Zischkale - Posted - 09/08/2016:  23:06:37

Good number of corn tunes on our TOTW list, was surprised not to find this seminal two-chord nonsense classic. There’s no lack of definitive renditions, and of course Earl did it, but my favorite versions are definitely Leadbelly’s and the Holy Modal Rounders’ -- the latter in which Stampfel planks at the banjo nicely (two-finger thumb lead?) and whines bizarre lyrics about outhouse-honey.

Fiddler’s bio lists both Hot Corn and Green Corn as synonyms - not sure where the regional dividing line is between the two titles but it seems in Missouri they choose the latter. And while I’d love to hear y’all bring along the demijohn, my main focus this week is on the playing style of old-time musician extraordinaire, Lena Hughes.

Missouri-born in 1904, Lena conjured some beautiful music out of flat-top guitar, fiddle, and banjo. The real expert on her is Howard Marshall, folklorist hero and dedicated musician, who wrote a whole tome on Missouri fiddling called Play Me Something Quick and Devilish. Listen to Howard’s interview on this fantastic NPR piece and check out her recently reissued album of parlor guitar music. That Spanish Fandango!

She played the same parlor tunes on banjo, but also loved to back up fiddlers with a snappy, groovy, galloping two-finger banjo style. She uses a pinch to get this great backbeat, listen to some examples here. I especially like the sound she gets on St Anne’s and Melinda, and you can hear more on the Three Fiddlers from the Show Me State album (check out that bright poppy sound on Jubalo!).

Howard Marshall breaks down her style in detail here. I may eventually post a tutorial video, but I’ll try and describe it here. In short, she plays the bum-dit-ty pattern with thumb-thumb-index over basic chords in gCGBD (my ears detect she plays both  D and A tunes, and respective capo’d keys, in this tuning). She may lead on beat one (bum) with her thumb on a 4th string bass note or 5th string note, before thumb-picking a higher string (often 2nd), and finally up-picking the 1st string as a drone.

So take a two-measure set of 2/4: (1 +a / 2 +a // 1 +a / 2 +a) or (bum-dit-ty / bum-dit-ty // bum-dit-ty / bum-dit-ty). If playing on open strings numbered “1” through “5” (“D” through “g” in gCGBD), a typical Lena picking pattern might look like: 4-2-1 / 5-2-1 // 4-2-1 / 3-2-1.

She often adds syncopation by breaking this rhythm with a pinch on the 1st and 2nd strings (i.e. bum-dit-ty / bum PINCH). She’ll also sometimes grab a few more notes where she can in a sort of roll between the thumb and index (hard to discern, but I think she’s doing it, especially on Green Corn), and she’ll walk a short bassline here or there (i.e. open 3rd to 1st fret of 2nd string, G-A-B-C).

Probably way better to just listen for the nuance -- in short, she gets this excellent driving style which can be great accompaniment when you’re wanting to provide chordal backup to say, a real notey hornpipe or reel. Or maybe you’re just tired of being the third picker in a small jam circle playing clawhammer. It’s a simple thing she does, but as Howard says: “Lena's style is nothing more (or less) than a perfectly-timed and beautifully accented two-finger (or use three fingers, if you want) style that is essentially the father of Scruggs etc.bluegrass style.  What could sound mechanical in lesser players always sounded superb when Lena did it.  It is what we might call a minimalist approach.”

Right, so that Corn that everybody keeps talking about -- there are a series of black-and-white field recordings from the 70’s on Youtube featuring Lena’s accompaniment to fiddlers Dwight Lamb and Elvin Campbell. She also plays a solo parlor tune and a simple but real nice version of Green Corn. And for a two-finger style, she plays it damned fast.

I gave it a shot here. I gotta say, two-fingers on steel strings is a challenge, and I’ve worn in some good callouses already by practicing her style on my rusty, junky resonator banjo. I’m a little more proud of my take on Maramaduke’s Hornpipe here, where I once again accompany the mysterious fiddle luchador known only as GDGD.

Thanks to Howard Marshall for his dedicated work and for his description of Lena’s style. A few cornball notes to finish the thing:

• 
  

  To listen to examples of Lena playing multiple keys in gCGBD, check out Marmaduke’s (D) and Countryman’s Reel (B-flat) on the Show Me State album

  
  


• 
  

  Rice’s Method for the Banjo (1858) apparently includes Green Corn, but none of the minstrel-era tunes I found on Youtube really invoked the definitive Asa Martin version. Do check out Tim Twiss’ recording though, it does such cool things with the 5th string

  
  


• 
  

  Donald Zepp has a great old BHO post and accompanying video describing Billy Faier’s legendary Green Corn lick -- but his showpiece is unique enough to be in a league of its own

  
  


• 
  

  BHO hero janolov has posted arrangements of both the traditional Green Corn and Billy Faier’s here

  
  


• 
  

  More props to Zepp -- his tunings site mentions a unique setting for Pete Seeger’s version - dDGBD.

  
  

Lena-style Green Corn:

Marmaduke's with Lena-style backup:

Edited by - Zischkale on 09/08/2016 23:11:53

Cyndy - Posted - 09/08/2016:  23:51:43

Great post! I've got to learn to do that! :)

Don Huber - Posted - 09/09/2016:  01:55:15

Aaron, I cannot thank you enough for this post, actually a gift. So much information and music to savor. It seems as though Midwest OT music is everywhere these days.



My favorite track, thus far, is Lena picking the banjo with Cyril Stinnett fiddling Lantern In the Ditch, one of our favorite Missouri tunes.



Thanks for passing along the information on Lena's elegant picking style as well as the demonstration video of Marmaduke's Hornpipe(our unofficial State Anthem).



And I love the photo of Lena with Cyril. Made my night here at work!

Edited by - Don Huber on 09/09/2016 01:57:55

Zischkale - Posted - 09/09/2016:  06:49:17

Thanks, y'all!

Cyndy -- it's probably just as good on an openback once you've got the tone controlled, would probably want to play farther from the bridge than she did. Howard says Lena used a skin head, so a plunky open-back might be pretty compatible. 

Don - glad you enjoyed the post! That Lantern in the Ditch tune is awesome, I agree, I need to learn that one. Just heard a Geoff Seitz CD where he shreds it. The photo is great, love the color in it. I like all the Lena photos, actually, she was an awesome lady.  Forgot to mention the great footage of Lena from a local Iowa news station. Cheesy but charming little story that gives you a chance to hear her talk and shows fleeting glimpses of her right hand.

News Broadcast about Lena Hughes banjo playing

gailg64 - Posted - 09/09/2016:  10:04:13

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Thank

 you for drawing attention to Lena Hughes tasteful & supportive banjo picking. I love it when these non-flashy old regional backup picking styles get attention from younger people. "Green Corn" is a widespread little tune with many names. In NC (where it is also fingerpicked, either 2 finger or Charlie Poole /old-time 3 finger it's sometimes paired with the words "The Old Man Below," (Gaither Carlton) or "Stand Boys Stand." You're doing a fine job---keep it up & pass it on!

quote:

---

Originally posted by Zischkale

 

Good number of corn tunes on our TOTW list, was surprised not to find this seminal two-chord nonsense classic. There’s no lack of definitive renditions, and of course Earl did it, but my favorite versions are definitely Leadbelly’s and the Holy Modal Rounders’ -- the latter in which Stampfel planks at the banjo nicely (two-finger thumb lead?) and whines bizarre lyrics about outhouse-honey.

 

Fiddler’s bio lists both Hot Corn and Green Corn as synonyms - not sure where the regional dividing line is between the two titles but it seems in Missouri they choose the latter. And while I’d love to hear y’all bring along the demijohn, my main focus this week is on the playing style of old-time musician extraordinaire, Lena Hughes.

 

Missouri-born in 1904, Lena conjured some beautiful music out of flat-top guitar, fiddle, and banjo. The real expert on her is Howard Marshall, folklorist hero and dedicated musician, who wrote a whole tome on Missouri fiddling called Play Me Something Quick and Devilish. Listen to Howard’s interview on this fantastic NPR piece and check out her recently reissued album of parlor guitar music. That Spanish Fandango!

 

She played the same parlor tunes on banjo, but also loved to back up fiddlers with a snappy, groovy, galloping two-finger banjo style. She uses a pinch to get this great backbeat, listen to some examples here. I especially like the sound she gets on St Anne’s and Melinda, and you can hear more on the Three Fiddlers from the Show Me State album (check out that bright poppy sound on Jubalo!).

 

Howard Marshall breaks down her style in detail here. I may eventually post a tutorial video, but I’ll try and describe it here. In short, she plays the bum-dit-ty pattern with thumb-thumb-index over basic chords in gCGBD (my ears detect she plays both  D and A tunes, and respective capo’d keys, in this tuning). She may lead on beat one (bum) with her thumb on a 4th string bass note or 5th string note, before thumb-picking a higher string (often 2nd), and finally up-picking the 1st string as a drone.

 

So take a two-measure set of 2/4: (1 +a / 2 +a // 1 +a / 2 +a) or (bum-dit-ty / bum-dit-ty // bum-dit-ty / bum-dit-ty). If playing on open strings numbered “1” through “5” (“D” through “g” in gCGBD), a typical Lena picking pattern might look like: 4-2-1 / 5-2-1 // 4-2-1 / 3-2-1.

 

She often adds syncopation by breaking this rhythm with a pinch on the 1st and 2nd strings (i.e. bum-dit-ty / bum PINCH). She’ll also sometimes grab a few more notes where she can in a sort of roll between the thumb and index (hard to discern, but I think she’s doing it, especially on Green Corn), and she’ll walk a short bassline here or there (i.e. open 3rd to 1st fret of 2nd string, G-A-B-C).

 

Probably way better to just listen for the nuance -- in short, she gets this excellent driving style which can be great accompaniment when you’re wanting to provide chordal backup to say, a real notey hornpipe or reel. Or maybe you’re just tired of being the third picker in a small jam circle playing clawhammer. It’s a simple thing she does, but as Howard says: “Lena's style is nothing more (or less) than a perfectly-timed and beautifully accented two-finger (or use three fingers, if you want) style that is essentially the father of Scruggs etc.bluegrass style.  What could sound mechanical in lesser players always sounded superb when Lena did it.  It is what we might call a minimalist approach.”

 

Right, so that Corn that everybody keeps talking about -- there are a series of black-and-white field recordings from the 70’s on Youtube featuring Lena’s accompaniment to fiddlers Dwight Lamb and Elvin Campbell. She also plays a solo parlor tune and a simple but real nice version of Green Corn. And for a two-finger style, she plays it damned fast.

 

I gave it a shot here. I gotta say, two-fingers on steel strings is a challenge, and I’ve worn in some good callouses already by practicing her style on my rusty, junky resonator banjo. I’m a little more proud of my take on Maramaduke’s Hornpipe here, where I once again accompany the mysterious fiddle luchador known only as GDGD.

 

Thanks to Howard Marshall for his dedicated work and for his description of Lena’s style. A few cornball notes to finish the thing:

 

• 
  

  To listen to examples of Lena playing multiple keys in gCGBD, check out Marmaduke’s (D) and Countryman’s Reel (B-flat) on the Show Me State album

  
  


• 
  

  Rice’s Method for the Banjo (1858) apparently includes Green Corn, but none of the minstrel-era tunes I found on Youtube really invoked the definitive Asa Martin version. Do check out Tim Twiss’ recording though, it does such cool things with the 5th string

  
  


• 
  

  Donald Zepp has a great old BHO post and accompanying video describing Billy Faier’s legendary Green Corn lick -- but his showpiece is unique enough to be in a league of its own

  
  


• 
  

  BHO hero janolov has posted arrangements of both the traditional Green Corn and Billy Faier’s here

  
  


• 
  

  More props to Zepp -- his tunings site mentions a unique setting for Pete Seeger’s version - dDGBD.

  
  

 

Lena-style Green Corn:

 

Marmaduke's with Lena-style backup:

---

mojo_monk - Posted - 09/10/2016:  04:37:03

Great post, Aaron. Lena Hughes first came onto my radar when I acquired an old tape of Cyril Stinnett called "Grey Eagle in C". It's essentially 28 tracks of Lena and Cyril jamming. It has been re-released and can be purchased HERE.

I have always wanted to play like her so thanks a million for the demos. I love Missouri hornpipe fiddling and clawhammer banjo just doesn't suffice in backing them up (in my humble opinion). I for one would truly appreciate a more in-depth "tutorial" of her style - maybe a video? I don't do well with tabs or numbers to demonstrate picking patterns. I gotta see it to really get it. 

Thanks again!

-Sean

bhniko - Posted - 09/10/2016:  12:01:56

Both ears like it. Has the sound of Calypso in its rhythm.

Don Huber - Posted - 09/10/2016:  17:44:36

I enjoyed the Iowa TV story a lot, Aaron. The fiddler I play with is business partners with Geoff Seitz and they have shared a lot of MO tunes over the years...

...but I must tell you I enjoy James Bryan's version with Carl Jones on mandolin the best!

hughstrawn - Posted - 09/11/2016:  05:49:47

quote:

---

Originally posted by Zischkale

 

Thanks, y'all!

Forgot to mention the great footage of Lena from a local Iowa news station. Cheesy but charming little story that gives you a chance to hear her talk and shows fleeting glimpses of her right hand.

 

News Broadcast about Lena Hughes banjo playing

---

And some pretty nice fiddling here by lefty Dwight Lamb.

Zischkale - Posted - 09/12/2016:  07:23:42

Thanks for the feedback, y'all! And although this one's pretty focused on Lena, feel free to steer the thread toward Green Corn if you like, or post your own renditions.

Sean - that Cyril album looks great, and the MO fiddler I know would dig it. I'll have to get a copy. Fascinating about his choice to fiddle lefthanded with righthand-strung fiddle. Very glad you've gotten something from the videos. I'll be glad to post a little tutorial, can get that done this week. I was obsessing a little over how to describe her style, so my thrown-together notation above might be a total mess.

Glad you enjoyed the Iowa story, Don - James Bryan and Carl Jones are two new names to me, gotta add to my ever-growing list!

bhniko - definitely hearing 3/3/2 more often now, and Lena's rhythm definitely suggests that. Listening to Hamilton (a must if anyone on this thread likes musicals), a calypso sort of rhythm is used to great effect on a big Act I finale called "Non-Stop." Of course anytime I get the chance to bring banjo into something banjoless, I take it. 

Hugh - thanks for pointing out Dwight there, I'd been watching him in the 70's video I mentioned but hadn't noticed him in the news report. I assume he's actually left-handed, unlike Cyril?

Gail - thanks for bringing up the other titles/lyrics. Would like to hear Gaither Carlton's. Definitely a good song for anyone wanting to examine the folk process.

janolov - Posted - 09/12/2016:  12:07:34

Thank you for a good tune this week.

Green Corn has fascinated me a lot. It seems to be an old banjo tune and Lena Hughes is wonderful.

I have tried Tim Twiss' version from Rice's old book (1858). I am fascinated by the right hand fingering. It is played with the so-called minstrel style but a lot of the melody notes on the on-beats are played with the thumb, and a lot of off-beat notes played with the down-stroke. I think this can make any clawhammer player grey-haired.

Another version I like is by the notorious clawhammer player R.D. Lunceford who plays a thumb lead version on his Cotton Blossom album.

JanetB - Posted - 09/12/2016:  20:14:27

A+ Aaron!  There's lots of history and many versions here to enjoy.  John Hartford's was fun to listen to, as well as Green Corn played minstrel style.

Your focus and your video inspired me to try the 2-finger style based on Lena Hughes' recording.  I tuned the 4th string down to a C (I think it's possible she did this, too, when I watch her left hand).  The third time through I tried index-lead instead of thumb-lead, playing the commonly heard melody of Hot Corn, Cold Corn.  

Switching from my normal 3-finger picking takes getting used to.  My favorite 2-finger picker is Nick Hornbuckle.  Art Rosenbaum's material will be useful for further study.  Feedback on my tab would be appreciated.

Green Corn (TOTW)

Green Corn (Lena Hughes 2-finger style) tab

 

 

Marc Nerenberg - Posted - 09/13/2016:  01:22:24

Really interesting post. And here I am, across the ocean with no banjo in sight to try any of this out. sigh.

bhniko - Posted - 09/13/2016:  15:17:27

Hi Janet,

Just sat back and waited for response from you. Nice version and thanks for the tab. Now need to learn two finger.

Quite an uplifting tune and we all need a big plantation...already have a wife.

Marc, wherever you are start another Yellow Door.

 

Zischkale - Posted - 09/14/2016:  20:18:13

Jan - it's about as old a tune as you can ask for. I agree on the Rice arrangement - helps me understand what Rhiannon Giddens talks about when she says the minstrel stuff used the 5th string in a unique way. Gonna have to check out R.D.'s book, had forgotten he published that one.

Janet - thanks for posting as always! You're spot on, she primarily uses gCGBD. Howard says she'd tune to gDGBD as well, but from what I can tell she can play both C and G in the gCGBD tuning (and neighboring keys with capo, although I don't see her using a capo in the videos I've seen). Can definitely hear your 3-finger chops shine through on those rolls.

Great tab and you definitely capture her groove in your playing. I swear she thumbs a bass note where your m-skip (to use the clawhammer parlance) is in measure 2 - I tried to include that in my version and it (which is probably why picking it up-to-speed was so sloppy). I also brush the top two strings with my thumb in the last measure, after that little walk up. I really like the pinched notes in your index-lead tab -- did you have a particular player in mind when putting this one together?

Thanks for good words, Marc -- when you get back bring some of Lena's stuff into your playing. If you haven't heard her parlor guitar stuff, check it out, she was a top-notch musician!

Zischkale - Posted - 09/14/2016:  20:25:28

quote:

---

Originally posted by mojo_monk

 

I for one would truly appreciate a more in-depth "tutorial" of her style - maybe a video? I don't do well with tabs or numbers to demonstrate picking patterns. I gotta see it to really get it.

---

You asked for it! Ran pretty long on this one, with beginning players in mind, but I slow down what I think she's doing. Thanks for all the work you put into that 2ftl site, the choice of tunes and the history included is reason enough to check it out, but of course the tab is much appreciated. Been wanting lately to kick my 2ftl playing into high gear.

Lena Hughes banjo style tutorial

JanetB - Posted - 09/15/2016:  07:37:12

 Your tutorial is at a good pace for anyone wanting to learn, Aaron.  

Thanks for listening and taking a careful look at what I played and tabbed.  In answer to your question about the index-lead part to my Green Corn recording, I simply am playing the melody with some rhythm.  The chorus I sang after the index-lead picking is what I'm thinking (having been influenced by the Flatt and Scruggs version).  I'm really a melody-oriented player and utilize whatever inspiration comes to mind to work out a "solo" that embodies melody, fill-in, and rhythm -- a synthesis of all styles I've studied over the years. The melody notes are the higher notes of a pinch, generally speaking.

Green Corn will give me a foundation to continue studying 2-finger style, so thanks again, also for the heads-up on mojo-monk's website:  2ftlbanjer.wordpress.com/.

Cyndy - Posted - 09/15/2016:  08:22:31

And this year's Best-Thread-on-Banjo-Hangout (Clawhammer & Old-time) award goes to ... !

The video tutorial great! Thanks for sharing your well-studied insights with us.

I can't wait to give this a try!

mojo_monk - Posted - 09/15/2016:  09:02:35

Fantastic tutorial, Aaron. Many thanks. I'll get to work and post results when I get the chance.

Been listening to that "Three Fiddlers From the Show-Me State" LP all morning. I think her backup on (her brother) Casey Jones' Tennessee Wagoner is absolutely perfect. I better watch out or I'll never play clawhammer again!

Casey Jones & Lena Hughes - Tennessee Wagoner

Thanks again.

-Sean

RG - Posted - 09/15/2016:  10:50:58

Great job on the TOTW Aaron!  Interesting in that I've use the thumb on the first string quite regularly in my two finger thumb-lead playing, something that I heard in Roscoe Holcomb's playing years ago (you can hear it in his amazing "Hills of Mexico" and "Single Girl" and in my version of "Wild Bill Jones" posted to my home page), good to see your tutorial on Lena Hughes' fantastic playing, great for fiddle/banjo...

Thanks!

Edited by - RG on 09/15/2016 10:56:36

Zischkale - Posted - 09/19/2016:  11:30:15

Thanks for the good words, y'all!  I think I managed to include all the detail I wanted in the tutorial.

Janet - I'll admit the index-lead tab was throwing me for a loop until I heard it played, you've got real good timing there. Singing's great, too! In addition to 2ftl, check out Chris Berry's 2-finger lessons on Youtube. There's also a great Mike Seeger (audio only) class on the playing styles of BF Shelton and Roscoe Holcomb. 

Sean - yeah, that's a great one! Lots of variation in the pinches at the ends of measures, and this is one where I swear I can hear little sixteenth-note "rolls" replacing pinches in some spots. It's certainly fast, can't tell if this is one that needs pitch adjustment.

RG - with help from the Mike Seeger audio mentioned above, I had a pretty good rendition of Hills of Mexico down. Can't remember if I was thumbing the 1st string or not -- will need to revisit it! It's definitely something I do when drop thumbing, but when playing in this Lena style only my index plucks the 1st string. Really like that Wild Bill Jones rendition, you got a great rumbling drone going under that picking - another plus to using a resonator!

RG - Posted - 09/19/2016:  11:43:39

Missed that Aaron, will have to watch your video again, didn't realize that you were using the index exclusively on the first string, thanks for clarifying that...again, great job and thanks for doing this!

R.D. Lunceford - Posted - 09/19/2016:  15:24:59

quote:

---

Originally posted by Zischkale

 

 Gonna have to check out R.D.'s book, had forgotten he published that one.

 

---

The "Green Corn" in my tab book was a very simple two-finger thumb-lead tune, and just barely like other versions of Green Corn I've heard.

I learned it from my Dad who picked it up in the '20's from older players in Chariton County next door to Lena Hughes' Carroll County.

Zischkale... if you want, go ahead and post yourself playing that version (it'll take you about two seconds to dust it off) ... I would, but I'm still technologically in the 1970's.

Or if you want, you may make a sound file from my CD of that cut and post it here.

Thanks for your tune choice.  It is great to see less widespread styles being preserved and passed around.  Very important to preserve them.

Edited by - R.D. Lunceford on 09/19/2016 15:28:31

R.D. Lunceford - Posted - 09/19/2016:  16:03:49

Actually, here it is played by Damon Bourne:

youtube.com/watch?v=ygrqDoe36QY