Old Time Fiddle Tunes  


A collection of fiddle tunes from old recordings and workshops, transcribed by John Lamancusa
Click on the title for the sheet music (pdf file), the piano keys to hear a synthesized midi file, or for a field recording.

QUICK INDEX:  Reels (old time, contra, celtic)   Celtic (polka, hornpipe, jigs)   Waltzes   Southwestern Tunes   Misc. Tunes    Links


Most Recent Additions   
Dusty Miller  (Barb Schmid and Todd Clewell, D)  
Cowhide Boots  (Chirps Smith G)  
Box The Fox  (Bayard collection D)  
Odetta al Sole  (Soda Rock Ramblers G)  
Nancy Rowland  (G)  
Orvetta Waltz  (Vesta Johnson G)  
Old Time Billy in the Lowground  (Kelly Gilbert G)  
Billy in the Lowground  (Erin Marshall AEAE)  
Frankie  (Buddy Thomas)  
Full Moon Reel  (by Mark Schatz, as played by Rick Kaiser AEAE)  
Old Chattanooga  (G)  
Roaring River  (G)  
Sadie at the Back Door  (by Jere Canote D)  
Shoes and Stockings  (G)  
Walk Along John to Kansas  (Sandy Hofferth AEAE)  
Who Hit Nellie with the Stovepipe  (D)  


Reels
Appalachian, Old Timey, and a bit of Bluegrass
Abe's Retreat  (Bruce Greene A) 
Adrain's (Adrian's) Hornpipe (Chirps Smith G)  
Altamont  (Sandy Hofferth C)  
Backstep Cindy  (Tom Sauber D) 
Barndance Polka  (Art Stamper C)  
Battle of Cedar Creek  (Howard Zane D)  

Big Eyed Rabbit  (Kirk Sutphin AEAE)  :Tommy Jarrell
Big Footed "Person"  (Buddy Thomas D)  
Big Sandy  (Fat City String Band D)  
Big Scioty  (Lisa Ornstein G)   Burl Hammons
Billy in the Lowground  (Bruce Molsky C)    Burnett and Rutherford
Billy in the Lowground  (Erin Marshall AEAE)  
Old Time Billy in the Lowground  (G)  
Black Cat in a Briar Patch (Erynn Marshall C) 
Black Satin  (Brad Leftwich GDAD) 
Blue Mule (Chirps Smith G)  
Boatman  (Bruce Molsky D)   
Bob Tailed Mule  (Tom Sauber AEAE)   
Bob Walter's Hornpipe (Chirps Smith D)  
Booth Shot Lincoln  (Civil War Collection A) 
Boston Boy (Woodshed AllStars D) 
Bound to Have a Little Fun  (Orpheus Supertones G)   Gusty Wallace
Box the Fox  (Bob Carlin D) 
Box The Fox  (Bayard collection D)  
Boys Them Buzzards are Flying  (by Gary Harrison A)  
Breezy Point (by Jane Rothfield G)  
Briar Picker Brown  (Buddy Thomas D)   
British March (Lost Indian G) 
Brownie's Reel  (Chirps Smith D)  
Buck Mountain  (Gettysburg Jam D)  
By The Waterfall  (Andy Porter from Israel Welsh D)  
Cacklin Hen  (Brad Leftwich G)  
Calico (by Erynn Marshall, GDAD) 
Camp Chase  (Bruce Greene G) 
Camp Meeting on the Fourth of July (James Bryan D)   Canote Brothers
Catlettsburg  (Adam Hurt C)  
Chinquapin Hunting (Bruce Molsky AEAE)   Norm Edmonds
Cindy (Brad Leftwich AEAE) 
Cluck Old Hen (Claire Milliner G) 
The Coast Is Clear  (Clifftop Jam D)  
Coleman's March  (Grey Larsen D) 
Come Back Alive  (Greg Canote AEAC#)   
Colonel Crockett  (Bruce Greene G) 
Cornhusker Frolic  (Clifftop Jam G)  
Cowboy's Dream  (Sandy Hofferth D)  
Cowhide Boots  (Chirps Smith G)  
Cumberland Gap  (Freewill Savages D) 
Damon's Winder (Bruce Molsky D)   
Dandy Lusk (Claire Milliner G)  
Davey Come Back and Do What You Oughta (Erynn Marshall Am)   Delbert Hughes
Dixie Hoedown  (Sandy Hofferth G)  
Dogs in the Dishes  (Greg Canote D)   
Doney (Brad Leftwich AEAE) 
Down in Little Egypt  (Chirps Smith C)   
Down The River  (Clifftop Jam G)  
Duck River (Atlas String Band D)  John Salyer
Duck's Eyeball  (Clifftop Jam G)  
Ducks on the Millpond  (Rayna Gellert ADAE)  
Dusty Miller  (Barb Schmid and Todd Clewell, D)  
Feather Bed  (Bruce Greene AEAE)  (played in GDGD)
Feed Your Horse Corn and Hay (Erynn Marshall G)   Buddy Thomas
Fine Times at our House  (Rayna Gellert D) 
Folding Down the Sheets (Jake Krack D) 
Forked Deer  (Bruce Greene D) 7nbsp;
Fortune  (Bruce Molsky D)   Tommy Jarrell
Frankie  (Buddy Thomas)  
Full Moon Reel  (by Mark Schatz, as played by Rick Kaiser AEAE)  
George Booker  (Wily Milo, AEAE) 
Georgia Row  (Buddy Thomas AEAE)   Buddy Thomas
Getting George Bush Upstairs  (Bruce Greene AEAE)  (played in GDGD)
Getting Out of the Way of the Federals (Bruce Greene G)  
Gate to Go Through  (Chris Wig G)  
Gilsaw  (Chirps Smith D)  
Glory at the Meeting House  (Gerry Milnes G) 
Going to the Wedding to Get Some Cake  (Greg Canote G)  
Grigsby's Hornpipe  (Bruce Molsky AEAC#) 
Grubb Springs  (Greg Canote, AEAE)  
Gunboat  (Bruce Greene AEAE)   Ernie Carpenter
Half Past Four  (Bruce Molsky AEAE)   
Hogeyed Man  (Bruce Greene A dorian) 
Hog Trough Reel  (Clifftop jam G)   
Holloway  (Jane Rothfield D)  
Huntin' for the Buffalo  (Alisa Jones Em)  
Icy Mountain  (Bob Carlin AEAE)  Ward Jarvis
I Love My Wife As Well As Anybody, But When My Back's Turned, She's Hugging Everybody  (Bruce Greene G)  
Indian Ate the Woodchuck  (Bruce Molsky D) 
Indian War Whoop  (Brad Leftwich D)  
Jaybird Died of the Whooping Cough  (Greg Canote G)   
Jenny Get Around  (Claire Milliner AEAE)  John Salyer
Jenny Run Away in the Mud in the Night (Erynn Marshall, AEAE)  Marcus Martin
Jimmy Johnson  (Lost Indian G)    
Jimmy Shank  (Sophie Vitella AEAE)  
John Brown's March  (J. Taylor)  
John Sharp's I  (Bruce Molsky AEAE) 
John Sharp's II  (Bruce Molsky AEAE)   
Joke on the Puppy (Chirps Smith)  
JulieAnn Johnson  (Bruce Molsky ADAE)   Emmett Lundy
Jump Jim Crow  (Tom Sauber D)   Melvin Wine
Katie Bar the Door  (Rayna Gellert ADAE)  
Kentucky Whiskey  (Light and Hitch AEAE)  
L&N Rag (Jeremy Nutter C)  
L'ville (Snake Hunt) (Volo Bogtrotters A)  
Lacy Brown (Foghorn String Band A)   John Salyer
Ladies on the Steamboat  (Bruce Molsky G) 
Lady of the Lake (Bruce Molsky ADAE)   
The Last of Sizemore  (Bruce Greene D)  
Laughing Boy  (Donna Fatur AEAE)  
Leake County Two Step  (Orpheus Supertones G)   Brendan Doyle
Leather Britches (Flat and Scruggs G)  
Little Billy Wilson  (Jake Krack A)   Jimmy Thompson
Liza Jane  (Rafe Stefanini AEAE) 
The Long Way Home  (by Jim Childress G)  
Lost Indian  (Ed Haley AEAC#)    Ed Haley
Louisiana Hornpipe (Chirps Smith C)  
Maggie Meade (by J. P. Fraley Gm)   courtesy of Berea College Sound Archives
Marching Jaybird  (G)  
Meriweather (Erynn Marshall G)  
Mississippi Sawyer  (Kirk Sutphin D) 
Molly Put the Kettle On  (Light and Hitch D)  
Mountain Hornpipe (James Bryan G)   Jehile Kirkhuff
Muddy Creek  (Greg Canote G)   
Nail that Catfish to the Tree  (by Steve Rosen G)  
Nancy Rowland  (G)  
Natchez Under the Hill  (Bruce Greene G) 
Needle Case  (Jane Rothfield D) 
Needle Case  (Bob Carlin D) 
New Coat of Paint (by Erynn Marshall DDAD) 
New Five Cent Piece (Buffalo Nickel)  (Kirk Sutphin D)  
New Jordan  (Bruce Molsky D)   Norm Edmonds
No Corn on Tygart  (Greg Canote G)   
Oh My Little Darling (Brad Leftwich AEAE)   
Oklahoma Rooster  (Sandy Hofferth G)   
Old Baldy Kickin Up (Chirps Smith G)  
Old Chattanooga  (G)  
Old Beech Leaves  (Light and Hitch G)  
Old Cow Crossing the Road  (Sandy Hofferth C)  
Old Horse and Buggy  (Art Stamper A) 
Old Plank Road  (Orpheus Supertones D)  
Ora Lee (James Bryan G) 
Paddy Won't You Drink Some Good Old Cider (Brad Leftwich D)   
Pleasure House Rag  (Gettysburg Jam D)  
Polly Put the Kettle On  (Dan Gellert Gm)  
Pretty Little Girl (Freighthoppers AEAE)   
Pumpkin Ridge/Round Up the Yearlings  (Greg Canote D)   
Quince Dillon's High D (Henry Reed Reunion D) 
Rachel (Kirk Sutphin D)  Taylor Kimble
Railroad Runs Thru Georgia (Tom Sauber AEAE) 
Railroading Thru the Rockies (Woodshed AllStars D)  Jim Bowles
Rebel Raid  (Brad Leftwich A)   Ed Haley
Red Haired Boy (Little Beggar Man)  (Stuart Duncan A)   Kenny Hall
Red Hills Polka  (D)  
Richmond  (Claire Milliner A)  
Richmond Cotillion (Emmit Lundy's version)  (Hoover Uprights G)  
Road to Malvern  (by Jim Childress AEAE)   Light and Hitch
Roaring River  (G)  
Rocky Mountain Goat  (Light and Hitch D)  
Rocky Pallet  (Orpheus Supertones C)  
Rodes' Division  (Sandy Hofferth D)  
Robinson County (Bruce Molsky D)   
Rochester Schottische (Henry Reed D)   
Rock the Cradle Joe (Jane Rothfield D)  
Rose in the Mountain  (John Salyer D)    John Salyer
Rundown Boot  (Chirps Smith D)  
Run Rebel Run (Bruce Greene G)  
Rush and the Pepper  (Chirps Smith D)  
Rye Straw (Brad Leftwich ADAE)   Tommy Jarrell
Sadie at the Back Door  (by Jere Canote D)  
Sally Ann Johnson  (Lisa Ornstein D)   Henry Reed
Sally Cooper  (Bruce Molsky GDAD) 
Sal's Got Mud Between Her Toes  (D)   Bruce Greene
Santa Anna's Retreat (by Henry Reed G)   Henry Reed
Shakin Down the Acorns  (Bruce Molsky D) 
Shenandoah Falls  (Jennifer Wrigley A) 
Ship in the Clouds  (D)   Taylor Kimble
Shoes and Stockings  (G)  
Sleepy Eyed Joe (Foghorn String Band D)  
The Snouts and Ears of America (Sarah Armstrong D)  
Spring Creek Gal  (Carl Jones D) 
Springfield Girl  (Greg Canote G)   
Squirrel Heads and Gravy   
Squirrel Hunters  (Chirps Smith G) 
Step to the Music Johnny  (Bruce Greene D) 
Stonewall Jackson  (Buddy Thomas D)  
Stormstown  (Sam Bayard G) 
Stumptail Dog  (Chirps Smith G)  
Sugar Hill (Woodshed AllStars D)   Tommy Jarrell
Sullivan's Hollow (Freeny's Barn Dance Band D)  
Sweet Bama  (Donna Fatur AEAE)  
Sweet Bundy  (Orpheus Supertones D)  
Sweet Little Julie  (Kirk Sutphin D)   Norm Edmonds
Tar River (Tom Sauber AEAE)   
Temperance Hall  (James Bryan Am)  
Texas Gals  (Gettysburg Jam C)   
The Third of July  (Chirps Smith G)   
Tilden to the Whitehouse  (Sandy Hofferth G)  
28th of January  (Fuzzy Mountain Am)   Franklin George
22nd of February (Bruce Greene G)  
Twin Sisters  (Hoover Uprights D) 
Valley Forge  (Gettysburg Jam D)  
Vince Crawford's Tune  (Hoover Uprights G)  
Wagoner (Bruce Greene C)  
Wake Up Susan  (Woodshed AllStars A) 
Waldorf Reel  (Gettysburg Jam G)  
Walk Along John to Kansas  (Sandy Hofferth AEAE)  
Walk Chalk Chicken with a Necktie On  (Karen Celia Heil)  
Walking in My Sleep  (Greg Hoven G) 
Waynesboro  (Simon Mayer G) 
Ways of the World  (Bruce Molsky AEAE)  
White Creek  (Tom Sauber AEAE)   
Whiteface  (by Joe Thrift G)  
White's Polka  (Chirps Smith C)  
Who Hit Nellie with the Stovepipe  (Bayard Collection D)    Mark Tamsula
Who Shit in Grandpa's Hat  (Sandy Hofferth D)   
Wild Goose Chase  (Bruce Molsky G)   Bruce Greene
Winder's Slide  (Rayna Gellert D) 
Yellow Barber  (Buddy Thomas D)    Buddy Thomas
New England, Contra, Celtic
Banjo Tramp   
The Banshee   
Batchelder's Reel  
Bay of Fundy     
Reel Beatrice 
Big John McNeil  
Chorus Jig  
Crooked Stovepipe 
Dancing Bear (by Bob McQuillen)  
Dick's Gossip  
Eddy's Reel  
Frenchie's Reel  
Happy Acres Two Step  
Homage a Belle Gaspesie  (Wild Asparagus) 
Homage a Edmund Parizeau   
J. B. Milne   
Joys of Quebec   
Knockdhu Reel   
The Long Acre  (by Kevin Burke) 
Mary and Julia's Reel (by Winifred Horan)  
Mason's Apron   
McQuillen's Squeezebox (by Ralph Page)   
Miss McCloud's (Charley Mulvihill version from Win Horan)  
Money Musk  (Scottish version)  
Reel de Montreal   
Mouth of the Tobique    
Old French   
Old Gray Cat   
Opera Reel   
Pays du Haut   
Prince Charlie (Elke Baker)  
Richmond Cotillion  
Road to California  
Road to Skye (Bruce McGregor)  
Reconciliation   
Red House    
Red House Quick Step   
Rose Tree   
Ross's Reel   
Silver Spear   
Speed the Plow   
Spootiskerry  (by Iain Burns)  
St. Joseph's   
St. Antoine   
March of St. Timothy   
Whistling Rufus   


Celtic Jigs
Calliope House   
Cowboy's Jig   
Holm Band Tune (Wrigley Sisters) 
Joanie's Jig (Bob McQuillen)  
The Joys of Wedlock   
Little Burnt Potato   
Off She Goes   
One Horned Sheep 
R. Aim's Compliments to J. Craigie (Wrigley Sisters)   
Sarah's Jig  (Bob McQuillen)    
Swelkie  (Wrigley Sisters) 
Top of Cork Road 
Tripping Up the Stairs  
The White Petticoat   


Celtic Polkas, Hornpipes, etc.
Biddy Martin's Polka (Kevin Burke)   
Patchwork Polka    
Ger the Rigger Polka (Kevin Burke)   
Bill Sullivan's Polka (Kevin Burke) 
Crested Hens  (Win Horan)  
Ducks of Magheralin  (Polka, Win Horan) 
Derry Hornpipe (Eugene O'Donnell)   
Em Polka  (Win Horan) 
The Long Acre  (by Kevin Burke) 
Maids of Mitchelstown (Kevin Burke)  
Morning Mist (James Keane)  
Road to Skye (Bruce McGregor) 


Waltzes
Anna's Waltz    
Beethoven's Favorite Waltz  (James Bryan)  
Belgarth Waltz    
Black Hills Waltz (K.C. Kartchner)    
Blue Mountain Waltz  (Kenny Baker)     
California Waltz  (Chirps Smith)  
Elie's Waltz (Chirps Smith)  
Emma's Waltz    
Estonian Waltz (Aly Bain)  
Evening Star Waltz (Chirps Smith)  
Fiddle Fever (by AnnBjorg Lien) 
Highlands of Holland (by Win Horan) 
Ingi (by Jennifer Wrigley) 
Inishere  (by Thomas Walsh)  
Italian Waltz (Run of the Mill String Band)  
Its So Quiet Waltz  (by Jim Childress)  
Josefin's Dopvals  (by Roger Tallroth, Vasen)  
Judy and Jim's Wedding  (by Larry Unger)  
La Vie Est Pas Donne (Aly Bain) 
Lonely Bird  (Aly Bain)  
Madison County Waltz (by Erynn Marshall)  
Margaret's Waltz  (by Pat Shuldam Shaw) 
Margaret Randolph  (by Oscar "Red" Wilson)   
Medicine Bow  (by Peter Ostroushko)  
Metsakukkia   
Moonlight on the Colorado (Joe Stephenson) 
Nancy's Waltz    
New Land  (by Otis Tomas) 
Orvetta Waltz  (Vesta Johnson G)  
The Old Man Waltz  (by Carmen Ficarra G)  
Old Rusty Mill Waltz  (Melvin Wine G)  
Ozark Waltz (Bob Taylor, Buck Mountain Band D)   
Pinedale Waltz  (K. Kartchner D)  
Poor Girl Waltz (Andy DeJarlis C)  
Valse de Jose y Raphaelita  (by Antonia Apodaca D)   
Rockin My Babies to Sleep  (Lonnie Robertson)  
Sour Grass and Granite  (by Brian Pickell) 
Swedish Waltz (James Bryan)    Key of C
Tuscaloosa Waltz  (James Bryan)   
Waltzing With the One I Love (by Sarah Armstrong)  
Yuke Pik Waltz (a.k.a. OokPik, by Frankie Rogers)     
Zeke Backus' Waltz  (James Bryan)  


Southwestern Tunes
Valse Apasionado    
Biscuit Cheeks Two Step  (Bayou Seco) 
Cababi Polka (Gu-achi Fiddlers)  
Caballito Blanco (Bayou Seco)  
La Comancha Waltz    
El Coyote  (Larry Edelman) 
E. J. Special Polka (Gu-achi Fiddlers)     
Elliott's Favorite Waltz (Gu-achi Fiddlers)     
Valse de Escoba    
First Choice Two Step  (Bayou Seco) 
Hohokum Polka (Bayou Seco)   
Its In There  (Bayou Seco)  
Valse de Jose y Raphaelita  (Bayou Seco)   
Lonnie's Polka  (Bayou Seco) 
Memories in Ajo  (Gu-achi Fiddlers)  
O Detta al Sole  (Soda Rock Ramblers G)  
Paul's White Sox Polka (Bayou Seco)  
Valse de los Panos    
Pinto Beans Two Step  (schottish, Bayou Seco)  
Purple Lilies Polka    
Santa Rosa Processional (Gu-achi Fiddlers)  
Second Time in San Javier Two Step  (Bayou Seco) 
Squash Fields   
Uncle Charlie's    
La Varsovienna    


Misc. Tunes
Dill Pickle Rag  
East Tennessee Blues  
Silver Bells    
Tarantella    
Kim Fisher's Lament (by Paul Rito) 


Links

  • Up in the Batten House - Excerpts from by Sam Bayard's tune collections, recorded by Mark Tamsula and Richard Withers

  • Hill Country Tunes - Historic 1944 collection of Western PA tunes by Sam Bayard

  • Carpal Tunnel String Band Three old coots from central PA who play Old Time music

  • Old Time Banjo Tab - from Greg and Jere Canote, banjo tab and learn by ear versions of OT tunes

  • State College Old Time Jam - Third Wednesday of every month, State College PA

  • WPSU Folk Calendar - Calendar of local folk music events in the State College PA area

  • Central Pennsylvania Country Dance Association - Monthly Contra Dances in State College, PA

  • Bayou Seco - collectors and performers of traditional tunes of the American Southwest

  • Pegram Jam Website - Recordings and chord charts from a weekly Nashville oldtime jam

  • JC's ABC Tune Finder - tunes in text, ABC, Postscript, PDF, GIF, PNG, and MIDI formats (PDF is easiest to read)

  • THE VIRTUAL GRAMOPHONE - Canadian Historic Sound Recordings

  • Fiddle Resources on the Web - by Mickey Koth, Yale

  • Ceolas - Celtic PDF, GIF, ABC, and MIDI formats with really good background history on songs

  • The Session - A collection of Irish traditional tunes in abc and GIF formats contributed by members

  • Fiddletunes.net - Old timey tunes and transcriptions by Leo McDermott

  • Virtual Bluegrass Band - Backup arrangements of OT and BG standards to practice by, from Dave Marshall

  • Fiddle Tunes of the Old Frontier, The Henry Reed Collection - the Library of Congress

  • Berea College Sound Archives - Recordings that document Appalachian history and culture, predominantly Kentucky

  • Mountain Sentinel - Fiddle and banjo transcriptions of R.P. Christeson's "Old Time Fiddler's Repertory"

  • Folkjam.org - the international jam session sharing site

  • Hetzler's Fakebook - MIDI fakebook of traditional fiddle music. It consists of 549 American Old Time, Celtic, English, and Welsh fiddle tunes

  • Audacity - Free, Cross-Platform Sound Editor

  • The Slippery-Hill Web Site - Original recordings of old time tunes



    You are visitor #    Notated using PrintMusic!2004
    Greg Canote's Tune Clips provided courtesy of www.stringband.mossyroof.com
    22 February 2012    compiled by John Lamancusa    jsl3@psu.edu   (Comments, chords and corrections welcomed)

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