“Bill Cheatham” is a traditional American fiddle tune, generally played as a breakdown reel in A major, with deep roots in the Southern fiddle traditions of the late 19th century. Documentary references to the tune appear in fiddle-contest reports as early as 1899 in Gallatin, Tennessee, and a 1901 Kentucky newspaper account mentions a “Billy Cheatham.” The name may trace back to Billy Cheatham, a black vaudeville performer of that era and member of the Cheatham Brothers’ Black Diamond Minstrels — though the connection between the performer and the tune is suggested rather than proven.
The earliest known commercial recording is from 1922, when Texas fiddler Eck Robertson included “Bill Cheatham” as the middle section of his “Brilliancy Medley” for the Victor Talking Machine Company. Influential subsequent versions include Arthur Smith’s recording with the Delmore Brothers in the 1930s and a 1966 field recording of Virginia fiddler Henry Reed for the Library of Congress.
“Bill Cheatham” has remained a popular contest and jam-session piece across the Upper South for most of the 20th century, regularly cut by country and bluegrass fiddlers as a fiddling set piece. The driving A-major structure and clean AABB form make it a natural showcase for fast bowing and clean fingerwork.