Posted by Dock Jekel on Sunday, May 3, 2009
A few months ago I asked the BHO forum a question, “How many tunes is a good amount to know and play regularly?” Some BHO members probably thought this was a pathetic question to worry about, but I worried anyway. I figure, if you don’t know enough tunes, your repertoire is not that interesting, and you might get bored. If you know too many tunes, you can’t know them well, and you’re master of none. That is not interesting either. Well I came up with my own answer, finally.
A few years ago, I was bored with a limited number of tunes to play. I started a band called the “Cobb Stompers” (we live on Cobb Mountain). We researched the Appalachian old time standards and decided on 10 at a time. We wanted to play high energy, fast dance stuff, stompin’ good. We listened to the Camp Creek Boys for inspiration. We knew our music was working when our kids couldn’t help themselves and were hopping around. We added an occasional Waltz or other tune to avoid monotony. When we got 10 tunes down pretty good, we added 10 more. After deciding on 30 tunes we agreed that that was enough to play at any event, and was more than enough to keep us busy practicing.
I was left with a few banjo tunes that are best played solo. Over the last year I have been obsessively trying to figure out a cool list of solo tunes and showpieces to keep me interested, and anyone else in the neighborhood, or household, who was forced to listen. Tah, Dah! Job done. Twenty solo tunes! Total is fifty tunes. I quit searching. I am done for now. It is time to start practicing these tunes that I have chosen. I can already play them. But, I admit it. I have ambitions. I would like to get purty good at them all. Somebody wrote on the BHO forum regarding my question that Tommy Jarrell only played fifty tunes. Fifty sounds good to me.
Band tunes:
1. Angeline the Baker
2. Arkansas Traveler
3. Back-Step Cindy
4. Big-Eyed Rabbit
5. Breaking Up Christmas
6. Cluck old Hen
7. Cripple Creek
8. Cumberland Gap
9. Fire on the Mountain
10. Flop-Eared Mule
11. Ground Hog
12. Hop High Ladies
13. John Brown’s Dream
14. Johnson Boys
15. June Apple
16. Mississippi Sawyer
17. Old Joe Clark
18. Old Rosen the Beau
19. Over the Waterfall
20. Piney Woods Gal
21. Sail Away Ladies
22. Sally Ann
23. Shady Grove
24. Shortnin’ Bread
25. Si Bheag, Si Mohr Waltz
26. Soldier’s Joy
27. The Girl I left Behind Me
28. Turkey in the Straw
29. Western Country
30. Whiskey Before Breakfast
1. Barlow Knife
2. Betsy Lickens
3. Bile Dem Cabbage Down
4. Bright Sunny South
5. Cacklin’ Hen
6. Citico
7. Coal Creek March
8. Coke Oven March
9. Danville Girl
10. Froggy Went Courtin’
11. Grey Eagle
12. Hills of Mexico
13. Little Birdie
14. My Old Horse Died
15. Needlecase
16. Old Molly Hare
17. Reuben’s Train
18. Sandy River
19. Stoney Point
20. Wagon Yard
nick556pm Says:
Sunday, May 3, 2009 @5:05:22 PM
fifty tunes? i would settle for 5 right now. but im jelous . great stuff hope i get that good. Nick.
Dock Jekel Says:
Sunday, May 3, 2009 @5:25:45 PM
Hey, I started with only 5 tunes. I have been playing for a long time. Keep up the good work, one tune at a time!
You must sign into your myHangout account before you can post comments.
