Annotation:Jack's Creek Waltz
X:1 T:Jack's Creek Waltz S:Doc Roberts (1897-1978, Madison County, Ky.) M:3/4 L:1/8 N:Roberts frequently anticipates the first beat of the measure N:in his recording of the waltz. D:Gennett Ge 7017 (78 RPM), Fiddlin' Doc Roberts (1929) F:https://www.slippery-hill.com/recording/jacks-creek-waltz Z:Transcribed by Andrew Kuntz K:C (e f^f|g3)^fg2|a3 g- g^f|g2e2d2|c2B2_B2|(Ac- c2) d_e| dc- c2A2|G6-|G2 e2f2|g3^fg2|a3 g- g^f| g2e2d2|c2d2e2|A6|B4c2|d3 c BA|Gz e2f2| g3^fg2|a3 g- g^f|g2e2d2|c2B2c2|a3g a2| f3cd2|e6-|g4^f g2|c'6|a6| ga ge cA|G3^FG2|[G6e6]|[F6d6]|[E6c6]-|[E2c2]z|| D EG|e3de2|f3 (g/f/e2)|(d6|A6)| B3cd2|e3Bd2|c6|G6|A3^GA2|c2B2A2| G6|c2d2e2|A6|B4c2|d3c BA|GA Bc (d^d| e6)|f4e2|(d6|A6)|d3^cd2|e3cd2| c3Bc2|G6|A3^G A2|c2 (B2A2)|G6| c3B c>d|eg- g4| (d2A2)B2|c6-|c2z||
JACK'S CREEK WALTZ. Old-Time, Waltz. C Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). USA, central Ky. Probably composed by Kentucky fiddler Doc Roberts and named for a creek in his home county, Madison. Roberts' son James said, "The Jack's Creek Pike runs right out of Richmond down to the Kentucky River, where they have a ferry. It was the only place you could cross between Lexington and Richmond" (Wolfe, 1983). However, William C. Ellis, in his book The Kentucky River credits the tune to an African-American musician, Jim Smith, who lived at the mouth of Jack's Creek in Madison County (information apparently derived from an interview with John Harrod). He had a band called the Jack's Creek Jazz Band, but also played old-time music during the breaks in the regular performance, including this waltz. Ellis maintains that Roberts picked up the tune from Smith and recorded it.
The side was recorded for Gennett Records in Richmond, Indiana, in March 1929, by Roberts, accompanied by Asa Martin on guitar. It was released in December of that year on Gennett 7017 and their subsidiary Champion label (Ch 15749) by "Fiddlin' Doc Roberts," backed with "Honeymoon Waltz." Curiously, "Jack's Creek Waltz" was also released on Decca 5444 using the same Gennett recording, but with a different piece on the 'B' side--"Take those Lips away", and the performers credited as "Asa Martin and Doc Roberts".