The Stripling Brothers recorded Dance All Night, aka Danced All Night with a Bottle in My Hand, in New York City on August 19th, 1929. It was their second-ever recording session. The recording was paired with Horse Shoe Bend, and released as Vocalion # 5395. My recording of this tune (included on the Document Records Complete Recorded Works CD) sounds in…
Fisher’s Hornpipe
Most everyone plays Fisher’s Hornpipe in D major nowadays, but The Hill Billies (aka Al Hopkins and His Buckle Busters) recorded a very clever arrangement in G major. The tune was recorded in New York on October 21st, 1926, and released as Vocalion # 5017. The Hill Billies and Al Hopkins and His Buckle Busters were…
Brownstown Girl
The Kessinger Brothers recorded Brownstown Girl, aka Buffalo Gal, aka Roundtown Girls, etc… at a three-day recording session in New York City in June, 1929. It was released as Vocalion # 02565. There’s a nice surprise in bar 5 of the ‘B’ strain — a suggestion of an e minor chord as the guitar accompaniment walks up…
Salty Dog
This tune, recorded by the Stripling Brothers in New York City on September 10th, 1934, is neither the New Orleans standard Salty Dog, nor its later bluegrass incarnation. It is, however, an interesting tune bearing a heavy ragtime influence, including: A secondary dominant in bar 7 Ties across the bar and across beats Syncopated three-note…
Leake County Two Step
Freeny’s Barn Dance Band’s complete output comprises six sides, recorded in a single session for the OKeh label on Tuesday, December 16th, 1930, in Jackson, Mississippi. Their modest recorded output contains some wonderful moments: the transcendently beautiful waltz Don’t You Remember the Time, a charmingly odd interpretation of Cocaine Habit called Croquet Habits, and this tune, Leake County Two Step.…
Devil in Georgia
Doc Roberts recorded The Devil in Georgia at a Richmond, Indiana, session on Friday, March 15th, 1929. It was released on the Gennett label as #6942, paired with Rocky Mountain Goat. The tune bears striking resemblance to Buck Creek Girl, a track he recorded for the same label two years earlier. There are a few…
I’ve Got a Girl Named Susie
This transcription is based on a performance that Fiddlin’ Doc Roberts recorded on August 24th, 1928, in Richmond, Indiana. It was released as Gennett # 6635, and also on the Champion and Supertone labels (credited to Fiddlin’ Jim Burke). My recording of this tune actually sounds in A flat. I’m assuming that Roberts is playing…
Shippin’ Sport
This transcription is based on a performance that Fiddlin’ Doc Roberts recorded for the Gennett Label in Richmond, Indiana, on August 24th, 1928. It was released as Gennett # 6689, as well as on the affiliated label Supertone (# 9355, credited to Fiddlin’ Jim Burke). The tune is a straightforward AABB fiddle tune in G…
Old Blind Dog
This transcription is based on a performance that Jimmy Johnson’s String Band recorded for the Gennett company in Richmond, Indiana, on August 22, 1932. It was released as Champion # 16541. The tune is a bit of an oddity structurally. The ‘A’ strain repeats four times, the ‘B’ strain not at all. Additionally, there’s some…
Gate to Go Through
This transcription is based on a performance Jimmy Johnson’s String Band recorded for the Gennett company on August 22nd, 1932, in Richmond, Indiana. It was released on the Champion label as Champion #16541. It’s a simple tune in G with two four-bar strains. It’s made more interesting by the syncopation at the start of the…