Annotation:Dry and Dusty (1)

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DRY AND DUSTY [1]. Old-Time, Breakdown. USA; Arkansas, Missouri. D Major. DDad, ADad or Standard tunings (fiddle). AB (Silberberg): AABB (Christeson, Phillips, Reiner & Anick). "Dry and Dusty" is on Charlie Walden's list of '100 essential Missouri fiddle tunes'. The tune was recorded for the Library of Congress from Ozarks Mountains fiddlers in the early 1940's by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph, particularly from the playing of Arkansas fiddler Lon Jordan (whom Kerry Blech says played the melody in AEae tuning, set in the key of 'A'). However, it was commercially recorded for Victor Records during the 78 RPM era by Apsie Sherdon Morrison (1876-1964) and Abbie Sherman Morrison (1876-1965, see biography:Absie Morrison), of Searcy County, Arkansas, who were twin brothers and fiddlers. They both survived into the 1960's and Abbie's post-commercial playing was recorded by folklorists, including Alan Lomax. Ken Perlman (1979) relates that whenever an Ozark fiddler wanted a drink while playing for a dance he played this tune as a cue that he was feeling "Dry and Dusty". Reiner & Anick (1989) suggest the title refers rather to the "drought and dust endured by settlers on government-provided, free land claims in the West." A variant of the usual "Dry and Dusty," in DDad tuning (the same tuning the Morrison Twin Brothers used), appears as an untitled tune on Texas fiddler Eck Robertson's County LP (County 202). Texas style fiddler Benny Thomasson also played the tune in DDad tuning. Occasionally one hears versions in ADad (e.g. Benny Thomasson, the Morrison Brothers Twin Brothers Band)-Mark Wilson (liner notes to Dwight Lamb's 2005 Rounder release) says it's the older versions-but Missouri fiddlers often use conventional tuning. Iowa fiddler Dwight Lamb calls the tune "The Missouri 'Dry and Dusty'" (as played, for example, by Cyril Stinnett and Pete McMahan) to differentiate the non-related tune called "Dry and Dusty (3)" he learned from Nebraska fiddler biography:Bob Walters. Two different sources indicate that "Dry and Dusty" was a companion piece to "Bonaparte's Retreat", says Wilson: Missouri fiddler Apsie Morrison (referenced above, who told it to Judy McColloh) and Alva Greene of Sandy Hook, Kentucky (although he called it "Bonaparte's Charge").

Additional notes

Source for notated version: - Gus Vandergriff (Pulaski County, Missouri) [Christeson]; Morrison Twin Brothers (Abbie and Apsie Morrison, Ark.) [Reiner & Anick]; Lynn 'Chirps' Smith [Phillips]; Oscar "Red" Wilson [Silberberg].

Printed sources : - Christeson (Old Time Fiddlers Repertory vol. 1)), 1973; p. 68. Reiner & Anick (Old Time Fiddling Across America), 1989; p. 121. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes, vol. 1), 1994; p. 75. Silberberg (Tunes I Learned at Tractor Tavern), 2002; p. 37.

Recorded sources: - Caney Mountain Records CLP 213 (privately issued extended play LP), Lonnie Robertson (Mo.), c. 1965-66. County 518, Morrison Twin Brothers String Band (Ark.) - "Echoes of the Ozarks" (orig. rec. 1930). County 724, Benny Thomasson - "Country Fiddling from the Big State." County 790, Leftwich & Higginbotham - "No One to Bring Home Tonight" (1984). Marimac 9000, Dan Gellert & Shoofly - "Forked Deer" (1986). Oak Records OOK CD 001, "Brittany Haas" (2004. Learned from the Morrison Brothers).Rounder 0320, Bob Carlin & John Hartford - "The Fun of Open Discussion." Victor Vi V-40323 {78 RPM}, The Morrison Twin Brothers String Band (backed with "Ozark Waltz").

See also listings at:
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [1].

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