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X:1
T:Blackberry Blossom [2]
L:1/8
M:2/4
B:Stephen F. Davis - Devil's Box, vol. 19, No. 4, Winter, 1985 (p. 43)
N:Transcribed by Frank Maloy, a composite from fiddlers in the 1940's
Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion
K:G
e/f/|"G"g/a/b/g/ "D7"f/g/a/f/|"C"e/f/g/e/ "G"d/B/A/B/|G/A/G/E/ D/E/G/A/|B/A/G/B/ "D7"Ae/f/|
"G"g/a/b/g/ "D7"f/g/a/f/|"C"e/f/g/e/ "G"d/B/A/B/|G/A/G/E/ D/E/G/A/|"D7"B/G/A/F/ "G"G:|
|:G/D/|"Em"Ee/B/ de/d/|Ee/B/ d/e/d/B/|Ee/B/ d/d/e/f/|"G"g/a/b/g/ a/g/e/d/|
"Em"Ee/B/ d/e/d/B/|Ee/B/ dd/A/|"G"B/d/g e>d|"D7"B/G/A/F/ "G"G:||
BLACKBERRY BLOSSOM [2]. American, Reel (cut time). USA; Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Nebraska. G Major ('A' part) & E Minor ('B' part). Standard tuning (fiddle). ABB (Christeson): ABB' (Berline): AABB (Brody, Krassen, Lowinger, Phillips). "Blackberry Blossom [2]" is well-known as a traditional Kentucky dance tune, but is now widespread and frequently recorded. Charles Wolfe and Barry Poss note that Kentucky fiddlers have played a tune by that name since before the Civil War and that Kentucky fiddler Dick Burnett recorded a version in 1930 which has been the model for many traditional southern Kentucky/northern Tennessee versions (see "Blackberry Blossom (4)").
"Blackberry Blossom [1]", however, is not "Blackberry Blossom" recorded by Fiddlin' Arthur Smith, whose tune different and may have been an original composition of his. Smith recorded his version with the Arthur Smith Trio in 1929. "A family story tells of Arthur's playing the tune over WSM and the station conducting a contest to name the tune; bushels of mail came in, and a woman in Arkansas won with the name 'Blackberry Blossom'" (Charles Wolfe & Barry Poss).
Additional notes
Source for notated version : - Bob Walters (Lincoln, Nebraska) [Christeson]; Charlie Higgins (Krassen says his version is loosely based on Higgin's playing); Benny Thomasson (Texas) [Phillips].
Printed sources : - Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; p. 47. R.P. Christeson (Old Time Fiddler's Repertory, vol. 1), 1973; No. 142, p. 101. Stephen F. Davis (Devil's Box), vol. 19, No. 4, Winter, 1985; p. 43. Byron Berline: The Fiddle," Frets, February 1988, p. 56. S. Johnson (Kitchen Musician No. 4: Fine Tunes), 1983 (revised 1991, 2001); p. 16. Krassen (Appalachian Fiddle), 1973; p. 60. Lowinger (Bluegrass Fiddle), 1974; p. 14. Phillips (Fiddle Case Tunebook: Old Time Southern), 1989; p. 7. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes, vol. 1), 1994; pp. 26 & 27 (two versions). Reiner (Anthology of Fiddle Styles), 1977; p. 32.
Recorded sources : - County 705, Sonny Miller & the Southern Mountain Boys – "Virginia Breakdown."
Green Linnet SIF 1075, John Whelan & Eileen Ivers – "Fresh Takes" (1987. Learned from Eamonn O'Loughlin and played as a hornpipe).
Marimac AHS #3, Glen Smith – "Say Old Man" (1990. Learned from legendary Galax, Va., fiddler Uncle Charley Higgins).
Rounder 0092, Tony Rice – "Manzanita."
Rounder 0090, Mark O'Connor – "Markology."
Rounder 0073, "The White Brothers in Sweden."
Rounder 0241, The Chicken Chokers – "Shoot Your Radio" (1987. Learned from Mike Seegar, Judy Hyman & Bert Levy).
Sugar Hill Records, Byron Berline & John Hickman – "Double Trouble."
Vanguard VSD 45/46, "The Essential Doc Watson."
Omac 1, Mark O'Connor – "A Texas Jam Session."
See also listing at :
Alan Snyder's Cape Breton Fiddle Recording Index [1]
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [2]
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [3]
Hear northeast Ky. fiddler Alfred Bailey's (1918-1996) version at Berea Sound Archives [4]
Hear Bath County, Ky., fiddler Carlton Rawlings (1907-1969) version at Berea Sound Archives [5]
Hear fiddler Emma Lee Dickerson's 1974 field recording by Barbara Kunkle at Berea Sound Archives [6]
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