Annotation:Cross Key

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X:1 T:Cross Key N:From the playing of fiddler Emma Lee Dickerson (1923-2001, born Emma Lee N:Johnson on Little Fork in Elliot County, Ky.) N:recorded in the field by Barbara Kunkle, Feb., 1974, in Greenup County, Ky. N:Cross key often means AEae tuning on the fiddle, but Mrs. Dickerson played N:it in standard tuning. N:A version of "Salt River [1]" M:C| L:1/8 R:Reel Q:"Fast" D:https://dla.acaweb.org/digital/collection/berea/id/338/rec/2 D:https://www.slippery-hill.com/content/cross-key Z:Andrew Kuntz K:Amix [EA]-[AA][AA][AA] [A2A2][Ae][Be]|[A2e2]de [df]edd|BAGGE2DE |D2GG BBAG| [EA]-[A2A2][AA] [A2A2]AA|[Be]Ade [df]edd|eged BAGG|[EA]-[A2A2][AA][A2A2]|| [A2e2]-|[A2e2]a2a2e-a-|a2ee abag|eg-ga- e2ee|gegg abag| ea-aa- a2a^a-|baba gedd|eged BAGG|[EA]-[A2A2][AA][A2A2]||

CROSS KEY. American, Reel (cut time). A Mixolydian/Dorian. Standard tuning or AEae tuning (fiddle). AB. The term 'cross key' usually means a non-standard fiddle tuning, often AEae or GDgd. "Cross Key" was in the repertory of fiddler biography:Emma Lee Dickerson (1923-2001) who was recorded in the field in 1973 by collector Barbara Kunkle, one of only eleven tunes recorded. Interestingly, Dickerson did not retune her fiddle from standard tuning when she played it for the recording.

The reel is a version of "Salt River (1)," a fairly well-known Appalachian reel recorded by the Kessinger Brothers in 1929, and subsequently by others. There are several variants.

Additional notes
Source for notated version : - Dickerson's version is from her family; Lake Dickey, via her cousin and guitar player Quentin Brickey, who played it on the mandolin. Quentin taught it to Emma.

Printed sources : - Beisswenger & Andrade (Appalachian Fiddle Music), 2021; p. 54.

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