Annotation:John Henry (1)
Tune properties and standard notation
JOHN HENRY. Old-Time, Breakdown. USA; western North Carolina & Virginia. A Mixolydian. AEae tuning (fiddle). AABB. A Galax, Virginia, area tune. African-American fiddler Joe Thompson played a "John Henry" in GDgd tuning, similar to Kyle Creed and Fred Cockerham's version. North Georia fiddler Earl Johnson recorded an irregular version of the tune under the title "John Henry Blues."
Source for notated version:
Printed sources:
Recorded sources: Copper Creek CCCD 0193, Bill and Libby Hicks - "South of Nowhere." Fretless FR 160, The Double Decker String Band - "Sentimental Songs and Old Time Melodies" (1981. Learned from the Williamson Brothers and Curry, and the Skillet Lickers). Rounder CD0421, Bruce Molsky - "Big Hoedown" (1997. Learned from Fred Cockerham of Low Gap, North Carolina).