Annotation:Rainy Day (2) (The)

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RAINY DAY [2], THE. Old-Time, Breakdown. USA, West Virginia. A Mixolydian. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. A modal tune in the repertoire of Braxton County, W.Va., fiddler Melvin Wine. Variants include the Hammons family’s “Hell Against the Barn Door,” Braxton County fiddler Ernie Carpenter’s “Dan Friend's Piece” and a unnamed variant in the repertoire of Pendleton County fiddler Rob Probst [Milnes, 1999]. See also “Squirrel Hunters,” recorded by John Hartford (Rounder Records, “Wild Hog in the Red Brush”).

Source for notated version: Melvin Wine (1909-) [Silberberg]. The tune was played by Melvin's great-grandfather, David S. "Smithy" Wine (1829-1909), and was passed down to his son John Nelson "Nels" Wine (who, while not a fiddler, whistled, hummed, and sang his father's tunes), to his son Bill Wine, Melvin's father. Family lore has it that "Rainy Day" and "All Young" were favorite tunes of Smithy's.

Printed sources: Silberberg (Tunes I Learned at Tractor Tavern), 2002; p. 124.

Recorded sources: Reed Island Rounders – “Goin’ Home” (2002). See also listing at:
Hear Melvin Wine play the tune at the Digital Library of Applachia [1] and Slippery Hill []

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