banjukebox - Posted - 04/19/2019:  06:36:29

Today's Tune of the Week is North Carolina Breakdown, an old-time tune written by "Fiddlin'" Arthur Smith

Smith (1898-1971) was born in Tennessee and picked up the fiddle at an early age. He started out playing at local dances and fiddler’s conventions, but later joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1927. He performed with a number of bands including “The Dixieliners” and the “Tennessee Valley Boys.” He also recorded with a number of musicians, including: The Delmore brothers, Roy Acuff and Merle Travis.

According to his son, he wrote “North Carolina Breakdown” in about 1937.

Here are links to his recordings, accompanied by guitar:

youtube.com/watch?v=W201_z7e0GM 

slippery-hill.com/recording/no...breakdown

It has become a cross-over tune played by both bluegrass and old-time musicians.

Bluegrass Version (Kathy Kallick Band)

Sample:

notsba.org/Tunes%20-%20Listen%...kdown.pdf

Old-time Versions:

Samples:

(Chance McCoy)

youtube.com/watch?v=OOhfc0ZaS9M

(Cathy Fink)

banjohangout.org/myhangout/vid...?id=32756

Here’s a little more info on the tune:

elliotkenneloldtimemusic.blogs...down.html

Listening to his recordings, he plays the “B” part a little differently than the way I’ve heard it played in most old-time jams. I think he starts with an “E”? chord, (somebody help me out here) where I learned to start the "B" part with a “C” chord.

Ken Torke has tabbed it out at Tater Joe’s:

taterjoes.com/banjo/NorthCarol...kdown.pdf

Here’s the way I learned it, along with a tab:

VIDEO: NORTH CAROLINA BREAKDOWN
(click to view)

North Carolina Breakdown Tab (PDF File)

dbrooks - Posted - 04/19/2019:  10:44:33

Nice tune and fine write-up, Pat. We just added "North Carolina Breakdown" to the rotation at our weekly contra dances. I was unfamiliar with the tune until our fiddler suggested it. Our version is very similar to youtr nice rendition.

David

George Flink - Posted - 04/19/2019:  11:51:11

Some players I've met in North Carolina play the E chord in the b part of the tune. Sounds strange to my ear but fits with the saying "old time music, better than it sounds."

George Flink - Posted - 04/19/2019:  15:58:22

Interesting that the the Arthur Smith recording you have up also uses an E chord, at least that's what it sounds like to me.

banjukebox - Posted - 04/19/2019:  16:45:42

@ George Flink
Thanks George, that's what I was thinking as well.

George Flink - Posted - 04/19/2019:  16:52:45

We don't play the E here but I could get used to it.

loggerhead - Posted - 04/20/2019:  06:18:49

This is a great tune that my jam group plays, but I am having some trouble with it. Can anyone point me to a 3-finger-style tab? The NOTSBA link has the melody line in standard notation. Thanks for any help.

JanetB - Posted - 04/20/2019:  08:02:34

A sprightly tune you play so well, Pat.  I went to the Arthur Smith source on Slippery Hill.  After trying it in open G, next I attempted SRB tuning (gEADE) where I also play Cumberland Gap.  It was easier not going past the 7th fret.  This tune solidifies what Arthur Smith accomplished in his lifetime, as it's usually rather difficult to internalize what and who was playing and recording in the 20's and 30's.  They're often "just names" of musicians, but the fact this tune was also composed by Fiddlin' Arthur Smith will help cement him better in my mind.

VIDEO: North Carolina Breakdown (TOTW)
(click to view)

North Carolina Breakdown (CH) tab

banjukebox - Posted - 04/20/2019:  08:25:53

That's a great version, Janet, more like Arthur's original recording. I'm not sure why the "B" part seems to have morphed into the version heard in most Old-Time jams I've attended. Possibly because it's more natural sounding and pleasing to the ear? As always, thanks for your contribution.

@ loggerhead I've searched and haven't found any three finger tabs. Maybe someone in the BG community will have something to add.

Edited by - banjukebox on 04/20/2019 08:27:44