Annotation:Old Melinda
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OLD MELINDA. AKA - "Malindy," "Melinda," "Old Melina." Old-Time, Breakdown. USA; Missouri, Nebraska. C Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABBCC (Christeson): AABBCC' (Beisswenger & McCann): AABB'CC' (Phillips). "Old Melinda" is one of '100 essential Missouri tunes' listed by Missouri fiddler Charlie Walden. Mid-west fiddlers start on different parts of the tune. Mark Wilson is of the opinion the melody contains elements of early ragtime. Nebraska fiddler Bob Walters (1889-1960) announced the tune as "Old Malindee" on his recording, and is known simply as "Malindy" in Ozark County (Lonnie Robertson introduces it as "Gonna play Malindee" on his CD). It may be that Walters learned the tune from a Missouri fiddler, perhaps Casey Jones, who also played the tune (as did fiddler Lyman Enloe). Fiddler Jesse Wallace learned the tune from Frank Waters, who called it "Muddy Water."
Sources for notated versions: from the playing of Bob Walters (1889-1960, Burt County, Nebraska), recorded November, 1949 [Christeson]; Lyman Enloe (1906-1998, born in Cole County, Missouri, on the northern edge of the Ozarks) and Bob Walters [Phillips]; Lonnie Robertson (1908-1981, Springfield, Missouri) [Beisswenger & McCann].
Printed sources: Beisswenger & McCann (Ozarks Fiddle Music), 2008; p. 121. R.P. Christeson (Old Time Fiddlers Repertory, vol. 1), 1973; No. 50, p. 38. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes, vol. 1), 1994; p. 151.
Recorded sources: County CD2707, Lymon Enloe - "Fiddle Tunes I Recall." Marimac Records, Double Decker String Band - "Chasing Rainbows." Missouri State Old Time Fiddlers' Assocation, Bob Walters - "R.B. Christeson's Old Time Fiddlers' Repertory, vol. 1" (1973). Missouri State Old Time Fiddlers' Assocation 102, Casey Jones (1910-1967, northwest Mo.) - "Rocky Road to Jordan." Rhythm Rats - "Pretty Crowing Chicken." Rounder 0375, Lonnie Robertson - "Lonnie's Breakdown: Classic Fiddle Music from Missouri" (1996. Appears as "Malindy," originally recorded 1977). 5 String Productions 5SP05002, The Hoover Uprights - "Known for their Reputation" (2005).
See also listing at:
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [1]
Hear Bob Walters' recording at Slippery Hill [2]