The Oldtime Music Era
Fun Times in Southern Illinois

Photo by Carl Fleischhauer, American Folklife Center, 1977

Steve Harrison records the fiddle playing of Harvey "Pappy" Taylor in Effingham, Illinois during a 1977 survey of regional folk arts conducted by Eastern Illinois University. The project created a collection of archival materials for the university and a series of public events for the community. [Exerpt from "Cultural Conservation -- The Protection of Cultural Heritate in the United States" by Ormond H. Loomis. Library of Congress, 1983]

The Indian Creek Delta Boys

Named for the location of the Harrison family fishing camp, at the confluence of Indian Creek with the Embarras River in Coles County, Illinois, it became the "mission" of the "Crick Delters" to work into their repertoir the tunes they had learned from their elders at the river camp, and from their field collecting efforts that followed. Band members have included at various times: Garry Harrison (fdl.), Terry Harrison (gtr., bjo.), Steve Harrison (bjo.), Lynn "Chirps" Smith (mand.), John "Blue Jay" Bishop (gtr.), Dave Miller (bjo.), Chris Grigoroff (harm.), Dan Baird (grt.), John "Doc" Holliday (gtr. bass), Dave Danner (bjo.), Gaye Harrison (mand., fdl.). In the early 80s, the ICDBs were declared by the State Legislature of Illinois to be the official Oldtime Stringband of Illinois.


Indian Creek Delta Boys
Pic for the "Late For The Dance" album rec. June 24, 1978
Prairie Schooner Records (PSI-103)
L-R: Gaye Harrison, John Bishop, Lynn Smith, Garry Harrison, John Holliday, Steve Harrison
Below, circa 1981
Back L-R: John Bishop, Garry Harrison, John Holliday
Front L-R: Steve Harrison, Gaye Harrison

"Crick Delter" Roots


Steve, Garry and Terry Harrison's Grandpa John Mason (far right with fiddle)
Others L-R: Unknown, Elvin Thompson, Elsberry Thompson, Albert Mason (John's brother)
~~~~~

Clifford "Cliff" Harrison (1904 -1974, center w/ fiddle) ~ Dad.
Dad fiddled left-handed over the bass. He played with The Vagabond Plowboys band in the 30s thru early 50s in and around central Illinois. The photo here is Dad with a throw-together band when he was working fruit and vegetable crops around Brawley, California in the 1920s. Others in photo unknown. The signature tune for the Vagabond Plowboys was "Bully of the Town." They were regulars on WDZ radio in Tuscola, IL, and that's where Lefty met The Cowgirl.

Pauline (Mason) Harrison ~ Mom (1917 -1998)
Billed on WDZ Radio as "The Singing Cowgirl," Mom confessed to having no affinity for riding the range, nor for playing the guitar she's holding. But, she was a great singer and her Patsy Montana selections begged the billing as a cowgirl. It was that era. She and Dad met at WDZ, and that's what started this whole mess.

Discography of songs/tunes recorded by the Indian Creek Delta Boys. I'll be adding some sound bytes with RealAudio as soon as I can get one of them 'round tooits.'

Indian Creek Delta Boys (Davis Unlimited Records ~ DU 33029)

Indian Creek Delta Boys, Vol. 2 (Davis Unlimited Records ~ DU 33042)
Indian Creek Delta Boys -- "Late for the Dance"
(Prairie Schooner Records, PSI-103).
* Tune title as given only for the sake of historical fidelity. It's far too unique of a tune to exclude because of the regrettable title.
There is a newer album out on cassette by the Crick Delters (Garry Harrison, John Bishop and Dave Danner), which I can't put my hands on at the moment. Will add it here when I find it. It's a dandy. The Crick Delters also appear on Volume 1 and 2 of "The Young Fogies" (Rounder Records #0319 and #0369).

If you'd like to communicate with any of the Indian Creek Delta Boys, you're certainly welcome to do so through Steve Harrison, by , or snail mail to: P.O. Box 267, Saint Albans, WV 25177-0267. We'd love to hear from you.

Please let us know if you have a favorite oldtime stringband, bluegrass or related web site you would like to have linked from here. For now, we can point you to some good sites at:

©opyright since 1996 by Steve Harrison. All rights reserved.