schlange - Posted - 11/03/2014:  11:41:39

Watch a preview video >

Key of A – aEAC#E 

In this, Tunetorial number 24, Dan "Clawdan" Levenson teaches the tune Sandy Boys. This is one of his favorite tunes both on fiddle and banjo. It came to him from the playing of both Edden Hammons (fiddle version) on The Edden Hammons Collection – Volume 1 (West Virginia Press SA-1) and the banjo playing of Burl Hammons which can be found on the Library of Congress recording The Hammons Family – The Traditions of a West Virginia Family and their Friends (Rounder 1504/05). There are many great sources of this tune so these are only 2. Dan am also rather fond of Dan Gellert’s awesome fretless banjo version from his CD Waitin' On The Break Of Day.

Also known as Quail is a Pretty Bird – an old minstrel tune which is wonderfully recorded by John Hartford with Bob Carlin playing banjo (on John’s Hamilton Ironworks CD) and Gene Goforth (on his CD-Emminence Breakdown), this tune has gone through a lot of transition since first being collected. The parts are often played reversed from how it was recorded and how it is taught here so don’t be surprised.

As in past weeks, Dan plays the tune and breaks down sections on the fly. 

This tune is tabbed out in Dan's book Old Time Festival Tunes for Clawhammer Banjo (MB 20313) which is a collection of over 100 tunes that show up at most festivals and jams.

You can purchase the video lesson (for unlimited streaming and download) here on the Banjo Hangout for $6.

Get it here >

Dan and I would love to hear any feedback you have on these videos, so feel free to post or email us. Our goal here is provide a steady, affordable way for people to learn a new clawhammer tune weekly (or as often as they'd like).

It would be great to hear some of your versions so far so post them here for all to hear!

XXXris - Posted - 12/08/2014:  20:57:21

Dan: Thanks for doing these. This was the first one I have tried. I have recently moved to a music-free region of the country, so this reminds me of when I was able to take banjo lessons from a real human....

I like the fiddle version you include, and also the general format of giving a basic version, plus all kinds of variations.

Chris

Clawdan - Posted - 12/09/2014:  06:42:14

Thanks Chris. Any requests?

Play Nice,

Dan

Clawdan.com

rubicon - Posted - 12/09/2014:  08:31:09

Hello what banjo are you playing in this Sandy Boys preview ? looks like Glen Carson did some inlay work on it , sounds really nice .

Edited by - rubicon on 12/09/2014 08:32:05

Clawdan - Posted - 12/09/2014:  11:42:16

It is a Tony Pass pot with a Vern Marr neck. To my knowledge, Vern does all of his own inlay and he is incredibly meticulous.

rubicon - Posted - 12/09/2014:  13:46:18

Thank you for the reply I hadn't heard of this builder .

XXXris - Posted - 12/09/2014:  21:44:38

quote:

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Originally posted by Clawdan

Thanks Chris. Any requests?

Play Nice,

Dan

Clawdan.com

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Hi Dan:

Sure, thanks for asking. I'm trying to think of something I have gotten stalled on....

Do you ever play Little Satchel, the one that you hear in f#BEAD, or related tunings? That's one of my favorites that I have never learned.

Chris

Clawdan - Posted - 12/12/2014:  06:06:10

Little Satchel is more of a phrase than a full tune, but let me see what i can do on that. It WILL be in the upcoming Fred Cockerham/Tommy Jarrell Clawhammer Banjo Masters book due out in January.

Play Nice,

Dan

Clawdan.com

 

XXXris - Posted - 12/12/2014:  08:43:03

Hey great, I'd love to see one, and I bet it would be popular.

I hadn't thought about it as a "phrase" tune, that's interesting; maybe I gravitate to those. I often end up playing Roustabout, which also falls in that category....

Ok, see you! Didn't know about the FC/TJ book; I'll look forward to that.

Chris

Clawdan - Posted - 12/20/2014:  07:03:28

Little Satchel is up now. Part two of the next tunetorial twofer.