Sandy River Belle/ Boatin' Up Sandy/ Sandy Boys

Traditional

Banjo-Cathy; guitar-Dave; fiddle-Paul; piano-Win

The Big Sandy River divides Kentucky from West Virginia, an area long noted for its traditional fiddling, song and dance. Different versions of each of these tunes are widespread in the Appalachians over many generations. We learned the second tune from folklorist Alan Jabbour, who got it in West Virginia. The third tune was published in a minstrel show book in 1844, but is associated with Burl Hammons of the fiddling Hammons family, also of the Mountain State.