Annotation:Johnny Watt Henry's
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JOHNNY WATT HENRY'S. AKA and see "John Henry's (1)." AKA - "Johnny Henry's." Irish, Reel. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB. The title references fiddler John (or Johnny) Henry (1922-1997), born at Doocastle, County Sligo, brother of Chicago flute player and piper Kevin Henry. His father was called Batt Henry, entitling the son to be called Watt Henry, according to Finbar Boyle, who knew him. According to his brother Kevin (in his notes to his CD), Johnny was born with albinism, which resulted in his remaining rather home-bound, but giving him time to practice the fiddle. On Matt Molloy's CD it is recorded that Johnny was blind, and Boyle confirms that he was nearly so, keeping his house in darkness because light did not matter. Johnny's mentor was fiddler Pat Kelleher, a contemporary and school-boy with Michael Coleman. A picture of John Henry is on the cover of Reg Hall's "'Round the House and Mind the Dresser." There is a section of Henry's tunes in Bernard Flaherty's book Trip to Sligo (1990).
Source for notated version: flute player Colm O'Donnell (b. 1962, outside Aclare, County Sligo) [Flaherty].
Printed sources: Flaherty (Trip to Sligo), 1990; p. 17 (appears as "Unknown").
Recorded sources: Coleman Center CD CC004, Seamus O'Donnell - "The Mountain Road" (1999. Various artists. "A Compilation of tunes popular in South Sligo." Appears as "Johnny Henry's"). Green Linnett SIF3041, Matt Molloy - "Stony Steps" (1987. Appears as "Johnny Watt Henry's Favourite," paired with "Handsome Sally (1)").
See also listings at:
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [1]
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [2]
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