Big Sandy River- Richard Matteson

Big Sandy River
Lyrics by Richard Matteson C 2009 

Big Sandy River

Bluegrass, Breakdown. USA, Kentucky. Lyrics and melody composed by Richard L. Matteson Jr. 2009 based on the fiddle tune, Big Sandy River.

ARTIST: Richard Matteson composed the lyrics and melody in 2009 to the fiddle tune Big Sandy River attributed to Kenny Baker/Bill Monroe.

CATEGORY: Fiddle and Instrumental Tunes; DATE: arranged/composed by Bill Monroe and Kenny Baker; New melody and lyrics 2009 Richard Matteson

RECORDING INFO : Big Sandy River - Monroe, Bill/Baker, Kenny

Brody, David (ed.) / Guitar Picker's Fakebook, Oak, Sof (1984), p 28
Baker, Kenny. Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe, County 761, LP (1976), trk# 7
Baker, Kenny. Phillips, Stacy; & Kenny Kosek (eds.) / Bluegrass Fiddle Styles, Oak, fol (1978), p 42 [1962]
Baker, Kenny. Brody, David (ed.) / Fiddler's Fakebook, Oak, Sof (1983), p 40
Cutler, Marty. Brody, David (ed.) / Banjo Picker's Fakebook, Oak, Fol (1985), p 27
Good Old Persons. Good Ol' Persons, Bay 208, LP (1977), trk# B.05
Kidwell, Fiddlin' Van. Midnight Ride, Vetco LP 506, LP (1975), trk# B.02
Robertson, Lonnie. Lonnie's Breakdown. Classic Fiddle Music From Missouri, Rounder 0375, CD (1996), trk# 10
Rural Delivery. 15th Aniversary Cassette. The Northwest Folklife Festival, NW Folklife --, Cas (1986), trk# B.04 (Crossing the Big Sandy)
Stoneking, Lee R.. Rainbow of Fiddle Tunes, Stoneking, LP (197?), trk# B.04
Thomason, Ron. Mandolin and Other Stuff, Kanawha RT-3, LP (198?), trk# A.01e
Williams, Vivian; and Barbara Lamb. Twin Sisters, Voyager VRLP 316-S, LP (1975), trk# B.03
Williams, Stuart. Silberberg, Gene (ed.) / Complete Fiddle Tunes I Either Did or Did Not., Silberberg, Fol (2005), p 13
Yohey, Bill. 20 Country Strings, American Heritage ST 106, LP (196?), trk# 7
Yohey, Bill. National Oldtime Fiddlers' Contest & Folk Music Festival. 1966, Century, LP (1966), trk# 9

OTHER NAMES: Big Sandy; Sandy River

SOURCES: Kuntz; Foolk Index; Source for notated version: Stuart Williams (Seattle) [Silberberg]. Brody (Fiddler’s Fakebook), 1983; pg. 40. Silberberg (Tunes I Learned at Tractor Tavern), 2002; pg. 9. County 761, "Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe." Vetco 506, Fiddlin' Van Kidwell ‑ "Midnight Ride." Voyager 316‑S, Vivian Williams and Barbara Lamb ‑ "Twin Sisters."


NOTES: A Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Composed/arranged by Kenny Baker and Bill Monroe circa 1963. The B section is similar to other many other tunes, the A section is distinctive.

Big Sandy River- Lyrics and Melody by Richard Matteson C2009

Listen on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5qxb2sGPWQ

[A Part]

We will [A]float a-long the bank of the Big San-dy Ri-ver
[E] From old Ken-tuck, and with luck, in-to West Vir-gin-ny
[A] Ride a-long the banks of the Big San-dy ri-ver
[E] Head-in' for our old Vir-gin-ny [A] home.

There's a gal a-long the bank of the Big San-dy Ri-ver
Wait-ing for me, I can see, her blue eyes a- twink-lin'
When we reach the bar of sand in West Vir-gin-ny,
We are near our old Vir-gin-ny home.

[Part B- CHORUS] When we get to Tug Fork and get our fill of smoke(d) pork
Pol-in' o'er the sand that's stand-in' on the strand.
Good- bye O-hi-o, heading up north real slow,
Big Sandy River take me home. [Repeat]

Round the bend a-long the bank of the Big San-dy Ri-ver
Up on the hill, there's a still, little taste of hea'ven
Down a-long the bank of the Big San-dy Ri-ver
Head-in' for our old Vir-gin-ny home.

Fill your jug a-long the bank of the Big San-dy Ri-ver
Nothing to do, me and you, float-in' on the wat-er.
Ride a-long the bank of the Big San-dy Ri-ver
Head-in' for our old Vir-gin-ny home.

[Part B- CHORUS] Hear the fid-dle play-in', see the old folk sway-in'.
Danc-in' with the beat of the Big San-dy Ri-ver.
Put on your clog-gin' shoes, ain't got no time to lose,
Big Sandy River take me home. [Repeat]