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| Nancy Rowland |
| Nancy Rowland, Part 1 |
This great 16-bar tune in the key of G is played in standard tuning. Carter Brothers & Son first recorded it in 1928 on two fiddles and guitar, and the Skillet Lickers recorded it as “Nancy Rollin” at about the same time. The tune is a standard at old-time sessions today. For more information about the history of “Nancy Rowland,” visit the Traditional Tune Archive. Like many fiddle tunes that aren’t full-blown songs, there are lyrics associated with parts of the melody. The following verses are often sung over the first or last eight bars.
Had a little dog, his name was Rover,
When he died, he died all over.
I had a wife and she was a Quaker,
She wouldn't work and I wouldn't make her.
I had a wife and she was a weaver,
She wouldn't work, so I had to leave her.
In this video, Bruce shows you the first part of the tune and offers some tips on rhythmic bowing and playing adjacent strings to beef up the melody.
| “Nancy Rowland” Notation (Available to subscribers) |
