Annotation:Rocky Road to Jordan
X:1 T:Untitled Breakdown T:Rocky Road to Jordan S:Bob Walters (Nebraska) M:C| L:1/8 R:Reel B:Christeson - Old Time Fiddler's Repertory, vol. 1 (1973, No. 107) K:D dB|A2 FE DEFG|AFAc d2A2|B3B BdcB|ABcd e2a2| A2 FE DEFG|AFAc d2A2|B3c BAFB|AFDF D2:| |:ag|fgaf d2 fg|afdf afdf|gabg e2 ef|gfga bgag| fgaf d2 fg|afdf afdf|e4 [c4e4]|[e4e4]d2:|]
ROCKY ROAD TO JORDAN. Old-Time, Breakdown. D Major. “Rocky Road to Jordon” is one of ‘100 essential Missouri tunes’ listed by Missouri fiddler Charlie Walden. It was in the repertoire of fiddlers Casey Jones (1910-1987, Mo.), Dwight Lamb (Mo.) and Bob Walters (Nebraska). The tune was mentioned by name in Edgar Lee Masters' book The Sangamon, Chapter 6, where he recalls a visit in 1914 to an old friend of Masters' father, by the name of John Armstrong, of Oakford, Mo. Armstrong was asked to play the fiddle:
He made no excuses, he just got up and took his fiddle, and called to his daughter to play the organ for him, and gave him the key. The daughter arose without a word, with no expression on her face, just arose like a wraith, and sat down at the organ and gave John the key. Then John tuned his fiddle and sat back and began to preface the playing of each piece with some story concerning its origin, and where and how it got its name, and where he heard it first. For years he had attended the dances, the county fairs, the camp meetings, the festivals. These were the continuation of the New Salem events, and I felt he was re-creating the past of the deserted village for me. I could image myself in the Rutledge Tavern, listening to John Armstrong tell stories of the Sangamon River, of Bowling Green, of Mentor Graham whom he knew, of William G. Green, at the time not so many years gone from earth.
John played such pieces as "Rocky road to Jordan," "Way up Tar Creek," "Foggy Mountain Top," "Hell Amongst the Yearlings," "Little Drops of Brandy," "The Wind the Shakes the Barley," "Good Mornin', Uncle Johnny, I've Fetched your Wagon Home." He played a piece which he called "Toor-a-Loor," and another which he called "Chaw Roast Beef." (excerpt found [1])