Annotation:Natchez Under the Hill (5)

Back to Natchez Under the Hill (5)

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NATCHEZ (UNDER THE HILL) [5]. Old-Time, Breakdown. USA, Arkansas. A Major. GDgd (AEae) (fiddle). AA'BB'. An irregular tune in both strains, idiosyncratic to north Arkansas fiddler Absie Morrison (1876-1964), who called it "Natchez". Morrison, who liked to connect his tunes with historical events, apparently believed this tune was played when General Andrew Jackson and his army landed at Natchez in 1815, on their way to the Battle of New Orleans. Beisswenger & McCann (2008) note that the connection with the "Turkey in the Straw/Natchez Under the Hill" is weak tunes (see "Natchez Under the Hill (1)," "Natchez Under the Hill (2)," and "Natchez Under the Hill (3)" for those), but the authors believe it can be detected in the first two measures of each strain. Others do not hear a resemblance.

Absie Morrison, playing onstage with his granddaughter.

Source for notated version: Absie Morrison (Searcy County, Arkansas) [Beisswenger & McCann].

Printed sources: Beisswenger & McCann (Ozarks Fiddle Music), 2008; p. 103.

Recorded sources:

See also listing at:
Hear Absie Morrison's solo 1959 field recording at Slippery-Hill [1] and at Lyons College [2]

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