Florida Blues

There were a number of recordings of William King Phillips' "The Florida Blues" released before Fiddlin' Arthur Smith recorded his own arrangement for bluebird in 1937. It had even been arranged for chamber orchestra! Though unconfirmed, the immortal fiddler may have bene inspired by the Dixieland Jug Blowers' 1926 recording of the tune. although the term "blues" is part of the song's title, it contained more elements of ragtime than anything else. In any event, when on the road, the Barnstormers are frequently asked to play it. We, of course, always oblige!