Annotation:Paddy on the Handcar (1)

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PADDY ON THE HANDCAR. AKA and see: "Bunch of Keys (2)," "Paddy on the Turnpike" (1), "Paddy on the Turnpike (2). Old-Time, Breakdown. A Dorian. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Silberberg): AABB (Phillips, Sweet). USA; Texas, N.C. The tune under the "Paddy on the Handcar" title is sourced to the Texas stringband The Red Headed Fiddlers (fiddler A.L. "Red" Steeley with banjo player J. Warner "Red" Graham), although it is similar to the Appalachian "Bunch of Keys (2)/Old Bunch of Keys." The relaxed-paced reel was recorded in Dallas, Texas, in November, 1930, albeit with guitarist Mildred Steeley replacing Graham. Richard Nevins believes that the fiddler for the group, A.L. "Red" Steeley, had a style "strikingly similar" to that of Virginia fiddler Leonard Rutherford.

Sources for notated versions: Stuart Williams & Wes Brown [Phillips]; Stuart Williams (Seattle) [Silberberg].

Printed sources: Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes, vol. 1), 1994; p. 178. Silberberg (Tunes I Learned at Tractor Tavern), 2002; p. 114. Sweet (Fifer’s Delight), 1965/1981; p. 81.

Recorded sources: Brunswick Records BR 526 (78 RPM), Red Headed Fiddlers (1930). County 527, The Red Headed Fiddlers - "Old Time Fiddle Classics, vol. 2." Document DOCD-8038, Red Headed Fiddlers – “Texas Fiddle Bands Vol. 1.” June Appal 007, Tommy Hunter - "Deep In Tradition" (1976. Learned from his grandfather, fiddler James W. Hunter, Madison County, N.C.). Marimac 9038, Dan Gellert & Brad Leftwich - "A Moment in Time."

See also listing at:
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [1]
Hear the Red Headed Fiddler's version on youtube.com [2] [3]
See Austin Rogers' transcription of the tune [4] [5]

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