrs. Spainhard and her daughter, Lois, agreed to do “Little Mohee” [2:54 mp3]. Lois, 25 yrs. old, Said her mother taught it to her about twenty yrs. ago in Kentucky.

During these recordings, noticed a young man come in with a very ancient guitar on his back, and slip unobtrusively over to the side wall. At the first lull, he came over to me and said, “I’m Homer Pierce, the singin cowboy from way down in Missouri, and I’d like to do a couple of my own tunes for you”. He was a small, fairly dirty lad with a black cap on his head pulled down over one eye. Lots of assurance. Said he worked in the cotton fields and had been in camp about two months. Claimed he had sung over the radio. Pierce turned out to be more or less the professional cowboy type, but his own songs were good ["Talkin' Blues" 1:23 mp3]. Pierce said he came from Southeast Missouri, but knew “Houston, Texas, a whole lot better”. Has composed some twenty songs, “made up about most anything that comes to mind”…” Used to pick up as much as five dollars a night around the beer-halls”. Learned to play a violin in two days — “pick up most any old instrument and play ‘er”. He reminded me very much of Woody Guthrie.

The final recording was made by Floyd Jones. He came up to me just as I was about to put up the machine and said he could play a harp. I jumped at that, and asked him where he kept it. “Right here”, he said, and reached in his pocket. The “harp” was a harmonica — which he played with the greatest of ease. Very serious about his talent. Previously noted as a guitar player. His piece was “She ain’t that Kind” [1:10 mp3].

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