Old time fiddle is a genre of American
folk music. "Old time fiddle tunes" derived from European folk dance tunes such as Jig, Reel, Breakdown, Schottische, Waltz, Two Step and Polka. The fiddle may be accompanied by banjo or other instruments but are nevertheless called "fiddle tunes". The genre traces from the colonization of North America by immigrants from
England,
France,
Germany,
Ireland, and
Scotland. It is separate and distinct from traditions which it has influenced or which may in part have evolved from it, such as bluegrass, country blues, variants of western swing and country rock.
Starting in the 1920 some fiddlers, particularly younger ones like Aurtur Smith, were swept up in the new music, their style and repertoires reflected influences from blues, ragtime, and Tin Pan Alley. Anyone who wanted to make a career in music had to keep up with the times. But many, like John Salyer and Hiram Stamper cared little for the new music, and stayed with the old-time tunes.
Definition and distinction of old time fiddle
Newer traditions have grown out of old time fiddle music but it retains a separate and distinct identity from those styles. These include
bluegrass and
Western swing and to some degree
country rock
Country rock is a genre of music which fuses rock and country. It was developed by rock musicians who began to record country-flavored records in the late 1960s and early 1970s. These musicians recorded rock records using country themes, vocal s ...
. However, the positive statement of what, exactly, constitutes the true and authentic delineation of old time fiddle music is not necessarily unambiguous. Different sources draw a sharper distinction than others, and there is a good deal of overlap which purists will acknowledge to a varying degree. The areas of overlap are primarily with bluegrass, Western swing (Texas swing), country and even rock.
Narrow use of the term
Art Stamper
Art is a diverse range of human activity, and resulting product, that involves creative or imaginative talent expressive of technical proficiency, beauty, emotional power, or conceptual ideas.
There is no generally agreed definition of what ...
played in both Appalachia Old Time and bluegrass styles. In autobiographical material posted on his artist website, the writer asserts Stamper's contiguity with "old time and mountain" music, that he learned "the Appalachian fiddle style" from his father, but that "Art also played bluegrass fiddle..." continuing that "Whether playing Appalachian fiddle or bluegrass fiddle, Art was a musical marvel."
Old Time purists
In an essay with the short title ''Why Old TIme is Different from Bluegrass'',
Allan Feldman argues against the proposal of an "inclusive cover name that would bring oldtime music, bluegrass, clawgrass and dawg music under the same umbrella in order to attract new audiences. The unfortunate trend in this country is to homogenize things. I think oldtime music stands against homogenization."Having thus staked ground out for himself as a purist, he continues that "he for one celebrates the fact that oldtime music is not bluegrass or dawg music or new grass or even claw grass". He identifies the following categorical distinctions which set Old Time apart:
*"Oldtime" works from different tonal centers
* it uses
cross tuning Cross tuning or cross-tuning (aka scordatura) is an alternative tuning used for the open strings of a string instrument. The term refers to the practice of retuning the strings; it also refers to the various tunings commonly used, or in some contex ...
s
* it uses harmonic resonant overtones
* it uses
accidentals
In music, an accidental is a note of a pitch (or pitch class) that is not a member of the scale or mode indicated by the most recently applied key signature. In musical notation, the sharp (), flat (), and natural () symbols, among others, ma ...
* it mixes non-tempered scales with harmonization
* or it is completely modal.
He continues in direct comparison with bluegrass or country western, emphasizing the difference between
songs which, as opposed to
tunes
Tunes may refer to:
Places and jurisdictions
* Tunes (Silves), a parish in Portugal
* Tunes, Norway, a village in Norway
* Tunes, Tunisia, now Tunis, eponymous capital city of Tunisia
** Tunes (see), a suppressed Latin Catholic titular bishopri ...
, have lyrics and are primarily for listening rather than for dancing.
* largely dance centered and not song centered
* many of its songs are verses to dance tunes
* most of its songs were meant for solo and unaccompanied performance in their oldest form.
Blending
Although there is considerable published opinion sharply distinguishing Old Time from other genres of fiddle music, there is also area of overlap. Unlike many states which support independent Old Time and bluegrass associations, the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association intermingles the genres.
Peter Anick is a noted authority on fiddle music genres and is co-author with David Reiner of Old-Time Fiddling Across America
and a contributor of feature articles and "Folk Routes" columns for Fiddler magazine. ''Old Time Fiddling Across America'' has selections from Northeast, Southeast and Western regions, but also includes in the same volume "ethnic styles" including Cajun, Irish, Scandinavian, Klezmer, and Eastern European fiddling. Also potentially supporting expansive usage is a review of Portland, Oregon's old time Foghorn Stringband in Lonesome Highway, a "music portal for hard core country, folk, bluegrass, roots, and Americana" characterizes that ostensibly pure Old Time band as "ass kickin' redneck stringband music" with influences from
The Carter Family,
Kitty Wells and
Doc Watson. This blurring of the lines even touches the
Vince Gill song named ''Old Time Fiddle'':
:I wanna hear an old time fiddle
:Play an old time fiddle song
:I might even drink just a little
:If you play Little
Jolie Blon
Repertoire
*
Two step
*
Breakdown
Breakdown may refer to:
Breaking down
*Breakdown (vehicle), failure of a motor vehicle in such a way that it cannot be operated
*Chemical decomposition, also called chemical breakdown, the breakdown of a substance into simpler components
*Decompo ...
*
Reel
*
Jig
*
Polka
Polka is a dance and genre of dance music originating in nineteenth-century Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. Though associated with Czech culture, polka is popular throughout Europe and the Americas.
History
Etymology
The term ...
*
Schottische
The schottische is a partnered country dance that apparently originated in Bohemia. It was popular in Victorian era ballrooms as a part of the Bohemian folk-dance craze and left its traces in folk music of countries such as Argentina ("chotis"Span ...
*
Waltz
Traditional old time fiddle tunes
This is a partial listing of the old time repertoire, most of which are in the public domain and have no known authorship. Many of these tunes have rich historical significance.
* Angeline the Baker
*
The Arkansas Traveler Arkansas Traveler or Arkansas Traveller may refer to:
* Arkansas Traveler (folklore), a figure of 19th-century American folklore said to have originated with Sandford C. Faulkner
Music
* ''Arkansas Traveler'' (Michelle Shocked album), album
*' ...
* Billy in the Lowground
*
Bonaparte's Retreat
*
Boil 'em Cabbage Down
*Cackling Hen
*
Casey's Oldtime Waltz
* Cherokee Shuffle
*
Cluck Old Hen "Cluck Old Hen" is a popular Appalachian fiddle and banjo tune in the mixolydian or dorian mode (as in the score below which is in A dorian). It is played either as an instrumental or with lyrics, which vary from one version to another. One of t ...
* Coal Creek March
*Coleman's March
*
Cotton-Eyed Joe
"Cotton-Eyed Joe" (also known as "Cotton-Eye Joe") is a traditional American country folk song popular at various times throughout the United States and Canada, although today it is most commonly associated with the American South. The song is a ...
*
Cripple Creek
*
Cumberland Gap
* Eighth of January
* Fire on the Mountain
* Forked Deer
*
Grey Eagle
* Hell Among The Yearlings
* Hell Broke Loose In Georgia
* Jenny Lind
* Katy Hill another old-time tune that has become a standard among bluegrass fiddlers
* Last Gold Dollar
* Leather Britches
* Liberty
* Lost Indian
* Mississippi Sawyer
*
Old Joe Clark
* Old Molly Hare
*
Red Wing
* Sally Ann
*
Sally Goodin'
Sally may refer to:
People
*Sally (name), a list of notable people with the name
Military
*Sally (military), an attack by the defenders of a town or fortress under siege against a besieging force; see sally port
*Sally, the Allied reporting nam ...
which is also played in bluegrass as are many Old Time tunes
* Shoot That Turkey Buzzard
*
Snow Deer
* Soldier's Joy
* Spotted Pony
* Sugar Hill
* Sugar In The Gourd
*
The Sailor's Hornpipe Maritime tune played by old time fiddlers
*
Turkey in the Straw
*
Waltzing in Old San Antone
* What Are You Going to Do With the Baby O?
*Whiskey Before Breakfast
*Whoa Mule
Composed music in the tradition
Old time music is based upon aural transmission of tunes whose authorship has been lost to antiquity and thus public domain repertoire. Some such tunes as have achieved such acceptance are widely known by most if not all fiddlers, even those who are not Old Time specialists.
* Wild Rose of the Mountain, J.P. Fraley
*
Blackberry Blossom
''Blackberry Blossom'' is an album by American guitarist Norman Blake, released in 1977.
Reception
Writing for Allmusic, critic Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr. noted that Blake "imbeds himself in tradition, offering honest interpretations and fresh or ...
*
Orange Blossom Special
Orange most often refers to:
* Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis''
** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower
*Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum
...
*
Tennessee Waltz
"Tennessee Waltz" is a popular country music song with lyrics by Redd Stewart and music by Pee Wee King written in 1946 and first released in January 1948. The song became a multimillion seller via a 1950 recording – as "The Tennessee Waltz" � ...
*
Wagon Wheel
History and subgenres
Fiddlin' John Carson is one of the canonical historic figures in old time.
Other famous and important figures include
Fiddlin' Arthur Smith
Fiddlin' Arthur Smith (April 10, 1898 – February 28, 1971) was an American old time fiddler and a major influence on the old time and bluegrass music genres.
Biography
Smith was born and raised on a farm near Bold Springs, Tennessee, U ...
,
Charlie Higgins
Charlie Higgins (February 26, 1878 - November 25, 1967) was an American old time fiddle player from Galax, Virginia. Higgins said that he was influenced by other old-time fiddlers including Emmett Lundy and Fiddlin' Arthur Smith. His style of ...
and countless figures known only in local oral histories.
Old time fiddling has recognized regional variants which are distinguished from regional variants of bluegrass, Celtic and other styles. For instance, Texas Old Time fiddle, is distinct from Texas swing fiddle, Texas blues and Texas rock. It is Old Time, like its relatives in other regional genres (or subgenres) but it is a distinct form in its own right, according to its proponents. For instance, the Texas Old Time Fiddler's Association asserts the uniqueness, and superiority, of "Texas-style of old time fiddling". In an essay entitled ''The Origins of the Texas-Style of Traditional Old Time Fiddling'', the organizations asserts that "the Texas fiddler avoids the repetition and monotony of the two-part Appalachian fiddle tune in favor of those tunes that are more complex and exceed the two-part limit".
Cajun fiddle
Cajun fiddle music is a part of the American fiddle music canon. It is derived from the music of southwest Louisiana and southeast Texas, as well as sharing repertoire from the Quebec and Cape Breton Island traditions. It is one of the few ext ...
is based on French-speaking Acadian culture in Louisiana and Texas and includes copious use of double stops and distinctive rhythms.
Preservation and propagation
Much of contemporary old time fiddling is taught at regional and national fiddler's meetups. The traditional authentic method of learning to play is based upon an
oral tradition as with all
folk music forms. Traditions are maintained by Old Time Fiddler's Associations throughout the US. America's Old Time Fiddler's Hall of Fame is maintained by the National Traditional Country Music Association located in Pioneer Music Museum in Anita, Iowas. Film is also a major means of preserving and propagating old time music.
Festivals, contests and fiddle camps
Breakin' Up Winter
The Fiddler's Grove Ole Time Fiddler's & Bluegrass Festival bills itself as the home of the oldest continuous old time fiddling contest in North America.
According to Winifred Ward, fiddle contests "evolved from being endurance fiddling events to playing a set number of tunes". Contests are highly evolved in Texas, where twin fiddling is also popular.
The national contest is held in June of each year in Weiser, Idaho.
Notable contemporary performers

Currently active old time fiddlers listed on David Lynch's The Old-Time Fiddler's Hall of Fame website include Kerry Blech and Bruce Greene.
Art and Charlie Stamper
With their home on the National Register of Historic Places, the Stamper family of Knott County Kentucky has been producing fiddling talent for generations. Bluegrass Hall of Famer, Art Stamper, played old-time bluegrass fiddle with some of the greatest names in the business, like Ralph and Carter Stanley, Bill Monroe, Larry Sparks, the Goins Brothers, Jim and Jesse. He was also instrumental in preserving and promoting the old-time roots of bluegrass as the genre developed.
Eldest brother Charlie Stamper never pursued music professionally as Art had, but he did learn the instrument first. He recently recorded his debut album at age 84. Appalshop/June Appal Records' "Glory to the Meeting House" consists of the first recordings ever released by Charlie. Many tunes were learned from his father Hiram Stamper, whose music has been archived by Berea College.
Says Charlie, "I was the first one in the family to play the fiddle and I was the first one to play on the radio. My dad
iram Stamperplayed fiddle, banjo, and French harp, which is what we called a harmonica. I remember when I was five or six, I would sit on the floor between his legs as he played the fiddle, his big foot keeping time as it hit the floor."
Carolina Chocolate Drops
The Drops are an old-time string band from North Carolina but their music defies easy categorization. Their view of tradition is well expressed by a quote prominently featured on their website:
"''Tradition is a guide, not a jailer. We play in an older tradition but we are modern musicians''."
''
Genuine Negro Jig
''Genuine Negro Jig'' is the third studio album of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, one of the few African-American string bands playing today. Its label debut was released on February 16, 2010, while its vinyl version, which included the album on ...
'' (2010) won the
Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album. Members
Rhiannon Giddens
Rhiannon Giddens (born February 21, 1977) is an American musician. She is a founding member of the country, blues and old-time music band the Carolina Chocolate Drops, where she is the lead singer, fiddle player, and banjo player.
Giddens i ...
,
Dom Flemons
Dominique Flemons (born August 30, 1982) is an American old-time music, Piedmont blues, and neotraditional country multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter. He is a proficient player of the banjo, fife, guitar, harmonica, percussion, quills ...
, and Justin Robinson exchange instruments including fiddle, banjo, kazoo. Much of their repertoire, which is based on the traditional music of the
Piedmont region of North and
South Carolina, from the eminent African American old-time fiddler Joe Thompson, although they also perform old-time versions of some modern songs such as
Blu Cantrell's
R&B hit "
Hit 'em Up Style (Oops!)
"Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)" is the debut single of American R&B singer Blu Cantrell, written and produced by Dallas Austin and featured on Cantrell's debut album, '' So Blu'' (2001). The song was released in the United States on April 23, 2001, a ...
."
Foghorn Stringband
Formerly known as Foghorn Leghorn, this Portland Oregon band holds itself out as "ass kickin' redneck" music and has solid critical and popular following as an authentic embodiment of the old time tradition. Their fiddler, Stephen 'Sammy' Lind, plays with no neck pad and allows the instrument to rest at a comfortably low position that would arouse the ire of any violin teacher. He also chokes the bow, doubling the violation of violinistic technique but clearly establishing his open tuning fiddle playing in the camp of fiddle rather than violin. Their repertoire is 100% Old Time and they staunchly rebuff anyone who mistakes their style with
bluegrass.
New Lost City Ramblers
The New Lost City Ramblers is a contemporary
old-time string band that formed in
New York City in 1958 during the
Folk Revival. The founding members of the Ramblers, or NLCR, are
Mike Seeger,
John Cohen, and
Tom Paley
Allan Thomas Paley (March 19, 1928 – September 30, 2017) was an American guitarist, banjo and fiddle player. He was best known for his work with the New Lost City Ramblers in the 1950s and 1960s.
Biography
Paley was born on March 19, 1928 and r ...
.
Tom Paley
Allan Thomas Paley (March 19, 1928 – September 30, 2017) was an American guitarist, banjo and fiddle player. He was best known for his work with the New Lost City Ramblers in the 1950s and 1960s.
Biography
Paley was born on March 19, 1928 and r ...
later left the group and was replaced by
Tracy Schwarz
Ginny Hawker and Tracy Schwarz are an American folk music duo known for performing traditional music from the early American canon of bluegrass, gospel, and old time music. The duo, however, on occasion does record original songs and music by co ...
.
The New Lost City Ramblers not only directly participated in the
old-time music revival, but has continued to directly influence countless musicians who have followed. They feature twin fiddles.
Partial list of notable OT Fiddlers
*Charlie Acuff
*Benny Thomasson
*Joe Birchfield - Roan Mountain Hilltoppers
*Bill Birchfield - Roan Mountain Hilltoppers
*
Bus Boyk
*
French Carpenter
*
Al Cherny
*Jimmy Costa
*
Junior Daugherty
*
Clyde Davenport
*Uncle Bob Douglas
*Howdy Forrester
A. A. Gray*
G. B. Grayson
Gilliam Banmon Grayson (November 11, 1887 – August 16, 1930) was an American Old-time fiddle player and singer. Mostly blind from infancy, Grayson is chiefly remembered for a series of sides recorded with guitarist Henry Whitter between 1927 a ...
*
Ed Haley
*Fiddlin'
Sid Harkreader
Sidney Johnson "Fiddlin' Sid" Harkreader (February 26, 1898 — March 19, 1988) was an American Old-time fiddle player and string band leader. He was an early member of the Grand Ole Opry, at first accompanying banjoist Uncle Dave Macon and ...
*
Charlie Higgins
Charlie Higgins (February 26, 1878 - November 25, 1967) was an American old time fiddle player from Galax, Virginia. Higgins said that he was influenced by other old-time fiddlers including Emmett Lundy and Fiddlin' Arthur Smith. His style of ...
*
Bob Holt
*Ben Jarrell
*
Tommy Jarrell
Thomas Jefferson Jarrell (March 1, 1901 – January 28, 1985) was an American fiddler, banjo player, and singer from the Mount Airy region of North Carolina's Appalachian Mountains.
Biography
He was born in Surry County, North Carolina, United ...
*
Earl Johnson
*Harry Johnson
*Hank Poitras
*Bert Layne
*
Brad Leftwich
Brad Leftwich (born June 30, 1953) is a prominent American old-time fiddler, banjo player, singer and teacher of traditional old-time style. He is originally from Oklahoma but has resided in Bloomington, Indiana for most of his life. He perform ...
*Stephen 'Sammy' Lind
*
Clark Kessinger
Clark Kessinger (July 27, 1896 – June 4, 1975) was an American old-time fiddler. Many of his fiddle tunes made their way to other fiddlers or into the bluegrass music genre.
Biography
Kessinger was born in South Hills, Kanawha County, West Vi ...
*Uncle Jimmy McCarroll
*
Lester McCumbers
*
Kirk McGee
*
Clayton McMichen
Clayton McMichen (January 26, 1900 – January 4, 1970) was an American fiddler and country musician.
Biography
Born in Allatoona, Georgia, McMichen learned to play the fiddle from his father and uncle. He moved to Atlanta with his family in 1 ...
*
Bruce Molsky
*Frazier Moss
*Fred Price
*
Red Clay Ramblers
*
Eck Robertson
Alexander Campbell "Eck" Robertson (born November 20, 1887 in Delaney, Arkansas, died February 15, 1975 in Borger, Texas) was an American fiddle player, mostly known for commercially recording the first country music songs in 1922 with Henry Gil ...
*
Posey Rorer
*Alvin Sanderson
*Tracy Schwarz
*
Mike Seeger
*
Fiddlin' Arthur Smith
Fiddlin' Arthur Smith (April 10, 1898 – February 28, 1971) was an American old time fiddler and a major influence on the old time and bluegrass music genres.
Biography
Smith was born and raised on a farm near Bold Springs, Tennessee, U ...
*John Specker
*Art Stamper
*Charlie Stamper
*Lowe Stokes
*
Uncle Bunt Stephens
John L. "Bunt" Stephens (February 2, 1879 — May 25, 1951), known as Uncle Bunt, was an American Old-time fiddle player. After rising from relative obscurity in 1926 to win a nationwide fiddle contest hosted by automobile magnate Henry Ford ...
*
Gid Tanner
James Gideon "Gid" Tanner (June 6, 1885 – May 13, 1960) was an American old-time fiddler and one of the earliest stars of what would come to be known as country music. His band, the Skillet Lickers, was one of the most innovative and influe ...
*
Joe Thompson
*Uncle
Jimmy Thompson
*Paul Warren
*Melvin Wine
*Marcus Martin
*Luther Strong
*W.H. Stepp
*Joe Thompson
Old time fiddle set up

The fiddle used in playing Old Time fiddle tunes is essentially a
violin which may be somewhat modified to accommodate Old Time playing technique. These modifications include:
* flattening the bridge slightly which makes it easier to perform rapid "double" shuffles which alternate between string pairs. This is not done in Irish, Scottish and most other fiddle styles.
* fiddle players in general more commonly use four fine tuners, where violinists may use only one, for the solid-steel E string.
[Note: However, the term "fiddle" is at times used for instruments which are not violins but a merely bowed string instruments without the characteristic shape of a violin. In some cases the term is used quite loosely in that old time fiddle players often construct these instruments from cigar boxes, whiskey bottle boxes, and similar ''ad hoc'' materials.]
* Old time fiddlers may dispense with chin rests entirely. Many don't use a shoulder rest, or use a rustic version thereof, such as a kitchen sponge held to the fiddle with a rubber band.
See also
*
Western swing fiddle Westerns swing originated in the 1920s and 1930s; small towns in the US Southwest. Although sometimes subject to the term "Texas swing" it is widely associated with Tulsa, others contend that "Western Swing music finds deep roots in the dust bowl of ...
*
Cajun fiddle
Cajun fiddle music is a part of the American fiddle music canon. It is derived from the music of southwest Louisiana and southeast Texas, as well as sharing repertoire from the Quebec and Cape Breton Island traditions. It is one of the few ext ...
*
Canadian fiddle
Canadian fiddle is the aggregate body of tunes, styles and musicians engaging the traditional folk music of Canada on the fiddle. It is an integral extension of the Anglo-Celtic and Québécois French folk music tradition but has distinct features ...
*
American fiddle
References
External links
Documentary "Why Old Time?"Appalachian EnglishNashville_Old_Time_Jukebox*
ttps://web.archive.org/web/20111122071531/http://www.wotfa.org/publications.html Washington Oldtime Fiddlers Associationbr>
The Henry Reed Collection at the Library of CongressCollection of traditional fiddle tunes performed by Henry Reed of Glen Lyn, Virginia. Recorded by folklorist
Alan Jabbour in 1966-67.
National traditional music associationPegram Jam Old Time Music Resource
{{Country music
American folk music
Country music genres
Culture of the Southern United States
Appalachian culture
North American folk music
Performing arts pages with videographic documentation
Fiddle music