Annotation:Lonesome Polly Ann

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LONESOME POLLY ANN. AKA and see "Pretty Polly Ann (2)." Old-Time, Breakdown. USA, Missouri. A Major. AEac# tuning (fiddle). AA'BB'CC'. Gordon McCann remembers that Robertson originally called this tune "Pretty Polly" (see also Biography:Pete McMahan's version of "Pretty Polly" on the album "Now That's a Good Tune"), but changed the name so as to avoid remarks that he copied McMahan's tune [Beisswenger & McCann, 2008]. There are several other tunes and folksong ballads with that have the name "Polly Ann" in them, most unrelated to each other, and apparently not Robertson's tune. The melody was recorded as "Lonesome Betty Ann" in the late 1940's by fiddler Jesse Ashlock, a Western Swing version. The tune was in Missouri fiddler Bob Holt's repertoire under the "Lonesome Polly Ann" title, probably learned from Robertson. Bill Graves' "Old Stillhouse is Burning Down (3) (The)" is a closely related tune.

Source for notated version: Lonnie Robertson (1908-1981, Springfield, Missouri) [Beisswenger & McCann].

Printed sources: Beisswenger & McCann (Ozarks Fiddle Tunes), 2008; p. 120.

Recorded sources: Caney Mountan CLP 232, Lonnie Robertson - "Fiddle Tunes, Ozark Style." Rounder 0375, Lonnie Robertson - "Lonnie's Breakdown" (1996. Originally recorded in 1977).