Anthology American Folk Music
Volume 2: Social Music, Track 34
INDIAN WAR WHOOP
Hoyt "Floyd" Ming and his Pep-Steppers 
Recorded Memphis, TN: February 13, 1928
Hoyt (Floyd) Ming, fiddle; Rozelle Ming, guitar; Troy Ming, mandolin
Originally released on Victor 21294A
Hailing from Tupelo, Mississippi, the Pep Steppers were a family band who played at dances in their area. The group's name refers to the energetic foot stomping of Rozelle Ming, which can be heard on their recordings. Rozelle felt that the stomping got in the way of the sound, but producer Ralph Peer encouraged its inclusion (Old Time Music, pg. 13). The band auditioned for Peer at a local drug store and eventually recorded four songs for him.
Fiddler, Hoyt Ming (b. 1902) was erroneously listed as Floyd on the original release. Hoyt Ming worked most of his life as a potato farmer, playing at local fairs and dances with the family band. By 1957 he had given up playing; however, interest generated by the Anthology led to the reformation of the band. The Mings eventually played the National Folk Festival in 1973 and were part of a Mississippi contingent at the 1974 Smithsonian Festival of American Folklife. The group also made an appearance in the Hollywood film "Ode to Billie Joe." "Indian War Whoop," their most famous recording, combines Ming's wild fiddling with foot stomping and vocal whoops.
FOR ADDITIONAL RECORDINGS of the Pep Steppers see the collection Traditional Fiddle Music of Mississippi (CTY 528a); For later recordings of Hoyt Ming and the Pep Steppers see New Hot Times! (Homestead 103a).
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION on the Pep Steppers see "Pep Stepping with the Mings", Old Time Music, 20 (1976).
OTHER RECORDED VERSIONS include:
Folksong revival: as Indian War Whoop (The Holy Modal Rounders (ESP-DISK 1068c).
Country/String Band: as Indian War Whoop: The Canebreak Rattlers (Flying Crow 104c); Hiter Colvin (CTY 3507c); Frank Kittrell (Mississippi Dept. of Archives 002a).
Bluegrass: as Indian War Whoop: John Hartford and Bob Carlin (RND 0320c).
