Broken Down Gambler

 BROKEN DOWN GAMBLER. Old-Time, Breakdown. USA; north Georgia, Missouri. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB (Devil's Box): AABB' (Phillips). The tune was recorded in 1930 by Gid Tanner, Riley Puckett and Lowe Stokes, all members of the north Georgia band The Skillet Lickers. Guthrie Meade sees simiarlties to "Waynesburgh," "Bitter Creek" and "Scott No. 2," while Drew Beisswenger (2008) believes the Ozark versions of "Bay Rooster" and "Katy Hill" have similar first strains. Sources for notated versions: The Skillet Lickers (north Georgia) [Devil's Box]; Manco Sneed (N.C.) [Phillips]; H.K. Silvey (b. 1934, Theodosia, Mo.), who had it from his uncle, Jess Silvey, who probably learned it from the Skillet Lickers' recording [Beissenger & McCann]. Printed sources: Beisswenger & McCann (Ozarks Fiddle Music), 2008; p. 128. The Devil's Box, Fall, 1983, p. 17. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), vol. 1, 1994; p. 38. Recorded sources: County 526, "The Skillet Lickers, vol. 1" (1973). Voyager VRLP 328-S, "Kenny Hall and the Long Haul String Band." Rounder 0437-2, H.K. Silvey - "Traditional Fiddle Music of the Ozarks, vol. 3: Down in the Border Counties" (2000. Appears as "Broke Down Gambler"). See also listing at: Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources

X:1 T:Broken Down Gambler M:2/4 L:1/8 S:From a transcription by Frank Malloy K:G D|Gg/a/ g/e/d/c/|B/A/G/B/ A/G/E/D/|G/A/G/E/ D/C/B,/C/|D/E/D/C/ B,/GD/| Gg/a/ g/e/d/c/|B/A/G/B/ A/G/E/D/|G/A/G/E/ D/C/B,/C/|D/[GB][G/B/] [GB]:| a a|g/a/g/e/ d>B|de/f/ g/e/d/c/|B/B/A/F/ G:|
 * z|a a|g/f/g/e/ d2|e '''© 1996-2010 Andrew Kuntz. All Rights Reserved.''' Engraver Valerio M. Pelliccioni