Roy Odell Tolliver, nicknamed “Speedy” was born in 1918 in Green Cove, VA. His family was musical and sang in church. His father played the clawhammer banjo and harmonica. His brother, Blaine, also played the banjo. Speedy first learned to the pick the clawhammer banjo from his family. He recalled that music was most folks’ form of entertainment back then, with house parties, dances and picking. A lot of folks didn’t have radios and most pickers around the area played the clawhammer style back then. Speedy’s family had a radio, and he would listen on it to learn new tunes and such from records and Nashville. He picked up the three finger style, and would swap between playing the two styles in tunes. Speedy having a natural talent and good ear for music, could pick up tunes rather fast.
Some good musicians he remembered in the area were Herman and Al Blevins, Oscar Roark, John Stringer, Howard Wyatt, GB Grayson, Harold Hensley and Frank Blevins and his brother, Edd. He first learned Ragtime Annie from Herman Blevins in Greencove. Some other tunes he remembered learning early on were Coming Round the Mountain, Hand me Down my Walking Cane, Cacklin’ Hen, Cripple Creek, Sourwood Mountain and Flop-eared Mule.
Speedy went up to the Whitetop Folk Festival back in the 1930s, he would walk there from his house. It was the big gig back in those days, with thousands of folks in attendance ran by Annabel Morris Buchanan, John Powell and John Blakemore. Musicians would come from several states over to compete in the fiddle, banjo, guitar, dance, or folk song. He recalls walking up the one way narrow road, most folks would walk or ride horses, although some had cars, it was tough to get them to the top. Eleanor Roosevelt even attended the festival in 1933, and was driven up the one lane road. Speedy recalled it being quite an exciting time. He played in the banjo contest; it was a feat to just get to perform at the festival in those times. There was a big dance hall and stage where folks played and dance. Speedy remembered my great grandpa, “Uncle” Bud Spencer being one of the best dancers in the country, who won the dance contest at the festival. Some musicians there included John Stringer, Frank Blevins, Harold Hensley, Albert Hash, Jack Reedy, Wade Ward, Emmet Lundy, Arthur Wooten and Howard Wyatt. He thought Frank Blevins was one of the best, a good showman that would dance and fiddle and sing at the same time. John Stringer and Howard Wyatt were two accomplished fiddlers there, Howard being a smooth, left-handed fiddler that played his fiddle strung up right-handed. He won either first or second place in the fiddle contest every year at the Whitetop Folk Festival. Howard played such numbers as Cumberland Gap, Salt River, and won competitions often with Train 45. Below is a clip from the Whitetop Folk Festival in 1930s with William "Bud" Spencer dancing to Arkansas Traveler played by Howard Wyatt on fiddle.
Later Speedy played in a variety of bands, with Eddie Stoneman of the famous Stoneman family, and with Hoss Clark and his son, Roy. Speedy was a regular on WGAY radio's Rural Roundup, a weekly hillbilly music show and one of country music promoters, Connie B. Gay’s stable of musicians. Speedy also played with a number of local DC bands through the area. He played every week for a square dance at Glen Echo Park, with Sammy Farrow. Speedy played a mix of old time music, bluegrass, swing, Dixieland, and all sorts through the years.
In 1961, Speedy started playing music out again in the Arlington area. Through the years, he played with many groups, performed at the Kennedy Center, Smithsonian, folk festivals, was featured on European ambassador tours for Joe Wilson of the NCTA, and even played at the White House for Jimmy Carter. Speedy has received the Virginia Heritage Award and a Speedy Tolliver Fiddle and Banjo Contest is held each year in his name in Arlington, VA.
We had a great visit with Speedy, he was a very nice gentleman, and glad to catch up with some folks from back home. Speedy said his nickname came from a school classmate in Konnarock, he said Speedy always moved slow unless he was playing an instrument. Then, he could move right fast. Through the years, Speedy has came back to the Whitetop area to visit with old friends and family. He would visit Frank Blevins in later years, and they enjoyed playing together, both playing fast, uptempo style.
Now almost 95, Speedy has kept up his fiddling with great standard. He hadn't played the banjo in a while because it was quite heavy to haul around compared to the fiddle. We really enjoyed jamming and hearing some of his versions of tunes like Sally Gooden and Ragtime Annie that sound a lot like those of other Whitetop fiddlers. Below are some clips from our visit.