schlange - Posted - 04/06/2015:  14:47:08

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Key of A – aEAC#E 

Walk Along John to Kansas come from the playing of fiddler Kenner “KC” Kartchner. Kenner was born in Snowflake, AZ back in 1886 and is important in the old time music world in many ways... a wonderful fiddler who’s music we urge you to find and take a listen to. His biography “Frontier Fiddler” is likewise a great study of early US and Arizona fiddling and history. 

This is not a very common tune yet but we do see it growing in popularity, which is why Dan included it in his latest book Old Time Favorites for Clawhammer Banjo (Melbay 30224 and its fiddle companion 30225). In the Clawhammer version you will find 2 lines of tab (basic and advanced) as well as a standard notation line. The fiddle version has 2 lines of standard notation (basic and advanced) as well as a line of mandolin/fiddle tablature for those not yet reading the dots.

The only recordings we have are the one by Kenner himself and another by Rafe Stefanni on his CD "Glory on The Big String" – which does have clawhammer banjo playing for you to hear. That CD is well worth getting to hear not only this tune but also Black Hills Waltz – another Kartchner tune (which also appears in Dan's Clawhammer Favorites book) and many other great tunes. Dan will be doing a tune-torial on that one soon.

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

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

Get it here >

Feel free to post any questions you have on it, remark on sections you would like clarified or things you might like added. Yes even the things you don’t like are fair game. It grows the tune and the community when you know what you like and don’t like as you build your own style.

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

mworden - Posted - 04/06/2015:  19:46:13

One of my favorites.  It's got a sort of circular melodic line that never seems to resolve all the way so it's prone to getting stuck in your head.  I learned it from Jeff Titon.  

Troublesome Creek String Band (with Steve Arkin on banjo) have a couple of great recordings of this tune.

Dale Morris - Posted - 04/06/2015:  19:54:23

We (Wolfe Bros. String Band) recorded Walk Along John to Kansas with some lyrics that our fiddler, Jerry Correll, composed. It's on our Old Virginia Hills CD.

Clawdan - Posted - 04/07/2015:  07:40:45

What Album Dale? I don't seem to have it. I'd love to hear it and all you folks out there should really take a listen to Dale's band The Wolfe Brother - great stuff!