Orange Blossom Special

[Charles Davidson]

Ervin T. Rouse said he and his brothers wrote this tune in 1936. Chubby Wise claimed he wrote it WITH Rouse . Anyone know the truth ? YOU BETCHA, DYK?BC.

[Walter Stettner]

I think it was a team effort. Here is what I found on the official train website, with quotes from Chubby Wise:

The time was during the Great American Depression, and Chubby Wise, Florida's champion fiddle player, was driving a taxi in Jacksonville by day and, to make ends meet, playing his fiddle by night for nickels and dimes in local taverns and saloons. (Remembering those days, Chubby said, "It may be hard to believe now, but a dime was a lot of money in those days. A lot of money.")

One night, after chubby and fellow musician Ervin Rouse made their usual rounds, they decided to visit the Jacksonville Terminal and see what the fuss over the "Orange Blossom Special" was all about.

As Chubby recalled that night, "even though it was about three in the morning we went right into the Terminal and got on board and toured that train, and it was just about the most luxurious thing I had ever seen. Ervin was impressed, too. And when we got done lookin' er over he said, `let's write a song about it'. So we went over to my place in Fairfield at 809 E. Adams Street and that night she was born. Sitting on the side of my bed. We wrote the melody in less than an hour, and called it `Orange Blossom Special'. Later Ervin and his brother put some words to it."

The rest is history. Rouse copyrighted the song in 1938 and recorded it in 1939. A year later, Bill Monroe, regarded by many as "the father of bluegrass music," recorded the song and made it a hit. Since then countless versions nave been recorded, among them Chubby's own, as an instrumental in a 1969 album, "Chubby Wise and His Fiddle". And that version, said Chubby, "is the way it was written and the way it's supposed to be played." As such, it is lively, spirited, fun tune that sounds-through the magic of Chubby's fiddle-like a train rushing through the night.

Kind Regards, Walter

[Clyde Mattocks]

There is a state roadside marker on N. C. 55 about 25 miles from my house commemorating the birthplace of "Ervin T. Rouse, writer of the Orange blossom Special." It is near the little community of Jasper in Craven county. When I was a boy and would see Ervin around here, the line we now hear as "...and lose these New York blues", he would sing as "...and lose these Craven county blues". There is a book out titled "The Orange Blossom Special" that discusses the somewhat disputed history of the writing of the song. Johnny Cash is reported to have been helpful in belatedly getting Ervin's name rightfully attached to the copyright.

[Barry Blackwood]

IMO no OBS trivia would be complete without this Johnny Gimble story.

After having a stroke and laying in the hospital bed, the doctor came to his bedside and while telling him of the prognosis, said to Johnny "Now, there may be some things you won't remember."

Without missing a beat Johnny replied "I hope to hell the Orange Blossom Special is one of them!"

[John Steele (deceased)]

I know it was recorded before the Rouse recording, can't remember by who now, but the Rouse people had the release blocked until their own recording was out.
Forumite Kenny Dail's wife is related to the Rouses, I think he was a great uncle.
I like the Johnny Gimble story.
- John

[Clyde Mattocks]

I know Kenny Dail and his wife Mary Helen and she has told me about being related to Ervin. There are a lot of Rouse's in this area. I have played music with several who were part of Ervin's extended family. Ervin would follow the tobacco market from here to Florida and back, playing for tips around the warehouses. He has come around gigs I was playing quite a few times and got up and did "OBS" and "Sweeter Than the Flowers" and pass his hat for tips. He never cared about playing in an organized situation, this was the way he did it.

[Joachim Kettner]

Is there a reason for this tune being played in A?
I've heard it mostly in that key.

[CrowBear Schmitt]

that's funny, i found it to be more often in G

[Johnny Thomasson]

Is there a reason for this tune being played in A?
I've heard it mostly in that key.

The key of E lends itself best to the train whistle parts, and gives you the open E string for the bell. The walkdown from E takes you to the key of A for the double shuffle part, where you can do double stops throughout the shuffle.

If I never have to play that tune again, it'll be too soon. A few thousand times is plenty for me. People seem to love it, but it isn't hard to play.

[Johnny Thomasson]

IMO no OBS trivia would be complete without this Johnny Gimble story.

After having a stroke and laying in the hospital bed, the doctor came to his bedside and while telling him of the prognosis, said to Johnny "Now, there may be some things you won't remember."

Without missing a beat Johnny replied "I hope to hell the Orange Blossom Special is one of them!"

[Fred Jack]

I see it as being in the key of A starting on the 5.(E)

[Paul Norman (RIP)]

Preston Rouse, New Bern, NC played Bass Fiddle for The Carolina Partners.
I bet he was kin to Ervin too.

[Rick Schmidt]

The thing that really gets me about the OBS is that it really doesn't matter how good the fiddle player is, the audience ALWAYS goes wild regardless. It seems that in many cases I've seen that phenomena go right to the lesser quality fiddler's head, giving him some false illusion of musical superiority. I'm talking about some fiddlers that I've played with, not all of them of course. O.B.S. can stand for other things besides Orange Blossom Special ya know.

[Joachim Kettner]

I like the version by Seatrain feat. Richard Greene
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1kvGmgD_ZQ

[John Steele (deceased)]

After scanning my memory banks a while, I've decided that it was Tommy Magness who originally recorded OBS, and beat the Rouses into the studio with it.

- John

[Clyde Mattocks]

Paul, yes Preston Rouse, also James Earl Stox, and Stan Spence were related to Ervin. I also played with Sonny Rouse. Possibly a connection there.

[Paul Norman (RIP)]

I have played with James Earl and Sonny Rouse, but I dont know Stan.

[Roger Miller]

I believe Dan Quayle said he wrote the song.....Along with other things....Internet,Love Story, so on.

[Barry Blackwood]

O.B.S. can stand for other things besides Orange Blossom Special ya know.

Obsolete.

[Jeff Evans]

Quote:
O.B.S. can stand for other things besides Orange Blossom Special ya know.

Obsolete.

Obstreperous

[Alan Brookes]

I know it's a fiddle tune, but I always play it on the banjo.

Okay, okay, before the guys in white coats turn up, I also play it on the Dobro.