Fiddlin’ Doc Roberts recorded New Money at an August 24th, 1928, session in Richmond, Indiana. It was paired with Shoot That Turkey Buzzard, and released as Gennett # 6775. It also saw a release on the Supertone label (# 9355), credited to his oft-used pseudonym, Fiddlin’ Jim Burke. This is the only commercial recording of New Money under that title recorded before WWII.
The tune is unusual in the prominent raised 4th, making the melody sound Lydian rather than major. Roberts uses a similar device in the second strain of The Devil in Georgia.
New MoneyThe original recording is in C. A lot of guitar players, likely motivated by Norman Blake’s interpretation of this tune, like to play it in D or, in Blake’s Case, E flat. Here’s the score transposed up a full step to D.
New Money in D