Annotation:New Money

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X:1 T:New Money M:C| L:1/8 R:Reel Q:"Quick" N:From the playing of Fiddlin' Doc Roberts (1897-1978, N:Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) D:Gennett 6775 (78 RPM), Fiddlin' Doc Roberts (1928) D:Document DOCD 8042, "Fiddlin' Doc Roberts vol. 1" D:https://www.slippery-hill.com/recording/new-money Z:Transcribed by Andrew Kuntz K:C G2|cde^f gage|gage gage|cde^f gage|aged BGAG| GABc ^cded|f2ef- fef2|"*"G2A2Bf- f2|e2dc- cBAG:| |:c3d cGEG|cBcd cGEG|cBcd cAGE|DCB,C D^FGA| BGBG ABGA|BGBG ABde|fedc BGAB|1c2dBc2G2:|2c2 dB c2|| P:Substitutions: "*"G2A2 Bf-fd||



NEW MONEY. American, Reel (cut time). USA, eastern Kentucky. C Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. Doc Roberts [1] (1897-1978) recorded this indigenous east-central Kentucky tune in the 1920's (learned from Elzic/Elza/Elzie Stone [see picture below, right) of Mt. Sterling, Montgomery County, Ky., at a fiddle contest, according to Richard Nevins[1]. Robertson, born on Curtis Pike in Madison County, Kentucky, recorded extensively with Gennett, ARC and Paramount. His repertoire consisted mostly of regional tunes and he paid little attention to outside music[2], however, his repertoire was not archaic, and "New Money" illustrates blues and ragtime influences. The consistently sharped 'f' notes in the tune put it in the lydian mode, although this was unintentional; rather it was an artifact of habit since most fiddle tunes (in keys of G, D and A) require an 'f' sharp note.

Doc Roberts
Elza Stone and his sons as the Happy Hollow Entertainers; from left, Sid, Howard, James, and Elza [Old Time Herald, vol. 11, No. 9]


Additional notes

Source for notated version: - Doc Roberts (Madison County, Ky.) [Maloy/Devil's Box, Phillips].

Printed sources : - Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; p. 202. The Devils Box, vol. 10, #1, 1976; p. 46. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes, vol. 1), 1994; p. 165.

Recorded sources: -Davis Unlimited 33015, Doc Roberts- "Classic Fiddle Tunes." Document Records, "Fiddlin Doc Roberts Vol. 1 1925 - 1928" (1999). Gennett 6775 (78 RPM), Doc Roberts (1927). Jim Martin Productions JMP201, Gerry Milnes (et al) - "Gandydancer." Morining Star 45005, Doc Roberts - "Way Down South in Dixie: Old Time Fiddle Band Music from Kentucky, vol. 3" (1980. Reissue recordings, various artists)." Yazoo 2200, Doc Roberts - "Kentucky Mountain Music: Classic Recordings of the 1920s & 1930s" (2000. Reissue recordings, various artists).

See also listing at:
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [2]
Hear Doc Robert's 1927 recording at Slippery Hill [3]
See transcription/MP3/Midi at Austin Roger's Dr. Fiddle site [4]



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  1. Liner notes for Morning Star Records "Old Time Fiddle Band Music from Kentucky"
  2. Wolfe, Kentucky Country, 1982