"Rose Hill Train" song

THIS certainly deserves a blog entry. It's a song about Rose Hill!! My Dad recently purchased the 'Papa Joe' Smiddy CD titled "Hop Up Ladies." There's a song about ROSE HILL on this CD!

Seems like maybe I heard someone telling me a while back that 'Papa Joe' Smiddy married a Rose Hill gal sometime 'way back yonder when.'

Who can tell us the rest of that story?

Anyway, here's some information about the song and the CD.

Fans of the musical stylings of the College’s own Chancellor Emeritus “Papa Joe” Smiddy have a new CD to add to their collection. "Hop Up Ladies,” the latest recording by Smiddy and his Reedy Creek Band, is packed full of traditional favorites like “Wise County Jail,” “Uncle Joe” and “Shortnin' Bread.”

Smiddy, who came to the College in 1954 as the school’s first biology instructor and ultimately served as chancellor for 27 years, is also a first-rate musician and storyteller. Smiddy, 86, still performs at area venues like the world-renowned Carter Fold and his annual music festival at Natural Tunnel. And he still draws standing-room-only crowds.

While many of the tracks are well-known Smiddy tunes, one song was recently written to commemorate Smiddy’s service in World War II and to honor family members who kept the home fires burning in Lee County, Va. “Rose Hill Train” recounts the efforts of Ross Stickley, Grannie Stickley, Uncle Jim Rosenbaum and Uncle Fred Stickley, who was a prisoner of war. An Army sergeant, Smiddy was stationed in the Pacific during the war.

The CD features Papa Joe on the claw-hammer banjo, Jerry Keys on the five string, Sam Mallory on the mandolin, Susie Keys on the bass, Keith Williams on the fiddle and Smiddy’s son, Dr. Joe Frank Smiddy, on the guitar. Sam Mallory and Susie Keys join the Smiddys on vocals.

Perhaps the CD’s liner notes say it best: “We hope that this music will inspire you the listener to tap your toes, clog one, sing a hymn, or maybe even take up the banjo.”

"Hop Up Ladies” is available for $14 at the UVa-Wise Bookstore and at area Double Kwik Markets. All proceeds benefit the UVa-Wise Foundation. To order your copy, call the Campus Bookstore at (276) 328-0210.