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schlange - Posted - 01/08/2014: 08:48:25
This week's TOTW is "Lonesome Road Blues," also known as "Going Down the Road Feeling Bad." Ralph Rinzler called it "a white blues of universal appeal and uncertain origin." While it does have lyrics (which vary from version to version) Scruggs played it as an instrumental. This is a well-known tune in bluegrass circles, and the first known recording of it was from Henry Whitter in 1924.
Earl, of course, played the dickens out of this tune. I've attached a couple videos below.
There are a bunch of versions of this in the tab archive, but I found Lee Marcus' version here to be pretty thorough, containing high and low breaks and variations. There are also some decent video lessons out there--I'm actually working on this tune using the Murphy Method Beginning Banjo Volume 2 videos--the high break for this song is lots of fun and the last song on that volume. I've attached Banjo Academy's free 4-part lesson below.
There are 54 versions of this tune in the MP3 archives, so it's obviously a popular one! Here's a list of 9 that are all excellent (I just searched for "Lonesome Road Blues" with more than 10 likes).
I created some backing tracks as well, attached below, at 4 different speeds.
Purchase the backup lesson by John Boulding here for $5
Merc70 - Posted - 01/08/2014: 11:57:32
I can't seem to find the chord progression in any of the above material. That might be worth adding to introductory post for each TOTW.
schlange - Posted - 01/08/2014: 12:31:00
quote:
Originally posted by Merc70
I can't seem to find the chord progression in any of the above material. That might be worth adding to introductory post for each TOTW.
I just added it to the list above. This is the chord chart from the Band In a Box file.
Merc70 - Posted - 01/08/2014: 13:44:01
Cool thanks that is very helpful (I was close BTW when I listened to the backing track, just didn't get the 7 chords)
swamplunker - Posted - 01/09/2014: 09:09:17
I've never seen an instructional video so well laid out as this Banjo Academy one with the tab and both hands in the same screen. You can't miss.
eddorci - Posted - 01/09/2014: 14:51:27
Excellent job! Thanks and keep up the good work.
herefordbob - Posted - 01/10/2014: 05:24:23
Thanks Eric, another great resource
Bob
irasmith - Posted - 01/10/2014: 07:50:11
Really. really good idea, i would guess that this is a most wanted topic! Thanks Eric!
skevincampbell - Posted - 01/10/2014: 10:03:14
I've only watched Lesson 1, so far, but that is excellent video teaching.
banjoman56 - Posted - 01/10/2014: 12:29:04
For some reason, I can't get any videos to load. Not only these, but you tube or any thing else. Audio either. Does anyone know what the trouble could be?
ceemonster - Posted - 01/12/2014: 17:08:24
whew, ask and ye shall receive! i didn't want to get ahead of myself as a scruggs-style apprentice, but the "simplified" LRB i have is missing so much i'm having trouble discerning where it syncs to the "real" one and would rather work bit-by-bit through a more complete version such as this one...
this public-television duo of JD Crowe & Ronnie Reno is my 1st or 2nd-most clicked on BG-banjo 'tube clip....:
youtube.com/watch?v=PQMkBbZRe_M
if only this tempo, this swing setting, and this spirit of relaxed joy were more emulated....
cap jack - Posted - 01/14/2014: 20:52:00
this was great. just what I am needing to help in my picking. thanks
GlennM - Posted - 03/02/2014: 16:39:36
I notice your using Pickersacademy video lessons :)
Jack Baker - Posted - 03/20/2014: 10:12:27
Eric,
If you want to add my transcription of Earl's version I'll attach it below...Jack
Lonesome Road Blues Earl Scruggs
Originally posted by schlange
Edited by - Jack Baker on 03/20/2014 10:18:22
Tommy5 - Posted - 03/25/2014: 16:15:21
The video's are very helpful , thanks for posting.
Joseph Scott - Posted - 05/22/2014: 13:25:00
"This week's TOTW is 'Lonesome Road Blues,' also known as 'Going Down the Road Feeling Bad.' Ralph Rinzler called it 'a white blues'...." Hi, Rinzler's description was misleading. W.C. Handy, who was born in the 1870s, wrote that "Joe Turner" was a variant of this song family that was known to black folk musicians across the South (and he made a recording of "Joe Turner" on vocal and guitar that's currently on youtube and bears that comparison out). Mary Wheeler's research in her _Steamboatin' Days_ showed that the family was well-known to black roustabouts in about the 1890s -- years before it became popular among anyone (Southern black folk musicians) to sing about having the "blues," in about 1907. Banjo was still very popular among blacks during 1890-1909 and recordings that apparently show us what the song family sounded like early on are John Snipes' "Going Where I've Never Been Before," Will Slayden's "Joe Turner," and Wade Ward's "Chilly Winds." Those songs with lyrics about "going around this world with a banjo picking girl" and the like are interesting because they apparently were influenced by those old roustabout songs, but went their own way and never got called "blues" later by anyone.
