Annotation:Sally Ann Johnson (1)
X:1 T:Sally Ann Johnson S:Henry Reed (1967, Glen Lyn, Virginia) M:C| L:1/8 R:Reel D:Library of Congress AFS 13703B10 Z:Transcribed by Andrew Kuntz K:D (F[A2A2])[AA]- [A2A2][A2A2]|BABd ed3|{e}f3d e2d2|fded BdAG| (F[A2A2])[AA]- [A2A2][A2A2]|BABd e2d2|ffaf egfe|[D2d2]d2[D2d2]A2|| |:defg a4|b4 f3f|gfgf e2d2|fded B2A2| defg a4|b4 f3f|gfgf e2d2|fded BdAG||
SALLY ANN JOHNSON. Old-Time, Breakdown. USA; Virginia, West Virginia. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB (Brody): AABB' (Phillips). The broad dissemination and widespread variants of this melodic tune family, both in America and Ireland point to a melodic theme of some age, appearing in print at least as far back as the first half of the 19th century. The name "Sally Ann Johnson" seems to be a regional Virginia/West Virginia one, however. The title is sometimes confused with "Sally Johnson (1)" ("Katy Hill" family), a different tune altogether but which is also sometimes called "Sally Ann Johnson." "Sally Ann Johnson" also bears no musical relation to the similarly-titled "Sally Ann" ("Great Big Taters") family of tunes. Alan Jabbour, in his notes to his source Henry Reed's (1884-1968, Glen Lyn, Virginia) version of the tune, remarks that Irish variants of go by the name "Boys of Bluehill (The)," "Freedom for Ireland" and "Nights of Gladness (5)." Jabbour also says "Sally Ann Johnson" compares with Irish/Scottish "Banks of Inverness" and the American variants "Beaux of Oak Hill (1)," "Two Sisters (The)," and "Lonesome Katy." A cognate Blue Ridge tune is Taylor Kimble's "Old Ark's a-Moving (The)". "Many printed sets are cast as hornpipes," notes Jabbour, "with the characteristic three eighth notes ending each strain. Henry Reed's tune has the feel of an American breakdown, but its circular structure for the melody leading from the second strain back to the first is unusual."
[1] See also Ozarks Mountains fiddler Fred Stoneking's variant "Birdie in the Snowbank," and an untitled breakdown from African-American fiddler Bill Caton/Katon in R.P. Christeson's Old Time Fiddler's Repertory vol. 1 (1973, p. 74). This, coupled with Ira Ford's printing of "Lonesome Katy" in his 1940 Traditional Music in America suggest to Beisswenger and McCann (Ozarks Fiddle Music, 2008, p. 134) that tune tune strains have "a long history in the Midwest."
According to Guthrie Meade, this piece was a favorite competition number for St. Albans, West Virginia, fiddler Clark Kessinger (1896-1975) at fiddlers' contests. Kessinger played the tune at the Newport Folk Festival in 1966, and recorded it for LP's in the 1960's but seems not to have recorded it earlier in his early career. The Kessinger Brothers (Clark and his nephew Luches on guitar) did record the similarly-titled "Sally Johnson" ("Katy Hill" tune family) for Brunswick records (issued as Melotone M12161) although they were identified as The Wright Brothers on the label.
The tune called "Sally Ann Johnson" by the McGee Brothers and Arthur Smith on the recording "Milk 'em in the Evening Blues" (1966) is really the similarly titled "Sally Johnson (1)."