Annotation:Prairie Reel

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PRAIRIE REEL. Canadian, Reel. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AA’BB’. Composed by Manitoba fiddle great Andy DeJarlis, who recorded the tune around 1959. It was also popularized by the playing of Canadian radio and TV fiddler Don Messer with his band The Islanders.

Source for notated version: fiddler Dawson Girdwood (Perth, Ottawa Valley, Ontario), learned from Maritime fiddler Don Messer [Bégin].

Printed sources: Bégin (Fiddle Music in the Ottawa Valley: Dawson Girdwood), 1985; No. 12, p. 25. DeJarlis (Canadian fiddle tunes from the Red River Valley, vol. 2), 1958;

Recorded sources: Apex AL 1616, Don Messer & His Islanders - "Don Messer's Jubilee--Down East Dance Music by Canada's Top TV Personality" (1960). London Records EB5, DeJarlis - "Red River Echoes" (19).

See also listing at:
Hear Andy DeJarlis's recording on youtube.com [1]
Hear Don Messer's 1960 recording on youtube.com [2]

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