Annotation:Grapevine Twist (2)

Tune properties and standard notation

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GRAPEVINE TWIST [2]. American, Minstrel Air and Breakdown. A tune by this name was learned by minstrel banjoist Fred Mather from Southerner (and famous banjo player) Joel Sweeney in 1846 or 1847. Sweeney, who came north every two years as a musician with a circus, had a drop thumb technique learned from his family's Virginia slaves. Hans Nathan (Dan Emmett and Negro Minstrelsy, Univ. of Oklahoma Press, 1962, p. 93) records the 'Grape Vine Twist' was one of the dances or series of dance steps of the blackface minstrel era. See also the related tune "Cornstalk Fiddle and Shoestring Bow."

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Coe (

Recorded sources:

See also listing at:
Hear the tune at Minstrel Banjo [1]

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Tune properties and standard notation