TOTW 5/8/2026 Pigeon on the Gate from Doc White

I never got to meet Doc White though he was at the first West Virginia State Folk Festival that I went to in 1973. He died just before the 1974 festival. The tune can have slightly different names in the present age: Pigeon on the Gate, Pigeon on the Gatepost and Pigeon on the Gate Post (it’s entirely different from the Irish tune of the same name).

I’ve uploaded a recording from a set of his recordings that I have, but have been unable to locate the source of this collection. They are two recordings (back to back) and you can hear Doc White and Alan Jabbour speaking at the end. He tells that he learned the tune from Ed Haley (though on none of the Haley two CDs and LP does that tune appear). While Doc only plays each part once, we usually play each part twice. Listen to Doc (click on recording below).

From https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/entries/1191 (West Virginia Humanities Council;  including the two photographs)

 Having trouble inserting pictures

Fiddler and self-taught physician James Franklin "Doc" White (February 5, 1889 - June 13, 1974) was born near Ivydale, Clay County.

Doc White served the community as a doctor, dentist, and midwife, without the benefit of formal medical training. He honed his skills by apprenticing under local doctors and dentists and by reading every medical book he could get his hands on. It was estimated that White delivered more than 1,800 babies throughout the hollows of Clay County, and he routinely made house calls to residents too ill to visit his office. In addition, White served as a justice of the peace in Clay County for more than 30 years.

            He was one of a long line of accomplished traditional musicians in Clay County, including Jenes Cottrell, Wilson Douglas, Ira Mullins, Sylvia O'Brien, Minerva White, Lee Triplett, French Carpenter, and others.

            Somewhere, but I could not locate it, the West Virginia Medical Association recognized Doc’s medical skills, many years later, but I don’t know if that was while he was still alive.

Having trouble inserting pictures

From Kerry Blech Photos

https://www.slippery-hill.com/photo-gallery-list/Kerry%20Blech%20Photos/gallery

Glenville 1973 - photo by Kerry Blech - Kerry adds Doc (White) is playing Tommy Thompson's banjo. 6-15-1973; I inserted the names on the photograph.

            Doc White is mentioned in writings on a Brandan Ray Kirk website “In Search of Ed Haley”.

https://brandonraykirk.com/tag/doc-white/

            Another article about Doc

https://www.hurherald.com/cgi-bin/db_scripts/articles?Action=user_view&db=hurheral_articles&id=49592

Here are some more recent recordings of the tune.

Pigeon on the Gate (or Gate Post or Gatepost)

Green Heron  - Betsy and Scott Heron

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcfIeClY0Ko

Carl Jones, mandolin; Erynn Marshall, guitar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sQrJVyxju0

Bob McClusky and Friends

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG0p5BiGnOE

            Finally, here is my imperfect solo banjo version. Arthritis has taken its toil.

Doc White at Glenville in 1973

Doc White playing banjo at Glenville

Doc White fiddling

Pigeon on the Gate from Doc White

Pigeon on the Gate solo banjo

 

Edited by - carlb on 05/07/2026 18:23:24