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Old-Time TOTW #396 is Old Kentucky Whiskey from the playing of Noah Beavers (2 November 1897—20 February 1990) from Elkville, Jackson Co., IL. He was the son of George W. Beavers (1855-1952) and Mary Eliza “Liza” Beavers (1858-1941). George and his parents were born in Arkansas, and Liza was born in Illinois. Noah married Ella Castleton (1897-1981) on 8 October 1918. The Beavers family has been in the US since at least the 1750s (sources: Ancestry, public documents, and Family Search.)

The first time Noah played a fiddle was when he was about ten years old. In a 1975 newspaper article, Beavers said it was his father’s fiddle that was kept locked with a chain and padlock around it: “I couldn’t get the case entirely open, but I was able to get it up high enough to pull the fiddle out.” By the time he was 15 or 16, he was playing for dances and continued to do so for nearly the rest of his life. Beavers once entered a fiddle contest in Benton, IL. He had to borrow another contestant’s fiddle because he didn’t have his with him at the time. Beavers said, “I won first place, but they gave the prize to the other man because it was his violin.” He also played some guitar and banjo. Beavers was not fond of singing and playing at the same time though, admittedly, he did not sing well. When Noah was younger, he could start playing his fiddle around 7pm and play all night without repeating a tune. By the time he was in his late 70s, he had forgotten many of the tune he used to play, though he still played some of his favorites: The Great Speckled Bird, Sally Gooden, Arkansas Traveler, and Billy Butler (AKA “Pretty Little Girl with the Blue Dress On”).

Noah Beavers was the 1990 recipient of the “Traditional Music Award” from the David Adler Cultural Center in Libertyville, IL. The award was given yearly to a senior Illinois musician who made a significant contribution to folk music in the state. Beavers passed away a few weeks after he was notified of the award. Beavers children accepted it in his memory, and during the ceremony, his son, Noel Beavers, fiddled many of the tunes passed down to him by his father, Noah.

Beavers worked as a coal miner (the 1920 and 1940 Census’ list him as working in the mines), and the 1930 Census states that he was working as a carpenter on a railroad bridge.

Noah Beavers was recording playing “Old Kentucky Whiskey” on October 11, 1975. TTA lists a tune called “Kentucky Whiskey” with notation that is much more elaborate than Beavers’ playing. There is no source given for the transcription other than it was transcribed by Andrew Kuntz. No information is given about the tune. I can only assume that old Kentucky whiskey refers to bourbon.

Down the Road Old-Time String Band is composed of Paul Kirk (fiddle), Stephen Rapp (banjo), Mark McNulty (guitar), Morgan Sieg (guitar & fiddlesticks), and Michael Seiser (bass and guitar).

My book, Marion Thede and the Fiddlers of Oklahoma: The Fiddle Book, the Musicians and Their Tunes is now available from McFarland & Company: https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/ma...

I will be doing a series of house concerts of Oklahoma tunes which will include book signings and jams. Please contact me at [email protected] if you are interested in hosting such an event. My Patreon: www.patreon.com/paulkirk

Down the Road Old-Time String band (Paul, Stephen, Mark, and Michael) will be playing a house concert in Albany, NY, on April 25, 2026, hosted by Janet Foster.

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