Belle of Lexington

Belle of Lexington is a traditional Old Time reel in D major from the Grayson and Carroll County regions of western Virginia. The tune shares melodic ancestry with the Irish hornpipe Kitty’s Wedding and is related to several other traditional pieces including Smith’s Reel, Mrs. Smith’s Reel, and Hauling Home. The most significant early recording was made by southwestern Virginia fiddler Emmett Lundy for the Library of Congress in 1941. Modern recordings include John Patterson’s version on Rounder Records (1978), Luther Davis on Field Recorders’ Collective (2023), and interpretations by Bruce Molsky and Adam Hurt.

Emmett Lundy (1864-1953) was an accomplished fiddler from Grayson County who won the first gold piece ever awarded at the Galax Old Fiddler’s Convention. He earned his living primarily through farming, blacksmithing, violin repair, and watch repair, learning much of his repertoire from fiddler Green Leonard.