Sail Away Ladies

Uncle Bunt Stephens, a Tennessee farmer born in 1871, played this tune in 1926 when he won Henry Ford's fiddle contest, beating more than 1,800 other fiddlers. His prize is said to have included $1,000, a car, a suit and a new set of teeth. He recorded it for Columbia that year, and Uncle Dave Macon recorded it with words in 1927.

Guthrie Meade tied the tune to south central Kentucky and middle Tennessee. Paul Wells of Middle Tennessee State University says the song was collected around 1900 and was known among both Black and white singers. Singers often answer each line with "Sail away, ladies, sail away."