Annotation:Six Months
X:1 T: Six Months N:Source to Native American fiddler Willie Dreadfulwater, who taught it to N:the father of Oklahoma fiddler Mack Cummings. Mack was recorded in N:the field in 1976 by Jim Renner. Renner says "When Mack was learning N:the tune, Willie came over to play the night before his death. Before leaving, N:Willie stood outside by the gate for a long time and said, 'I could play all night, N:I feel so lonesome.' A falling tree limb killed him the next day." N:The tied 'e' to 'f' notes in the first strain is to be played as drawn out slide, N:pitch ending between an 'f' natural and 'f' sharp note. M:C| L:1/8 Q:"Quick" D:https://www.slippery-hill.com/content/six-months Z:Transcribed by Andrew Kuntz K:Gmix g3a g2e-f-|fgag fd3|g3a g2e-f-|fedc BG3|[G4B4][G4B4]:| |:+slide+B4 [D4d4]|B,2-D2G3A|B-cdc BG3|[G4B4][G4B4]:|
SIX MONTHS. American, Reel (cut time). G Mixolydian. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. The title "Six Months" may refer to a jail sentence. The tune was recorded in 1976 by collector Jim Renner from the playing of Oklahoma fiddler Mack Cummings. Cummings learned the tune from his father, who had learned it from a Cherokee Indian fiddler by the name of Willie Dreadfulwater. The story Cummings told Renner was: "when Mack was learning the tune,Willie came over to play the night before his death. Before leaving, Willie stood outside by the gate for a long time and said, 'I could play all night, I feel so lonesome.' A falling tree limb killed him the next day."
It is possible the tune was part of an older Native American music motif that was transformed into an American old-time fiddle piece (see also Dreadfulwater's "Kiowa").
