“Big Sciota” (also spelled “Big Scioty”) is named for the Scioto River, which runs through central Ohio before emptying into the Ohio River; the “Big” distinguishes it from two smaller Little Scioto tributaries. The word “Scioto” itself derives from a Wyandot word meaning “deer.” The tune began as a fiddle piece in the West Virginia old-time tradition; the primary documented source is fiddler Burl Hammons of Marlinton, West Virginia, who played multiple variant settings.
The tune is a “crooked” reel in the strict sense — Burl Hammons irregularly repeated phrases within both the A and B sections, a feature the folklorist Alan Jabbour identified as one of its defining characteristics. Most modern bluegrass renditions smooth the structure into a more standard AABB form, losing some of the asymmetry that gave the original its distinctive feel.
“Big Sciota” entered the bluegrass jam-session repertoire through old-time-influenced players in the late 20th century, and the tune lends itself well to solo breaks across instruments. Lyrics have been added in some traditions, but the canonical setting remains instrumental.
