“Red Fox” is an unusual and historically untraceable tune from Henry Reed’s repertory. The tune was recorded in 1966 by Alan Jabbour in a field recording at the Reed family home in Glen Lyn, Giles County, Virginia. Written in cut time (2/2) and classified as a reel, it transitions from a D tonal center in the A part to a G tonal center in the B part, a characteristic more common in British traditional tunes than in Upper South fiddle music. The tune may have originally begun life as a jig before being converted to a reel. Notable recordings include Henry Reed’s original 1966 performance housed in the Library of Congress Archive of Folk Culture and Alan Jabbour’s version with the Hollow Rock String Band on their “Hollow Rock Legacy” recording. Reed’s version serves as the primary source for contemporary renditions of “Red Fox”.
Key: G major
Tradition: Old Time
Type: Reel