I learned April’s Reel from Aubrey Haynie’s Bluegrass Fiddle Album. He’s the only person I had ever heard play it, so I assumed that he wrote it.
It’s a cool tune, and one of the few bluegrass reel’s in the key of Bb. I contacted Aubrey to see if he wrote it, and he told me that Kenny Baker actually wrote April’s Reel, but he never recorded it.
I couldn’t find any other information about the tune online. I really like it, and I hope you do too.
Update from Facebook Comments:
Blaine Sprouse Hi Vi, FYI, I recorded this tune first, in 1979 on my self-titled Rounder Record LP #0117, as well as another Kenny Baker tune never recorded by him called “Long Cold Winter.” As a matter of fact, I named the tune “April’s Reel” after my first wife; Kenny had taught me the tune and said it would be a great tune for me to record when I was working on my first Rounder project, but he had never named the tune. The rest is history. Aubrey does a great job on the tune on his record, it is very close to the way Kenny and I played the tune. It’s a very nice tune!
I Vi, FYI, I recorded this tune first, in 1979 on my self-titled Rounder Record LP #0117, as well as another Kenny Baker tune never recorded by him called "Long Cold Winter." As a matter of fact, I named the tune "April's Reel" after my first wife; Kenny had taught me the tune and said it would be a great tune for me to record when I was working on my first Rounder project, but he had never named the tune. The rest is history. Aubrey does a great job on the tune on his record, it is very close to the way Kenny and I played the tune. It's a very nice tune!
Long Cold Winter is the best fiddle tune I've ever heard.My all time favorite.I'd give anything to have it again.Thanks for all the inspiration Blaine.
Your first wife is named "Reel"?
Blaine , i remember Bob Black and Alan Murphy playing this tune in the mid seventies at festivals in Mo and at Beanblossom They probably heard Kenny play it !
Blaine: Long cold winter was one of my favorites.
wonderful tune … do you know where I could buy the sheet music for that (wish I was good enough to figure it out but am not so …. ) I really love the way you open up so much variety to those of use trying to learn! I really helps me keep the interest up! and keep trying to learn!!! thank you bruce
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Hey Bruce, I’m currently going through the process of transcribing all of these tunes. I don’t know of a source for a transcription of April’s Reel until I get them done. Some of the tunes can be found in Cole’s 1000 fiddle tunes, but this isn’t one of them. And, what you find in Cole’s will be the basic melody of the tune. You will then have to add your own variations, and style to it. 🙂 Stay tuned, I am working on the transcriptions as often as I can.
A pleasant "jaunty" tune, played nicely. (t-shirt is funny)