Annotation:Jessie Smith
X:1 T:Jessie Smith M:C L:1/8 R:Strathspey B:Milne – Middleton’s Selection of Strathspeys, Reels &c. for the Violin (1870, p. 18) Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:D d|OA<F(F>E) (D>A) G/F/E/D/|A<FF<A B2 (B<d)|A<F(F>E) (D>A) G/F/E/D/|G<BF<A [A,2E2]-[A,E]:| c|d2 (f>d) B>e d/c/B/A/|d>ef<d (B2 B>)c|d2 (f>d) B>e d/c/B/A/|d>BA<F ([A,2E2]E>)c| d2 (f>d) B>e d/c/B/A/|d>ef<d (B2 B>)g|(3fed (3cde (3edB (3ABc|(3dcB (3AGF (3Efe (3dcBO|]
JESSIE SMITH. AKA - "Miss Jessie Smith," "Mrs. Smith's Strathspey." Scottish, Strathspey. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB. A favorite strathspey on Cape Breton, given the numerous times it has been recorded by fiddlers from the island. It is also a popular session tune in Scotland. The tune was printed in Joseph Lowe's 1844 collection as "Miss Jessie Smith," however, this was predated by its appearance in Islay (inner Hebrides) fiddler-composer Alexander Mackay's Collection of Reels, Strathspeys and Slow Tunes (c. 1822) under the title "Mrs. Smith's Strathspey." The tune is unattributed in Mackay's collection, with no hint as to its origin.
The strathspey was entered into the large 19th century music manuscript collection[1](No. 525, p. 143) of prosperous dairy farmer, miller, sometime printer and bookbinder, and fiddler James Barry (1819-1906) of Six Mile Brook, Pictou County, northern Nova Scotia. Initially not knowing the title, Barry entered it as "Old Time Strathspey", and noted that he obtained the tune from his friend, fiddler Colin McKenzie of nearby Rogers Hill, Nova Scotia. Later, Barry penned the name "Jessey Smith" beside his original title.
