Annotation:Dusty Miller (2): Difference between revisions

Revision as of 08:53, 1 April 2012

DUSTY MILLER [2]. AKA - "Miller's Reel." Old-Time, Bluegrass, Canadian, Texas Style. USA; Texas, Missiouri. Unrelated to version #1. A Major/Mixolydian. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABBCC. The tune is a contest breakdown favorite in the Mid-West U.S.. Gus Meade relates the tune to "Granny Will Your Dog Bite?" Perhaps the earliest recorded version of the tune was by Capt. M.J. Bonner [1] (1847-1939), "The Texas Fiddler," who recorded "Dusty Miller" for Victor Records in Houston, 1925. Gene Goforth maintained his irregular version (10 measures in each part, rather than eight) was the "old way" of playing the tune.

Source for notated version: Bob Walters (Burt County, Nebraska) [Christeson]; Joe Greene [Phillips]; Jim Wood [Fiddler Magazine]; Gene Goforth (1921-2002, High Ridge, Mo.), learned from his father, Richard "Dink" Goforth [Beisswenger & McCann].

Printed sources: Beisswenger & McCann (Ozarks Fiddle Music), 2008; p. 45. Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; p. 97. Christeson (Old Time Fiddlers Repertory, vol. 1), 1973; p. 22. Fiddler Magazine, Winter 2005/06, vol. 12, No. 4; pp. 33-35 (contains numerous variation sets). Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes, vol. 1), 1994; p. 78. Reiner (Anthology of Fiddle Styles), 1977; p. 66.

Recorded sources: American Heritage 25, "Poor Richard's Almanac." County 202, "Eck Robertson: Famous Cowboy Fiddler." County 722, Joe Greene- "Joe Greene's Fiddle Album." County 724, Benny Thomasson- "Country Fiddling." Missouri State Old Time Fiddlers' Association, Dwight Lamb (b. 1934) - "Old Ladies Pickin' Chickens." Rounder 0046, Mark O'Conner- "National Junior Fiddle Champion." Rounder 0086, Butch Robbins- "Forty Years Late." Rounder 0235, Alison Krauss - "Too Late to Cry." Rounder CD 0388, Gene Goforth - "Emminence Breakdown" (1997. Appears as "Dink's Dusty Miller, after his father, Richard "Dink" Goforth). Rounder C-11565, Alison Krauss - "Rounder Fiddle" (1990). Rounder 0442, John Hartford - "Hamilton Ironworks (2001. Appears as "Goforth's Dusty Miller", after his source, Missouri fiddler Gene Goforth, who had the tune from his father). Voyager 319-S, Ace Sewell- "Southwest Fiddlin.'"

Tune properties and standard notation