idnworks - Posted - 11/18/2009:  17:07:19

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I was watching this clip on YouTube today...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_reIGI2I6o

and I was just thinking about how much I really liked how the Ron Block and Sierra Hull played this song... Nothing against Dr. Ralph, but I really liked maybe the emphasis on the backbeat, maybe it was that the timing seemed dead-on to me. Sierra soloed to a point where I was not sure she was going to be able to bring it back, but she did.

thoughts?

tonehead - Posted - 11/18/2009:  17:22:09

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They did CMB at the show in Raleigh last month. It was a treat!

D.W. - Posted - 11/18/2009:  19:05:20

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quote:

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Originally posted by idnworks

I was watching this clip on YouTube today...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_reIGI2I6o

and I was just thinking about how much I really liked how the Ron Block and Sierra Hull played this song... Nothing against Dr. Ralph, but I really liked maybe the emphasis on the backbeat, maybe it was that the timing seemed dead-on to me. Sierra soloed to a point where I was not sure she was going to be able to bring it back, but she did.

thoughts?

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I think a lot of times now days Dr. Ralph isn't even playing the banjo for a majority of the songs, he might bring it out a couple of times but if there's a vocal it's mostly Steve that's picking. Plus Dr. Ralph (and Steve) doesn't "freestyle" on the instrumental solos the way Block and Hull did (and did nicely) in that clip.

Thanks for sharing.

Bill Rogers - Posted - 11/18/2009:  19:34:28

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CMB is Ralph's version of "Lonesome John." He treats it as the old-time fiddle tune it is. Remember, Ralph has always said he plays "old-time mountain music"--not bluegrass. Ron and Sierra play bluegrass, and very well indeed. That's a bluegrass version of the Backstep in my mind, and a fine one. I assume you've seen the YouTube clip of Ralph playing CMB on Pete Seeger's Rainbow Quest. Have you listened to the original recording on King? That's still the standard to my mind.

idnworks - Posted - 11/18/2009:  20:05:47

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quote:

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Originally posted by Bill Rogers

CMB is Ralph's version of "Lonesome John." He treats it as the old-time fiddle tune it is. Remember, Ralph has always said he plays "old-time mountain music"--not bluegrass. Ron and Sierra play bluegrass, and very well indeed. That's a bluegrass version of the Backstep in my mind, and a fine one. I assume you've seen the YouTube clip of Ralph playing CMB on Pete Seeger's Rainbow Quest. Have you listened to the original recording on King? That's still the standard to my mind.

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Maybe this isn't the original one, but you find it from the same link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJqU...ture=related

I don't want to take a thing away from the way Dr. Ralph is playing it here. There is SO MUCH to be learned from this. We talk about how Dr. Ralph drives the forward roll? You see that in this clip. You hear that in this clip. You feel that in this clip. There are times when I very much appreciate and want to play a more "old-time mountain music" style, because to a degree it reminds me of Western PA and the Ohio valley where I grew up-- but I have to say that I really like how Ron and Sierra played their take on it-- It's kinda like, listening to Dr. Ralph play it, it "rolls and jabs" but when you listen to Ron and Sierra play it, it *thumps*.

Good stuff. I just never get tired of the CMB. It gets in the blood.

The KIDD - Posted - 11/18/2009:  20:27:14

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Yeah, CMB keeps mutatin as it runs through the blood....I learned Munde's version 30yr ago, then studied Vestal's in the mid 90's, NOW , Im pickin up some new ideas from Ronnie Stewart along with creatin my own up the neck break.
Yeah Ron B has some cool stuff happenin as well!
Thanks for postin!

Heres Ronnie S.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTd8R0hS7sc

Brevabloke - Posted - 11/21/2009:  01:30:20

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Its a great tune for sure..I keep hearing words to it...

lazyarcher - Posted - 11/21/2009:  05:21:46

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Ron and Sierra can absolutely lay it down!! They make a great combo.

Miguel - Posted - 11/21/2009:  07:17:13

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did you notice ron's feet ?

5th string nut - Posted - 11/21/2009:  11:13:47

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I think it's the tempo they are playing most people tend to play CMB to fast to get the real feel for the song
I suggest this tune in a jam I was in with Ron back in the late 90s . Ron said he was all for it as long as we didn't play it at 100 mph
Not that he couldn't someting I will never forget