Annotation:Ford One-Step

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X:1 T:Ford One-Step S:Pete McMahan (1919-2000, Columbia, Boone County, central Mo.) M:C| L:1/8 R:Reel R:Quick F:https://www.slippery-hill.com/recording/ford-one-step Z:Transcribed by Andrew Kuntz K:C g2-|gdeg- gdea-|agea- ageg-|gdeg- gde2|[d3g3][dg]- [d2g2]g2-| gdeg- gdea-|agea- ageg-|gdeg- gde2|[E3c3][Ec]- [E2c2]:| |:A,B,|C2C2EG G^F|[=F2A2][F2A2]Ad2c| BGBd A^FAF|G=FGA GFED| [C2E2][C2E2] EG G^F|[=F2A2][F2A2]Ad2c| BGBd AGEG|[E3c3][Ec]- [E2c2]:|]



FORD ONE-STEP. American, Reel (cut time). C Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. The tune is sourced to Boone County, central Missouri, fiddler biography:Pete McMahan (1919-2000). A One-step is an old-time couple dance, a simpler version of the two-step. Howard Marshall [1] explains that it was developed during World War I: "...the 'one-step' was similar rhythmically and the same music worked, but he one-step was more accessible--danceable by even the least-experienced soldiers who were discovering nightclubs."

Pete McMahan


Additional notes

Source for notated version: -

Printed sources : -

Recorded sources: - Grey Eagle Records 101, Pete McMahan - "Now that's a Good Tune: Masters of Traditional Fiddling" (1989. Various artists).

See also listing at:
Hear Pete McMahan's recording at Slippery Hill [1]
See Charlie Walden teach the tune at youtube.com [2]
See a 1997 clip of Pete McMahon playing the tune at youtube.com [3]

See Charlie Walden's standard notation transcription [4]


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  1. Howard Marshall, "Play Me Something Quick and Devilish", 2013, p. 288.