Pride of America

Pride of America is a traditional Old Time reel from southwestern Virginia, preserved in the A. Porter Hamblen manuscript collection with the header “as played by David R. Hamblen”. Its distinguishing quirk is the key: the manuscript carries an A major signature, but it plays more naturally as a modal tune. Modern musicians typically play it modally in A with natural C and G. Recordings include Steve Green (an early circulated CD of Hamblen tunes that helped spark revival interest), Christian Wig on Chadwell’s Station (2008), and Nikos Pappas on Old Virginia: Fiddle Tunes of David Russell Hamblen (2022).