jack_beuthin - Posted - 12/15/2017:  06:24:21

I keep telling myself that I need to learn more C tunes.  There are so many fun C tunes.  Well, I’m making this a goal for 2018, and to get a jump start, I’ve picked Wes Muir’s Tune for this TOTW.

The tune comes from Nile Wilson (1912-2008), who was a Missouri fiddler.  I first heard it played by Don Borchelt in one of his many “banjr” videos.  What I know about the tune history, I also learned mostly from Don’s video and also from Chuck Levy's video.  So rather than recite that information here, I encourage you to watch and enjoy both of these videos.

Videos and Audios:

Niles Wilson and Charlie Walden: youtube.com/watch?v=pbYYL-flXY8

Don Borchelt: youtube.com/watch?v=yD_6ItpA--8

ChuckJo (Chuck Levy): youtube.com/watch?time_continu...PvEBopwqY

Fretless in Texas (Dean Barber and friends): youtube.com/watch?time_continu...0SWUr-jcw

five12gal (Amy Colburn):  youtube.com/watch?v=kwGtQ7UH8PU

John P. Williams fiddling fast & slow: youtube.com/watch?v=s6dDvtG_pcw

A clawhammer tab on TaterJoes, by Ken Torke: taterjoes.com/banjo/WesMuirsTune.pdf

As was said in Wisconsin when I was growing up, "Just start with me last".  So, here is my clawhammer rendition and tab.  I’ve been going back and forth on my instruments with this tune, so I included on audio played on my Whyte Laydie, and a video on my Ome Flora.

Before I go, I just want to say THANK YOU to everyone who has contributed to and followed TOTW in 2017. I get a lot of inspiration, and learning, from this forum and greatly enjoy the open sharing of music and information.  A special thanks to Bret (EggerRidgeBoy) for facilitating TOTW!

Edited by - jack_beuthin on 12/15/2017 10:20:51

Wes Muir's Tune

VIDEO: Wes Muir's Tune
(click to view)

Wes Muir's Tune

 

jamesd - Posted - 12/15/2017:  07:47:37

Jack, a really nice sounding tune and you play it nicely. I also like your tab and will be starting to learn this tune today. Thanks

banjukebox - Posted - 12/15/2017:  08:11:57

Great tune, Jack. I will also be adding this to my "to learn" list. Thanks for all the links.

I found a reference here that also called this tune "The New House was Built".

RG - Posted - 12/15/2017:  18:37:58

That's a great tune and superbly played Jack!

JanetB - Posted - 12/16/2017:  20:44:32

A fun tune to hear and it even sounds like a polka in the source recording. I like the slower pace and the slides in yours, Jack, as well as the "Galax lick" in the B part.

Don Borchelt has an effective way of presenting factual and historic material as you watch his videos -- very clever, Don, and thanks!

Nile Wilson plays Wes Muir's Tune very rapidly. It's said that he lost part of his left hand fingers in a farm machine accident as a teen and that he never could play waltzes well after that. He loved the fast hoedowns and square dance music remained his lifelong favorite. Mr. Wilson is one of the featured fiddlers in the great book Now That's a Good Tune: Masters of Traditional Missouri Fiddling.  Charlie Walden, who plays with him in the source recording above, is the youngest fiddler with a biography in the book.  Wes Muir's Tune is at least the second TOTW featuring Mr. Wilson (Little Whiskey was another on 7/29/16).  

I chose to begin the tune the way I heard the source recording, and it's the only version so far with a high note in the first measure.  It's a G note, but everyone else goes no higher than an E note.  I actually like the lower note better -- it sounds more like melody, but it's a habit of mine to try the source fiddler version first.  Perhaps Mr. Wilson played it just for the sake of harmony.

Nile Wilson

Wes Muir's Tune (TOTW)

Wes Muir's Tune (CH) tab