Snake River Reel

Snake River Reel is a modern old-time composition from 1985 by Peter Lippincott, a musician, contra dance caller, and potter from St. Louis. Lippincott composed both the tune and an accompanying contra dance, explaining he “just came up with it noodling around one day” and named it after the Snake River simply because it “sounded like a cool name.” St. Louis string bands carried the tune to Galax and other fiddle venues where it quickly gained popularity in old-time circles. The tune’s appeal lies in its distinctive modal shift—beginning in D Major, then switching to D Mixolydian in the B part while maintaining the same tonal center. Typically played in AABB structure at moderate tempos. It in Dan Levenson’s clawhammer instruction book and numerous recordings. Despite its recent composition, Snake River Reel successfully captures the sound and feel of traditional Appalachian dance music, demonstrating how new tunes continue enriching the old-time tradition.