Blackberry Blossom (tune)

Last updated

"Blackberry Blossom" is a fiddle tune in the key of G major. [1] It is classified as a "breakdown" and is popular in old time, bluegrass and Celtic traditional circles. [2] [3]

Contents

History

The tune has been in over 250 tune books. [4] [3] The tune became popular as recorded by Fiddlin' Arthur Smith. That version, according to Alan Jabbour, supplanted an earlier tune played by Santford Kelly from Morgan County, Kentucky, [5] which is now represented by the tune "Yew Piney Mountain". [6] [7] The Yew Piney Mountain variant is also called "Garfield's Blackberry Blossom", perhaps to distinguish it from the earlier version. [8] Of the two tunes, Andrew Kuntz writes to the effect that "Betty Vornbrock and others have noted a similarity between 'Garfield’s Blackberry Blossom' and the West Virginia tune 'Yew Piney Mountain', a variant ... also played by Kentucky fiddlers J.P. Fraley and Santford Kelly". [8] Alan Snyder gives an alternate name of "Strawberry Beds". [9] It is not clear whether the earlier melody of Garfield's Blackberry Blossom evolved into Arthur Smith's version or if the two were always separate. Charles Wolfe wrote in his book “The Devil’s Box” that Smith's tune was named in a radio contest in which listeners submitted suggestions for his unnamed piece.

Culture

Although the tune is closely associated with the old time/ bluegrass traditions of the United States, [10] it enjoys the distinction of being frequently played by traditional Irish musicians. [3]

In Celtic music

This is a partial list of covers by Irish musicians and bands.

In Bluegrass

According to Devon Wells, "Blackberry Blossom", as a banjo tune, was brought to the public's attention as one of the earliest arrangements of Bill Keith. [12] Wells, a bluegrass teacher, asserts that the tune is a standard in the bluegrass banjo repertoire. [13]

Tony Rice recorded an influential version of the tune on the album, “Manzanita.” The subsequent Mark O’Connor recording is a more progressive improvisational interpretation. There are many other recorded versions by Bluegrass artists and the tune is often used as a vehicle for improvisation.

Some of the older recordings archived at the Digital Library of Appalachia include:

Structure

Like most fiddle tunes, "Blackberry Blossom" has an A part and a B part. In Arthur Smith's 1935 version, the A part is in the key of G major, with C and D chords in the second half of the part; the B part introduces an E major chord, making for a rather unusual mood shift.

Later recorded versions changed the harmonic structure of this tune radically, introducing additional faster chord changes in the A part (which are substitutions that fit the melody line) and in the B part changing the original E major to E minor and the original G to B7.

The key of E minor is the relative minor of the key of G major - it uses the same sharps and flats but its modal center is E rather than G. Using E minor makes for a more "standard" harmonic structure because the E major represents a sudden modulation.

Melodically, according to Anthony, "The note played on the 1st & 3rd beat of the first 2 measures are the first 4 notes of the descending scale of G. Each of these notes is the beginning of a 3-note run, returning to this base note, before moving on to the next note in the G scale." [2]

Videographic documentation

See also

Related Research Articles

The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, in modern forms usually made of plastic, originally of animal skin. Early forms of the instrument were fashioned by African Americans and had African antecedents. In the 19th century, interest in the instrument was spread across the United States and United Kingdom by traveling shows of the 19th century minstrel show fad, followed by mass-production and mail-order sales, including instruction method books. The inexpensive or home-made banjo remained part of rural folk culture, but 5-string and 4-string banjos also became popular for home parlor music entertainment, college music clubs, and early 20th century jazz bands. By the early 21st century, the banjo was most frequently associated with folk, bluegrass and country music, but was also used in some rock, pop and even hip-hop music. Among rock bands, the Eagles, Led Zeppelin, and the Grateful Dead have used the five-string banjo in some of their songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Monroe</span> American bluegrass musician, songwriter (1911–1996)

William Smith Monroe was an American mandolinist, singer, and songwriter, who created the bluegrass music genre. Because of this, he is often called the "Father of Bluegrass".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bluegrass music</span> Genre of American roots music and sub-genre of country music

Bluegrass music is a genre of American roots music that developed in the 1940s in the Appalachian region of the United States. The genre derives its name from the band Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys. Like mainstream country music, it largely developed out of old-time string music, though in contrast, bluegrass is traditionally played exclusively on acoustic instruments and also has roots in traditional English, Scottish, and Irish ballads and dance tunes as well as in blues and jazz. Bluegrass was further developed by musicians who played with Monroe, including 5-string banjo player Earl Scruggs and guitarist Lester Flatt. Monroe characterized the genre as, "Scottish bagpipes and ole-time fiddlin'. It's a part of Methodist, Holiness and Baptist traditions. It's blues and jazz, and it has a high lonesome sound."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old-time music</span> Genre of folk music

Old-time music is a genre of North American folk music. It developed along with various North American folk dances, such as square dancing, clogging, and buck dancing. It is played on acoustic instruments, generally centering on a combination of fiddle and plucked string instruments, most often the banjo, guitar, and mandolin. Together, they form an ensemble called the string band, which has historically been the most common configuration to play old-time music. The genre is considered a precursor to modern country music.

Norman L. Blake is a traditional American stringed instrument artist and songwriter. He is half of the eponymous Norman & Nancy Blake band with his wife, Nancy Blake.

Alan Jabbour was an American musician and folklorist, and the founding director of the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jean Ritchie</span> American folk singer, songwriter and musician (1922–2015)

Jean Ruth Ritchie was an American folk singer, songwriter, and Appalachian dulcimer player, called by some the "Mother of Folk". In her youth she learned hundreds of folk songs in the traditional way, many of which were Appalachian variants of centuries old British and Irish songs, including dozens of Child Ballads. In adulthood, she shared these songs with wide audiences, as well as writing some of her own songs using traditional foundations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Appalachian music</span> Traditional music of the American Appalachian Mountains region

Appalachian music is the music of the region of Appalachia in the Eastern United States. Traditional Appalachian music is derived from various influences, including the ballads, hymns and fiddle music of the British Isles, the African music and blues of early African Americans, and to a lesser extent the music of Continental Europe.

<i>Crossing Bridges</i> 2004 live album by Mark OConnors Appalachia Waltz Trio

Crossing Bridges is a live 2004 album by Mark O'Connor, Carol Cook, and Natalie Haas. It was recorded at May 22 - May 24 performances in Spivey Hall, Clayton College, and State University, Morrow, Georgia. It contains pieces written by O'Connor's for the earlier Appalachia Waltz and Appalachian Journey albums, as well as two new ones, "Olympic Reel (Medley)" and "Blackberry Mull". "Olympic Reel" was written for the 1996 Summer Olympics, and segues into a medley of the other fiddle tunes and styles of the trio member's cultures, Scottish, Irish, and Texan folk music. "Blackberry Mull" was based on an old folk song called "Blackberry Blossom". The songs arranged for violin, viola, and cello.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenny Baker (fiddler)</span> American fiddle player

Kenneth Clayton Baker was an American fiddle player best known for his 25-year tenure with Bill Monroe and his group The Blue Grass Boys.

"Old Joe Clark" is a US folk song, a mountain ballad that was popular among soldiers from eastern Kentucky during World War I and afterwards. Its lyrics refer to a real person named Joseph Clark, a Kentucky mountaineer who was born in 1839 and murdered in 1885. The "playful and sometimes outlandish verses" have led to the conjecture that it first spread as a children's song and via play parties. There are about 90 stanzas in various versions of the song. The tune is based on an A major scale in the Mixolydian mode, but moreover has definite hints of a complete blues scale, namely, the flatted 3rd and 5th.

"Cumberland Gap" is an Appalachian folk song that likely dates to the latter half of the 19th century and was first recorded in 1924. The song is typically played on banjo or fiddle, and well-known versions of the song include instrumental versions as well as versions with lyrics. A version of the song appeared in the 1934 book, American Ballads and Folk Songs, by folk song collector John Lomax. Woody Guthrie recorded a version of the song at his Folkways sessions in the mid-1940s, and the song saw a resurgence in popularity with the rise of bluegrass and the American folk music revival in the 1950s. In 1957, the British musician Lonnie Donegan had a No. 1 UK hit with a skiffle version of "Cumberland Gap".

Lily May Ledford was an American clawhammer banjo and fiddle player. After gaining regional radio fame in the late 1930s as head of the Coon Creek Girls, one of the first all-female string bands to appear on radio, Ledford went on to gain national renown as a solo artist during the American folk music revival of the 1960s. In 1985, she was awarded a National Heritage Fellowship.

Breakin' Up Winter is an old-time music 'retreat', a gathering of old-time string band musicians that began the first weekend of March, 1994. It eschews the contest approach common to the larger festivals. It brings together hundreds of old-time musicians in a state park setting where the first focus is on educational programs and presentations by scholars and icons of the old-time music worlds. And, of course, jamming. It is presented by the Nashville Old-Time String Band Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that began as an offshoot of a community education class in Nashville, Tennessee.

"Cripple Creek" is an Appalachian-style old time tune and folk song, often played on the fiddle or banjo, listed as number 3434 in the Roud Folk Song Index.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American fiddle</span>

American fiddle-playing began with the early European settlers, who found that the small viol family of instruments were more portable and rugged than other instruments of the period. According to Ron Yule, "John Utie, a 1620 immigrant, settled in the North and is credited as being the first known fiddler on American soil". Early influences were Irish, Scottish, and English fiddle styles, as well as the more upper-class traditions of classical violin playing. Popular tunes included "Soldier's Joy", for which Robert Burns wrote lyrics, and other tunes such as "Flowers of Edinburgh" and "Tamlin," which have both been claimed by both Scottish and Irish lineages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old time fiddle</span> Style of American fiddling

Old timefiddle is the style of American fiddling found in old-time music. Old time fiddle tunes are derived from European folk dance forms such as the jig, reel, breakdown, schottische, waltz, two-step, and polka. When the fiddle is accompanied by banjo, guitar, mandolin, or other string instruments, the configuration is called a string band. The types of tunes found in old-time fiddling are called "fiddle tunes", even when played by instruments other than a fiddle.

Bluegrass fiddling is a distinctive style of American fiddle playing which is characterized by bold, bluesy improvisation, off-beat "chopping", and sophisticated use of both double-stops and old-time bowing patterns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yew Piney Mountain</span>

"Yew Piney Mountain" is part of the canonical Appalachian music tradition which has been highly influential in American fiddle tradition generally, including its old time fiddle and bluegrass fiddle branches. According to Alan Jabbour at the Digital Library of Appalachia, the tune was called "Blackberry Blossom" until that title was taken over by a different tune. The earlier "Blackberry Blossom", as played by Sanford Kelly from Morgan County, is now represented by the tune "Yew Piney Mountain".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bluegrass mandolin</span>

Bluegrass mandolin is a style of mandolin playing most commonly heard in bluegrass bands.

References

  1. ↑ "Blackberry Blossom « Bluegrass Banjo Tabs – Videos – Lessons". seanray.com. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
  2. 1 2 "Building a Traditional Tune Repertoire - Wendy Anthony". Archived from the original on 28 June 2011. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 "The Blackberry Blossom". 21 January 2003. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
  4. ↑ "Digital Library of Appalachia : Item Viewer". Archived from the original on 2011-09-29. Retrieved 2011-07-21.
  5. ↑ Note: As an E minor tune. He ends the tune "that's the way that God made peace". http://www.aca-dla.org/cgi-bin/showfile.exe?CISOROOT=/Berea43&CISOPTR=3533&filename=3534.mp3%5B%5D
  6. ↑ Fiddle tune played by Alan Jabbour at Berea College on May 28, 2008, while participating in Berea's Appalachian Music Fellowship Program; Jabbour, Alan; Blackberry Blossom
  7. ↑ "Blackberry Blossom" - Lecture and performance by Alan Jabbour. Madison County, Kentucky,Audio Compact Disc, Digital Library of Appalachia, Archives, Hutchins Library, Department of Special Collections & Archives.
  8. 1 2 The Fiddler’s Companion, Andrew Kuntz, 1996, citing Jean Thomas's Ballad Makin' in the Mountains of Kentucky
  9. ↑ "Cape Breton Fiddle Recordings". www.cbfiddle.com. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
  10. ↑ Note: The Digital Library of Appalachia has recordings primarily from Kentucky. "Digital Library of Appalachia : Search Results". Archived from the original on 2011-09-29. Retrieved 2011-07-21.
  11. ↑ "Cape Breton Fiddle Recordings". Cbfiddle.com. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
  12. ↑ "Exploring Blackberry Blossom". Devon's Banjo Homepage. 2 April 2011.
  13. ↑ Wells
  14. 1 2 "Digital Library of Appalachia". www.aca-dla.org. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
  15. ↑ Wickam, Vi (10 November 2012). "Blackberry Blossom - Fiddle Tune a Day - Day 312 - Vi Wickam". Vi Wickam. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
  16. ↑ unique3phase (19 October 2008). "Blackberry Blossom Fiddle Guitar Banjo" . Retrieved 29 March 2018– via YouTube.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  17. ↑ Carrie Rodriguez performing live at the Rosendale Cafe in Rosendale, NY on January 3, 2008. Playing with Rodriguez are her band members Hans Holzen and Javier Vercher.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.