Cybergrass Bluegrass Music News: Orange Blossom Special Songwriter to be Recognized

Bob_Cherry wrote: on Jan. 03, 2008:
Who in bluegrass hasn't heard the "Orange Blossom Special", the famous fiddle and bluegrass song? The man who authored the piece, Ervin T. Rouse, is to be honored in North Carolina later this year. In a process that began with request to the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources and has ended up at the Craven County government, signs will be posted announcing the birthplace of Rouse.

Craven County, North Carolina will be placing an historical marker at Buzzard's Corner announcing that the county is the birthplace of the author of the famous musical piece. The songwriter's home is near there the marker will be placed. The marker will read: "Ervin T. Rouse 1917-1981. Fiddler and songwriter. Penned widely-recorded 'Orange Blossom Special,' bluegrass standard (1938). He was born 1/4 mile S.E."

Rouse was a master fiddler and had written other fiddle tunes. Most of the tunes were centered around the region where he was from. Rouse died in 1981 and is remembered for the song that has been heard round the world. The song was the topic of a documentary in 2005 that claimed the song as one of the 10 most performed country/bluegrass songs.

Cybergrass wrote about Fiddler's Curse: The Untold Story of The Orange Blossom Special this past July. We wrote "Fiddler's Curse: The Untold Story of Ervin T. Rouse, Chubby Wise, Johnny Cash and the Orange Blossom Special" reveales the luckless Rouse to be the sole author of the song. The book settles a longstanding aughorship controversy over the song, but more importantly it offers a facinating glimpse into the private lives of these brilliant byt deeply flawed men and paints a vivid portrait of life as an itinerate musician in the 1930s and 1940s.

The man credited with its ownership, Ervin T. Rouse, endured tragedy, alcoholism and mental illness. The man who claimed co-ownership, Chubby Wise, achieved fame as the seminal fiddler of the bluegrass genre, but struggled to overcome personal demons and to heal the scars of childhood abandonment and abuse.

This fascinating book uncovers how their legacies are forever linked with the legendary diesel streamliner which inspired the tune. The bonus CD included contains several recordings of this historic song. The historical marker will help give Rouse and his homeplace the recognition they so rightfully deserve.

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