Hoyt Ming
Hoyt "Floyd " Ming ( born October 6, 1902 Choctaw County, Mississippi, † April 28, 1985 in Ackerman, Choctaw County, Mississippi) was an American Old-time musicians.
Life
Childhood and youth
Hoyt Ming's ancestors can be traced back to 1650 when James quantity settled in Virginia. Over the years the name was changed to " Ming" and in the 1840s moved to Mississippi Charles Ming, whose grandson Hoyt Ming was born in 1902. Many of Ming's siblings also learned instruments and Ming himself began to play fiddle, after his father had invited a string band to play on the porch of the family at age 15. He learned to play by playing simple melodies as Shortnin ' Bread by ear.
Career
With his wife, Rozelle (guitar) and her sister (mandolin ) founded the Ming Pep - Steppers, which played to Tupelo, Mississippi. The band's name was inspired by Rozelles energetic stomping his foot while playing - a technique that was normally used only in the Gospel. Early 1928 played Ming and his band Ralph Peer, before in a store in Tupelo. Peer was A & R manager of Victor Records and looking for new Old-time musicians. He invited to Memphis, Tennessee, where the Ming and the Pep - Steppers grossed four pieces for Victor. At the mandolin but this time was Ming's brother Troy, as his sister was prevented even at the audition in Tupelo. Among the four pieces also Indian War Whoop and the Tupelo Blues were.
Because the name of the band and the title of the song covered many buyers that it was in the Ming and the Pep - Steppers to an Indian band. In fact, Indian War Whoop had inspired no Indian influence and was much more to the romanticized image of the Indians in the Wild West. The Tupelo Blues had actually been received by the Ming and the Pep - Steppers as Florida Blues, but peer changed from the name of the piece. In addition, he had printed on the plates instead of Hoyt Ming Floyd Ming and his Pep - Steppers.
In the 1930s, Ming and his wife continued to play on Barn Dances, election events, fiddle contests and other public celebrations. However, the music was just a hobby, as they managed their own potato farm. In 1957, the couple decided to give up music. Only in 1972 the Mings were rediscovered when David Freeman of County Records began in 1972 to look after them. As a first clue he took the Tupelo Blues and began to search in this city after the Mings, who lived nearby. Had Ralph Peer in 1928 the title is not changed, folklorists would certainly never thought of it, Ming in Mississippi rather than in Florida to search. Freeman interviewed Ming and was able to convince them to act with his wife and son Hoyt Ming, Jr. on the National Folk Festival him in the same breath. This was followed by concerts at other folk festivals and an appearance in the film Ode to Billie Joe. For some time Hoyt and Rozelle Ming were still a band and played on a new album for Homestead Records, then sat down to rest, however.
Hoyt Ming's date of death is not known.