Annotation:Muddy Weather

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MUDDY WEATHER. Old-Time, Breakdown. USA, Missouri. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. The (racist) title in tradition for this tune is "N....r Weather" or "N....r Fever [1]," changed by Lee Stoneking because it had become objectionable. Stoneking was a central Missouri "Little Dixie" style dance fiddler, and spent most of his life in the rural Clinton and rural Blairstown areas as a farmer. Drew Beisswenger (2008) points out that the tunes "Boatin' Down the River" and "Shippensport" have similar first strains.

Source for notated version: Armin Barnett [Phillips]; Lee Stoneking (1907-1989, Henry County, Missouri) [Beisswenger & McCann]; Fred Stoneking (Lee's son, b. 1933) [Silberberg].

Printed sources: Beisswenger & McCann (Ozarks Fiddle Music), 2008; p. 143. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), vol. 1, 1994; p. 160. Silberberg (93 Fiddle Tunes I Didn't Learn at the Tractor Tavern), 2004; p. 31.

Recorded sources: Graphic Recording NR11285, Lee Stoneking - "Missouri Old Time Fiddlin'" (c. 1976). Marimac 9020, Geoff Seitz - "Timely Tunes from Ill-Mo and Beyond" (learned from Lee Stoneking). Rounder Records 0381, Fred Stoneking - "Saddle Old Spike" (1996).

See also listing at:
Hear Fred Stoneking's recording at Missouri Traditional Fiddle & Dance Network [1]