“Duck River” is an old-time fiddle tune associated with the Kentucky fiddler John Salyer, who was recorded playing it in 1941. Whether Salyer wrote the tune or learned it elsewhere is unknown, as is common with old-time tunes; it belongs to a wider family of related breakdowns.
A breakdown in D, the tune carries the archaic feel of eastern Kentucky fiddling. It survived largely through home recordings of Salyer and has been revived by later old-time players drawn to that older style.
The tune has found a new audience among contemporary old-time fiddlers.
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