“Last Chance” is an old-time tune that comes from the playing of the Virginia musician Hobart Smith of Saltville. A blues-tinged piece, it began in Smith’s banjo playing and was adapted to the fiddle.
Played in an unusual tuning, “Last Chance” has a dark, driving feel. Smith’s feverish, distinctive approach made the tune a favorite among banjo players, who have since interpreted it many ways.
The tune endures as a favorite in old-time circles.
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