Annotation:Cotton Eyed Joe (3)

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COTTON EYED JOE [3]. Canadian, American; Reel. Canada, Ontario. A Major. The Canadian "Cotton Eyed Joe," as played by Gerry Robichaud, for example, can be considered different tune than the Southern U.S. "Cotton Eyed Joe (1)". Vivian Williams believes it was one of the "required tunes" at the Shelburne, Ontario, fiddlers contest at one time. Ken Perlman (1996), who collected the tune on Prince Edward Island where it has become popular among the island's fiddlers. He believes Canadian versions probably derived from the playing of radio and TV Maritime fiddler Don Messer (1909-1973); Perlman opines that the second strain is played with a strong Acadian flavor. The main "Cotton Eyed Joe" strains in this version have become much more diluted, especially in the 'B' part, which is a series of shuffled chords.

Additional notes

Source for notated version: - Jehile Kirkhuff (Pa.) [Phillips]; Joe Pancerzewski [Silberberg].

Printed sources : - Messer (Don Messer's Favorite Melodies), 1950, p. 21 (approx.--unnumbered pages). Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island), 1996. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes, vol. 1), 1994; p. 57. Silberberg (Tunes I Learned at Tractor Tavern), 2002; p. 27.

Recorded sources: - Apex 26317-A (78 RPM), Don Messer and His Islanders (1950). Apex AL1611 (LP), "The Best of Don Messer and His Islanders: P.E.I. Series vol. 4" (1965). (Fretless 201, Jerry Robichaud - "Maritime Dance Party" (1978).

See also listing at:
Hear Don Messer's 1965 recording at youtube.com [1]
Hear Jerry Robichaud's recording at youtube.com [2]
Hear several Prince Edward Island fiddlers play the tune at Bowing Down Home [3]

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