BLACKBERRY BLOSSOM [2]. Old-Time, Bluegrass; Breakdown. USA; Tennessee, Kentucky, Nebraska. G Major ('A' part) & E Minor ('B' part). Standard. ABB (Christeson): ABB' (Berline): AABB (Brody, Krassen, Lowinger, Phillips). The tune is well-known as a traditional Kentucky dance tune. Charles Wolfe and Barry Poss note that Kentucky fiddlers have played a tune by that name since before the Civil War and that Kentucky fiddler Dick Burnett recorded a version in 1930 which has been the model for many traditional southern Kentucky/northern Tennessee versions. This version however is not Arthur Smith's "Blackberry Blossum," which is different and may have been an original of his. Smith recorded his version with the Arthur Smith Trio in 1929. "A family story tells of Arthur's playing the tune over WSM and the station conducting a contest to name the tune; bushels of mail came in, and a woman in Arkansas won with the name 'Blackberry Blossom'" (Charles Wolfe & Barry Poss)./ Ky. fiddler Dick Burnett said he learned his version "from a blind fiddler in (Ashland,) Johnson County, (eastern) Ky., named Ed Hayley" (elsewhere Burnett said he actually learned the tune from northeastern fiddler Bob Johnson, who had it from Hayley {1883-1951}, who was a legendary fiddler in east Kentucky). The tune was in fact Haley's signature tune, though he never commercially recorded it (Mark Wilson & Guthrie Meade, 1976). Another story about the origin of the title comes from Jean Thomas's "Ballad Makin' in the Mountains of Kentucky." It seems that a General Garfield named the tune during the Civil War after hearing a soldier playing it on the harmonica. He remarked to the musician that it was his favorite tune but said he couldn't remember the title, whereupon he expectorated a stream of tobacco juice onto a white blackberry bush blossom; this was noticed and the tune named. As improbable as that story sounds, the tradition of General Garfield's liking for the tune was corroborated by Ed Morrison on his Library of Congress recording (an influential version); he says Garfield used to whistle the tune frequently. Western New York Sources for notated versions: Bob Walters (Lincoln, Nebraska) [Christeson]; Charlie Higgins (Krassen says his version is loosely based on Higgin's playing); Benny Thomasson (Texas) [Phillips]. Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1973; pg. 47. R.P. Christeson (Old Time Fiddlers Repertory, Vol. 1), 1973; No. 142, pg. 101. Frets Magazine, February 1988, "Byron Berline: The Fiddle;" pg. 56. Krassen (Appalachian Fiddle), 1973; pg. 60. Lowinger (Bluegrass Fiddle), 1974; pg. 14. Phillips (Fiddlecase Tunebook), 1989; pg. 7. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), 1994; pgs. 26 & 27 (two versions). Reiner (Anthology of Fiddle Styles), 1977; pg. 32. Columbia 15567 (78 RPM), Burnett and Ruttledge (1930). County 705, Sonny Miller & the Southern Mountain Boys- "Virginia Breakdown." Green Linnet SIF 1075, John Whelan & Eileen Ivers - "Fresh Takes" (1987. Learned from Eamonn O'Loughlin and played as a hornpipe). Marimac AHS #3, Glen Smith - "Say Old Man" (1990. Learned from legendary Galax, Va., fiddler Uncle Charley Higgins). Rounder 0092, Tony Rice - "Manzanita." Rounder 0090, Mark O'Connor - "Markology." Rounder 0073, "The White Brothers in Sweden." Rounder 0241, The Chicken Chokers - "Shoot Your Radio" (1987. Learned from Mike Seegar, Judy Hyman & Bert Levy). Rounder 1004, "Ramblin' Rickless Hobo: The Songs of Dick Burnett and Leonard Rutherford." Sugar Hill Records, Byron Berline & John Hickman - "Double Trouble." Vanguard VSD 45/46, "The Essential Doc Watson." Omac 1, Mark O'Connor - "A Texas Jam Session." Columbia 15567-D (78 RPM), Burnett and Ruttledge, 1930.
T:Blackberry Blossom
L:1/8
M:2/4
K:G
e/f/|g/a/b/g/ f/g/a/f/|e/f/g/e/ d/B/A/B/|G/A/G/E/ D/E/G/A/|B/A/G/B/ Ae/f/|
g/a/b/g/ f/g/a/f/|e/f/g/e/ d/B/A/B/|G/A/G/E/ D/E/G/A/|B/G/A/F/ G:|
|:G/D/|Ee/B/ de/d/|Ee/B/ d/e/d/B/|Ee/B/ d/d/e/f/|g/a/b/g/ a/g/e/d/|Ee/B/ d/e/d/B/|
Ee/B/ dd/A/|B/d/g e>d|B/G/A/F/ G:|
BLACKBERRY BUSH, THE. Scottish, Reel. D Major. Standard. AABBCCDD. The first two part of the tune are traditional, while the latter two were composed by Donald MacLeod. Martin (Ceol na Fidhle), Vol. 1, 1991; pg. 45. Plant Life Records PLR 017, "The Tannahill Weavers" (1979).
SALLY GOODIN'. AKA - "Sally Goodwin." Old-Time; Texas Style; Breakdown. USA; Widely known. A Major (most versions): G Major (John Brown, Phillips/Davenport). AEAE (Eck Robertson) or Standard. AB (Bayard): AAB (Phillips/Martin): AABB (Brody, Kartchner, Phillips, Thede): AABB' (Phillips/Davenport): AABBCCDD (Sweet): AA'BB'CDCD (Ford): AABBCCDDEE (Phillips/Franklin): AABB'CC'DDEE (Frets). USA, A widely known breakdown and play party tune. Bayard (1981) suggests that the tunes "Sally Goodin," "Old Dan Tucker" and his Pennsylvania collected "Rye Whiskey" (a breakdown, not the 3/4 time version) are related "in an affinity that goes back a long while;" and, in fact, some versions of these tunes do seem to blend with one another. Arizona fiddler Kenner C. Kartchner said: "Old Texas tune. Only a few play it well. All try it" (Shumway). Charles Wolfe (1982) states it was popular with Kentucky fiddlers. It was asserted to be one of the standard tunes in a square dance fiddler's repertoire, according to A.B. Moore in his History of Alabama (1934). Rosenbaum (1989) remarks that it is an almost universally known fiddle tune in the South, but that the verses (an example is given below) are not sung as frequently today as they were in the past. Texas fiddler Eck Robertson was the first person to record the tune in 1922 when he was aged thirty-four (Robertson is remembered playing the tune at various times in both AEAE and standard tuning, though on his early and famous recording he played in AEAE). He was by accounts a colorful personality, who used to introduce the tune in performance something akin to the following (according to Byron Berline):
**
There was a girl named Sally who had two boyfriends. The two
boys were both fiddle players, and one of the boys had the last
name of 'Goodin.' Sally couldn't decide which one to marry, so
she thought a fiddle contest between the two would be a good
way to make her selection. Of course, the fellow Goodin won
the contest, and Sally became Sally Goodin. They were very
happy and had a productive life with 14 children, so I'm going
to play 'Sally Goodin' 14 different ways.
**
The melody was in the repertoires of Fiddlin John Carson (North Ga.) {1922}, Fiddlin' Cowan Powers 1877-1952? (Russell County, S.W. Va.) {and who recorded the tune for Victor in August, 1924, though it was unissued}, Uncle Am Stuart (b. 1856, Morristown, Tenn.) {and who re-recorded it for Vocalation in 1924}, Uncle Jimmy Thompson 1848-1931 (Tenn.) {as "Sally Goodwin"}, and Alabama fiddler Monkey Brown (1897-1972). Also in repertoire of legendary fiddler J. Dedrick Harris, born in Tennessee, and who played regularly with Bob Taylor while he was running for Governor of the state in the late 1800's. Harris moved to Western N.C. in the 1920's and influenced a generation of fiddlers there: Osey Helton, Manco Sneed, Bill Hensley, Marcus Martin. The title was mentioned in reports of the De Kalb County Annual (Fiddlers') Convention, 1926-31 (Cauthen, 1990). At the turn of the century it was played by George Cole of Etowah County, Alabama, as recorded by Mattie Cole Stanfield in her book Sourwood Tonic and Sassafras Tea (1965). The tune was recorded for the Library of Congress by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph from Ozark Mountain fiddlers in the early 1940's; he said it was popular at play-parties in the Ozarks in the 1890's (see his Ozark Folksongs, Vol. 3). Similarly, it was recorded in 1939 for the Library of Congress by Herbert Halpert from the playing of Itawamba/Tishomingo County, Mississippi, fiddler John Brown and, in the same year from Franklin County, Virginia, fiddler J.W. 'Peg' Hatcher (2741-B-2). Texas fiddler Eck Robertson's 1923 release of "Sally Goodin'" (backed with "Ragtime Annie") was the number one country music bestseller for the year 1923.
**
Had a piece of pie, had a piece of puddin',
Give it all away to see Sally Goodin'.
**
I love pie, I love puddin',
Crazy 'bout the gal they call Sally Goodin'.
**
Looked up the road, seen Sally comin',
Thought to my soul she'd break her neck a-runnin'. (Thede)
**
Had five dollars, now I've got none,
Give it all away to see Sally Goodin.
Hey, ho, old Sally Goodin,
Hey, ho, old Sally Goodin.
**
Raspberry pie, blackberry puddin',
Give it all away to kiss Sally Goodin.
Hey, ho, old Sally Goodin,
Hey, ho, old Sally Goodin. (Rosenbaum/Knight)
**
Sources for notated versions: Lee Ennis (Oklahoma County, Oklahoma) [Thede]; Kenner C Kartchner (Arizona) [Shumway]; Marion Yoders (fiddler and fifer from Greene County, Pa., 1961) [Bayard]; fiddler L.D. Snipes via Ray Knight (Lumpkin County, Georgia) [Rosenbaum]; Marcus Martin (western N.C.) [Phillips]; Major Franklin (Texas) [Phillips]; Clyde Davenport (Ky.) [Phillips]. Adam, 1928; No. 50. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 273, pg. 229. Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; pgs. 246 & 247. Ford (Traditional Music in America), 1940; pg. 64 and 128 (discord version) [Ford also prints additional verses on page 419, and a dance of the same title on page 209]. Frets Magazine, "Byron Berline: The Fiddle," May 1980; pg. 60. Kaufman (Beginning Old Time Fiddle), 1977; pgs. 30 & 60. Lowinger (Bluegrass Fiddle), 1974; pgs. 13 & 33. Phillips, 1989{A}, pg. 37. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), 1994; pg. 210 (three versions). Rosenbaum (Folk Visions and Voices: Traditional Music and Song in North Georgia), 1989; pg. 210. Shumway (Frontier Fiddler), 1990; pg. 270 (mislabled as "Sally Johnson"). Sweet (Fifer's Delight), 1965/1981; pg. 76. Thede (The Fiddle Book), 1967; pg. 32-33. Briar 4201, Scotty Stoneman- "Live in L.A." Caney Mountain Records CEP 210 (privately issued extended play LP), Lonnie Robertson (Mo.), c. 1965-66. County 744, Kenny Baker- "Dry and Dusty." County 733, Clark Kessinger (W.Va.) - "The Legend of Clark Kessinger." County 703, Bartow Riley- "Texas Hoedown." County 705, Sonny Miller- "Virginia Breakdown." County CD5515, Eck Robertson - " (1998). Flying Fish 102, New Lost City Ramblers - "20 Years/Concert Performances" (1978). Folkways FA 2397, New Lost City Ramblers- "Vol. 2" (also on "Twenty Years Concert Performances"). Gennett 6733 (78 RPM), 1928, G.B. Grayson (east Tenn.). Gennett 7221 (78 RPM), Doc Roberts (Ky.). Heritage 048, Lowe Stokes - "Georgia Fiddle Bands" (Brandywine 1972). Old-Timey Records OT-101, Eck Robertson - "Old Time Southern Dance Music: The String Bands, Vol. 2" (appears as "Sallie Gooden"). Omac 1, Thomasson, Shorty, Morris, O'Conner- "A Texas Jam Session." Omac 2, Berline, Bush and O'Conner- "In Concert." Rounder 0044, "J.D. Crowe and the New South." Rounder 0073, The White Brothers- "Live in Sweden." Rounder 1027, Johnnie Lee Wills- "Tulsa Swing." Rounder 0099, Dan Crary- "Lady's Fancy." Rounder 0101, John Hickman- "Don't Mean Maybe." Rounder CD 0359, Skip Gorman - "Lonesome Prairie Love" (1996). Rounder Cd0278, Mike Seegar - "Solo-Old Time Country Music" (1991). Rounder C11565, Ricky Skaggs - "Rounder Fiddle." Sonyatone 201, Eck Robertson (West Texas) - "Master Fiddler." Tradition TLP 1007, Mrs. Edd Presnell - "Instumental Music of the Southern Appalachians" (1956). Victor 18956 (78 RPM), Eck Robertson (West Texas) {1922}.