Annotation:Fort Smith Breakdown (2)
Tune properties and standard notation
FORT SMITH BREAKDOWN [2]. Old-Time, Breakdown. USA, Arkansas. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. There are some similarities to the Kentucky tune "Across the Plains," aka "Old Red Rooster," and is vaguely reminiscent of the similarly titled "Fort Smith (1)." Banjo and harmonica player Luke Highnight formed a string band playing out of Hot Springs, Arkansas, and recorded several sides in Memphis in 1928. The fiddler for the group is Frank Gardner, about whom little is known.
Source for notated version: Luke Highnight's Ozark Strutters (of Hotsprings, Ark., who originally recorded the tune in 1928) [Beisswenger & McCann, Brody]; Chuck Silberstein [Phillips].
Printed sources: Beisswenger & McCann (Ozarks Fiddle Music), 2008; p. 185. Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; p. 111. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes, vol. 1), 1994; p. 91.
Recorded sources: County CD 3506, Luke Highnight's Ozark Strutters- "Echoes of the Ozarks, vol. 2" (1995. Various artists). Folkways 31062, Ship in the Clouds- "Old Time Instrumental Music" (1978). Voyager 301, Fay Sneed- "Fiddle Jam Session."