Arthur Berry
'ARTHUR BERRY. AKA – “Arthur Barry,” “Arthur Barrie.” AKA and see "Yellow Barber" {Ky.). Old Time, Breakdown. USA; eastern Kentucky, southern Ohio, Indiana. D Major. Standard or ADae (fiddle). AABB. Kerry Blech remarks that source John Summers (Indiana) learned the tune from fiddler named Tom Riley, originally from Bath County, Kentucky, who also was a mentor to George Lee Hawkins. Hawkins himself had a great influence on the style and repertoire of Lewis County, Kentucky fiddlers (such as Buddy Thomas and Roger Cooper) and nearby Portsmouth, Ohio, fiddlers (such as Jimmy Wheeler). The tune is known as “Yellow Barber” in the Portsmouth area of Kentucky, however, south and east the “Arthur Barry” title is more common. Blech suggests that Arthur Barry might have been the name of the yellow (mulatto) barber.
Source for notated version: John W. Summers (Indiana) [Krassen].
Printed source: Krassen (Masters of Old Time Fiddling), 1983, p. 131.
Recorded sources: Rounder Records 0032, Buddy Thomas (under "Yellow Barber"). Rounder Records 0194, John W. Summers "Indiana Fiddler" (1984).
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