Blackberry Blossom

An invigorating instrumental performed by Eryn Eubanks & the Family Fold during Eryn's weekly music jam at the Acoustic Coffeehouse (Fellowship Hall of the Bible Deliverance Temple) in Augusta GA March 23, 2013. Musicians include: Taylor Swan (guitar -- lead instrument), Eryn (mandolin); Ricie Eubanks (upright bass); Mike Merritt (off camera), Jim & Nicky Jewell (guitars), and Greg Miller (mandolin, off camera).
"Blackberry Blossom" is a fiddle tune in the key of G Major. It is classified as a "breakdown" and is popular in old time, bluegrass and Celtic traditional circles.
The tune has been added to over 250 tune books. The tune became popular as recorded by Fiddlin' Arthur Smith. That version, according to Alan Jabbour, supplanted an earlier tune played by Sanford Kelly from Morgan County, which is now represented by the tune "Yew Piney Mountain". It is also called "Garfield's Blackberry Blossom", perhaps to distinguish it from the earlier version. Contradicting Jabbour, who clearly distinguishes the earlier version, is the account of Andrew Kuntz to the effect that "Betty Vornbrock and others have noted a similarity between 'Garfield's Blackberry Blossom' and the West Virginia tune 'Yew Piney Mountain', a variant ... also played by Kentucky fiddlers J.P. Fraley and Santford Kelly". Alan Snyder gives an alternate name of "Strawberry Beds".
Although the tune is closely associated with the old time/ bluegrass traditions of the United States, it enjoys the distinction of often being frequently played by traditional Irish musicians.
Source: Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia