Annotation:Red Lion Hornpipe (1)

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RED LION HORNPIPE [1]. American, Irish(-American); Hornpipe. USA, Missouri, New England. B Flat Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. The composition is credited to one Zeke Backus in Ryan’s Mammoth Collection (1883), one of several compositions in Ryan's volume credited to him. Backus was a blackface-minstrel performer and fiddler. Although there is no record of a ‘Zeke’, the Backus family (especially Charles) were prominent mid-19th century minstrels, touring the country and even spending time in San Francisco. From its origins in Ryan's Mammoth Collection the tune has been disseminated, and was collected from fiddlers in Missouri by R.P. Christeson and Ira Ford (probably, as Ford did not list his sources). It has even tip-toed into Irish repertory and was included in Martin Mulvihill's 1986 volume, largely collected from New York Irish fiddlers.

Source for notated version: Cyril Stinnett (Oregon, Missouri) [Christeson].

Printed sources: R.P. Christeson (Old Time Fiddlers Repertory, vol. 2), 1984; No. 36, p. 24. Coe, George H., album of violin music. Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; p. 88. Ford (Traditional Music in America), 1940; p. 112. Miller & Perron (New England Fiddlers Repertoire), 1983; No. 56. Mulvihill (1st Collection), 1986; No. 34, p. 99. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes, vol. 2), 1995; p. 219. Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, 1883; 122. Tolman (Nelson Music Collection), 1969; p. 15. White’s Unique Collection, 1896; No. 98, p. 18.

Recorded sources: Glen Arm MG-100, Kevin Quinn – “Music from the Glens” (c. 197?). Rounder 0215, James Bryan - "The First of May" (1986).