Whiskey Before Breakfast

A widely-known fiddle tune often mistaken for a traditional Irish piece, but actually credited to mid-20th century Canadian fiddler and composer Andy deJarlis (1914-1975). DeJarlis included the tune in his 1957 book “Canadian Fiddle Tunes from Red River Valley,” where he was credited for the arrangement only, suggesting the melodic material may have pre-existing sources. The tune shares melodic similarities with older pieces including “Liverpool Hornpipe,” “Great Eastern Reel,” “Bennett’s Favorite,” and the Irish reels “Silver Spire” and “Greenfields of America,” with some sources suggesting “Speed the Plow” as a possible common ancestor. The reel gained popularity in the United States through fiddle champion Dick Barrett’s performance on a Voyager Records LP “More Fiddle Jam Sessions.” It became a favorite of Métis dance troupes in Western Canada and is often used as musical accompaniment for the quadrille ‘Reel of Eight.’ The tune has been widely recorded by artists including Norman Blake, John McCutcheon, Andy DeJarlis himself, and numerous contest fiddlers. It’s become a standard at bluegrass jam sessions despite its Canadian origins.