Annotation:Avalon Quickstep

AVALON QUICKSTEP. AKA and see "Going to the Free State," "New Charleston No. 1." Old-Time, Breakdown. USA, Mississippi. D Major. Standard or ADae tunings. AABB (irregular). The melody was first recorded in 1929 by W.T. (Willie) Namour and S.W. Smith, Mississippi musicians, and named for the town of Avalon, Mississippi (the name Avalon is the mythological isle to which King Arthur was borne after his death). The Avalon area was home to a number of influential musicians, including blues guitarist John Hurt and the string band the Mississippi Possum Hunters, who all knew each other (Narmour and Smith helped Hurt to get signed with the OKeh Records). Apparently, the town was so obscure by the latter part of the 20th century that it could only be located with the help of old maps. The alternate title was an attempt by them to cash in on the Charleston dance craze of the 1920's. The 'B' part has ten measures instead of the usual eight. Sources for notated versions: Arm and Hammer String Band (Vermont) [Brody], W.T. Narmour (Miss.) [Phillips].

Printed sources: Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; pg. 30. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), vol. 2, 1995; pg. 16.

Recorded sources: County 528, Namour and Smith- "Traditional Fiddle Music of Mississippi, vol. 1." Kicking Mule 216, Arm and Hammer String Band- "New England Conta Dance Music" (1977).