Annotation:Black Sally Goodin

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X:1 % T:Black Sally Goodin' S:Bill Caton via Vee Latty (Mo.) M:C| L:1/8 R:Reel D:Latty - Old Time Fiddler's Repertory (recording, various artists, D:1973. Latty was recorded in the field in the 1950's by Bob Christeson) D:Bill Caton (or Katon) was an African-American fiddler who played regularly D:over WOS, accompanied on guitar by Ola Gaithright. Z:Transcribed by Andrew Kuntz K:G G2G2 BdBA|GBAG B2dB |G2G2 BdBA|GBAG E2D2| G2G2 BdBA|GBAG B2d2|g2ed BdBA|1GBAG E2D2:|2GBAG E2G2|| |:GABc d2dB|dged Bcd2|dged BdBA|GBAG E2D2| GABc d2dB|dged Bcd2|g2ed BdBA|1GBAG EG3:|2GBAG E2G2|| |:[B4g4]g2gf|gfed B2d2|g2 gf gage|dBAG E2G2| [B4g4]gfga|bgag edef|gage dcBA|GEDG E2D2:||



BLACK SALLY GOODIN. Old-Time, Breakdown (cut or 2/4 time). USA, Missouri. G Major (Christeson): D Major (Pete McMaham). Standard or GDad tuning (fiddle). ABC. "Black Sally Goodin'" is on Missouri fiddler and teacher Charlie Walden's list of '100 essential Missouri fiddle tunes'. The title probably does not refer to an African-American female named Sally Goodin', but rather that the tune was played by Black fiddlers and absorbed into white fiddlers' repertoire. Describing it as 'Black Sally Goodin' differentiated the melody from other "Sally Goodin'" tunes and helped avoid confusion.

Additional notes

Source for notated version: - African-American fiddler Bill Caton (or Katon) via his friend Vee Latty (Callaway County, north-central Missouri), who was recorded in the field in the 1950's [Christeson]. Bill Caton (or Katon) was an African-American fiddler who played regularly over WOS, accompanied on guitar by Ola Gaithright. Unfortunately no commercial or field recordings survive of Caton's playing.

Printed sources : - R.P. Christeson (Old Time Fiddlers Repertory, vol. 1), 1973; No. 134, p. 95. Bill Shull (Cross-Tuning Your Fiddle), 1994;

Recorded sources: - Missouri State Old Time Fiddlers Association 001, Pete McMahan - "Ozark Mountain Waltz." JL 9601, Kim & Jim Lansford - "New Harmony".

See also listing at:
See/hear Charlie Walden demonstrate McMahon's version of the tune on youtube.com [1] and Bandcamp [2]
Hear Vee Latty's c. 1950's field recording at Slippery Hill [3]

See Charlie Walden's standard notation transcription [4]


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