Annotation:Jack's Creek Waltz

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 JACK'S CREEK WALTZ. Old-Time, Waltz. USA, central Ky. Probably composed by Kentucky fiddler Doc Roberts and named for a creek in his home county, Madison. Roberts' son James said, "The Jack's Creek Pike runs right out of Richmond down to the Kentucky River, where they have a ferry. It was the only place you could cross between Lexington and Richmond" (Wolfe, 1983). However, William C. Ellis, in his book The Kentucky River credits the tune to an African-American musician, Jim Smith, who lived at the mouth of Jack's Creek in Madison County (information apparently derived from an interview with John Harrod). He had a band called the Jack's Creek Jazz Band, but also played old-time music during the breaks in the regular performance, including this waltz. Ellis maintains that Roberts picked up the tune from Smith and recorded it.  Source for notated version:  Printed sources:  Recorded sources: County 412, "Fiddling Doc Roberts" (1983). Document 8043, Doc Roberts. Gennett 7017 (78 RPM), Doc Roberts (who used the pseudonym 'Fiddlin' Jim Burke' on the label).

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