Annotation:John Henry (1)
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JOHN HENRY. Old-Time, Breakdown. USA; western North Carolina & Virginia. A Mixolydian. AEae tuning (fiddle). AABB. A Galax, Virginia/Mt. Airy, N.C., regional tune. African-American fiddler Joe Thompson played a "John Henry" in GDgd tuning, similar to Kyle Creed and Fred Cockerham's version. North Georia fiddler Earl Johnson recorded an irregular version of the tune under the title "John Henry Blues."
Source for notated version: Tommy Jarrell (Mt. Airy, N.C.) [Milliner & Koken]; Jake Phelps [Milliner & Koken]; Van Kidwell [Milliner & Koken].
Printed sources: Milliner & Koken (Milliner-Koken Collection of American Fiddle Tunes), 2011; pp. 342-343 (3 versions).
Recorded sources: Copper Creek CCCD 0193, Bill and Libby Hicks - "South of Nowhere." Fretless FR 160, The Double Decker String Band - "Sentimental Songs and Old Time Melodies" (1981. Learned from the Williamson Brothers and Curry, and the Skillet Lickers). Heritage 044, Tommy Jarrell - "Joke on the Puppy" (1992). Rounder CD0421, Bruce Molsky - "Big Hoedown" (1997. Learned from Fred Cockerham of Low Gap, North Carolina).
See also listing at:
Hear Tommy Jarrell's version at Slippery Hill [1]
Hear W.L. Gregory and Clyde Davenport (Wayne County, Ky.) 1975 field recording at Berea Digital Content [2]
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