Notes on the Tunes

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1.Devil in the Woodpile ~ All Young

There are many accounts which attribute “supernatural and satanic affiliations” to the fiddle. One story goes that one Saturday night “Old Pete” Hammons (1861-1956) played for a dance later than the bewitching hour. Upon returning home, after breaking the Sabbath, Pete hung his fiddle on its designated peg and retired. Then, in the wee hours of the morning, all by itself, that fiddle began to play “Devil in the Woodpile” and just would not stop until Pete finally burned it in the fireplace. Old Pete never played the fiddle again. (Milnes) Apparently no recording of this tune by any of the Hammons’ fiddlers exists. So I chose Melvin Wine’s setting, which he learned from Bob, his father. “All Young” is one of the modal tunes passed down to Melvin from his great grandfather,” Smitty,” through his father. (Beisswenger)

Chris’ fiddle ADAE : Whitt’s banjo dGDF#A : Joe - guitar