Fiddler musician J.A. Taggart (1854-1943) was the fifth generation of the Taggart family to live in Sharon NH. One of his songs is played and the cellar hole of his home is visited. The story of John A. Taggart is from the New Hampshire PBS archives.
Taggart’s Hornpipe, his own composition, reveals John A. Taggart’s prowess as a musician, for no key is dreaded more by fiddlers than B flat. Sugar House, is our* name for the next tune, untitled in JAT (John A. Taggart’s memoir). -From the liner notes of The Music of John Taggart. Click here to listen.
Permission to post these tunes was graciously given by musicians Randy Miller and Gordon Peery. They released it in 1992, along with twelve additional songs, recorded by their band, the *New Hampshire Fiddler’s Union. The New Hampshire Historical Society in Concord has The Music of John Taggart on cassette in their collection, but the cassette is no longer available. The Town of Sharon would welcome a copy of the cassette for the Archives.
The digital file of Taggart’s Hornpipe and Sugar House was shared by John A. Taggart’s relatives, Julie Taggart Rabe and Steve Taggart.
Sharon, NH – 1991 (Bicentennial Part 1) – Produced in celebration of the Town’s bicentennial (founded in 1791) and also the centennial celebration of the Sharon Reunion (first held in 1891). Interviews by Lorraine Denis (Mill Road); camera and recordings by John Derby. * Abe Collier (Temple Road) at the Brick School House * Alfred Sawyer at Silver Ranch * Lester and Pearl Stevens, Bob Young at the Stevens’ home on Jarmany Hill Road. * Wally and Vi Newton at the Newton’s home on Spring Hill Road.
Sharon, NH – 1991 (Bicentennial Part 2)
