Highlander's Farewell

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 1624

Size: 987kb, uploaded 11/11/2013 6:28:52 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

This banjo/fiddle duet is an assignment from Adam Hurt for me to play along with his fiddle. His arrangement was challenging, so I've been attempting to master it better as in this recording. I recommend lessons with him. The Skype technology works well and he caters the lessons to my interests and needs. Currently he's helping me learn about Emmett Lundy's fiddled tunes, like Highlanders Farewell, and has shown me his clawhammer arrangements.

Hills of Mexico (TOTW)

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 574

Size: 3,232kb, uploaded 8/17/2019 11:44:13 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

Inspired by RG for this week's TOTW and listening to Roscoe Holcomb, Bruce Molsky, Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby, here's a version of the ballad Hills of Mexico.

Hillside

Written/Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 814

Size: 2,616kb, uploaded 10/18/2016 7:47:10 AM
Genre: Other / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

Sometimes an event and a new tuning combine to inspire a tune, like in Hillside. It's a tribute to my mother's neighbor, Mrs. Fields, who passed away in her late nineties. Growing up with good neighbors is a blessing, isn't it. Hillside is the final resting place for some of my family members and now for dear Mrs. Fields. The new tuning for me is f#DGAD, which I found in an Art Rosenbaum resource book. It's a "D variant" and he calls it "Little Black Train" tuning. This recording is my first effort using three tracks with Garage Band using my Mac Traynham Whyte Laydie and Gold Tone cello banjo.

Hob Y Diri (TOTW)

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 159

Size: 692kb, uploaded 10/25/2014 11:22:05 AM
Genre: Fiddle/Celtic/Irish / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

For the old-time Tune of the Week, 10/24/14, this Celtic song has old roots and more than one set of lyrics. In both sets it's definitely a sea shanty. Hearing the youtube acappella version lets me imagine the beautiful music performed by sailors as a relief from the hard work and boredom of being at sea.

Hobb Dye (TOTW)

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 185

Size: 1,857kb, uploaded 6/20/2015 8:22:17 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

Learned from a 1974 Kenny Hall recording for the Tune of the Week, 6/19/15. I'm proud to say he was from California and will be looking up more of his bio and music after this interesting TOTW: http://www.banjohangout.org/topic/305343. He learned it while in Texas. There are two measures in the B part with six beats instead of four. This recording is a slow take on the tune.

Hog Eyed Man/Sally a-Siftin' Sand medley (TOTW)

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 157

Size: 1,764kb, uploaded 5/30/2020 12:58:46 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

This week's tune, 5/29/20, has some confusing nomenclature. The medley here is from Virginia fiddler Luther Strong and WV banjo player Dwight Diller. However, some players call the tune Dwight plays "Hog Eyed Man." He calls it Sally a-Siftin' Sand. Then there's Sally in the Garden, related but different. The tuning here is aDGCD.

Homer the Roamer

Posted by JanetB, written by John Hartford

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- Play count: 86

Size: 1,175kb, uploaded 1/26/2019 2:14:14 PM
Genre: Other / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

When you first hear this tune it's through the bandmates of the John Hartford String Band after John had passed. It's a gorgeous piece, like a symphony. I think it will take me years to really learn it.

Horse and Buggy-O

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 230

Size: 1,638kb, uploaded 9/11/2012 11:20:25 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

Kentucky fiddler Art Stamper played this, also known as Old Horse and Buggy. Played on my Bart Reiter Whyte Laydie.

Horse and Buggy-O, gourd banjo

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 779

Size: 1,124kb, uploaded 9/11/2012 12:57:41 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

After recording this on an openback I thought I'd try it on gourd banjo, too. The D chord is in the B part was hard to cleanly get.

Horses in the Canebrake

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 1900

Size: 858kb, uploaded 7/22/2014 8:45:27 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

Two source fiddlers--Jake Phelps and James Bryan. This is a tune I learned listening to Bob Carlin's CD "Banging and Sawing," where its title is Hosses in the Canebrake. James Bryan has since become my favorite fiddler. It's listed as Wild Horses in the Canebrake in the Milliner-Koken Collection of American Fiddle Tunes, but Bruce Greene, who recorded west Kentucky fiddler Jake Phelps (1875-1977), says it's called Horses in the Canebrake. Farmers liked to have their livestock "fenced-in" by the tall canes.

Huldy in the Sinkhole (TOTW)

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 149

Size: 1,093kb, uploaded 2/21/2020 8:08:27 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

From the playing of Kentucky fiddler Birch Patrick (1916 - 2003), this crooked tune may be named for a cow stuck in mud. It somehow fell under my fingers even with it's crookedness in several measures.

Humpback Mule (TOTW)

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 168

Size: 1,460kb, uploaded 1/19/2018 10:04:08 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

For the old-time Tune of the Week as played by Harvey "Pappy" Taylor, whose great fiddling contributed to the repertoire of the Indian Creek Delta Boys. Humpback Mule is also included as fiddle tune #106 in the Dear Old Illinois anthology of traditional music of downstate Illinois by Garry Harrison and Jo Burgess.

I Hope I'll Join the Band medley (TOTW)

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 73

Size: 1,027kb, uploaded 12/30/2020 9:45:12 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

The older spiritual background of this week's tune, called Christmas Time in the Morning, is explored in the latter part of this medley, with two different Black choir band recordings of the 1920's. It seems to me that the "mountain music" of the Christmas reel may have borrowed from the spiritual, but changed it, too, in terms of adding an entire A part, quickening the tempo, and altering the main melody. In another 20's version by Fiddlin' John Carson there are lyrics which have a slight resemblance to the spiritual, so we know there was influence. The TOTW recorded by Mississippi fiddler Stephen Tucker in 1939 lacked lyrics, but resembled the instrumental of John Carson. Lots of connections here!

I Saw the Light

Posted by JanetB, written by Hank Williams

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- Play count: 660

Size: 633kb, uploaded 7/15/2011 8:07:31 AM
Genre: Traditional / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

A happy gospel song.

I Wish I was a Mole in the Ground (TOTW)

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 464

Size: 801kb, uploaded 2/12/2021 4:25:10 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

Based on Doc Watson's banjo playing, he learned this as a child from his uncle Jake Miller and said it was a courting song. It was a pleasure to look at the video, hear his banjo and vocals, and learn his solo, as well as see him performing with his son Merle. The video is an entire live performance if you're interested. Nice TOTW choice by Neill Connor!

I Wish I was a Single Girl, Again

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 80

Size: 2,044kb, uploaded 7/9/2022 4:58:37 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

In topics:
TOTW 8 July 2020 - Rosko Halcomb's (Roscoe Holcomb) "Single Girl"

Here's Cousin Emmy's version of I Wish I was a Single Girl, Again for the Tune of the Week. The lyrics draw much sympathy to the singer.

Ida Red (TOTW)

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 925

Size: 1,221kb, uploaded 11/27/2017 9:02:23 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

For the old-time Tune of the Week, 11/24/17, Ida Red is also known as Down the Road. This is Tommy Jarrell's version. When I learned Down the Road it was Earl Scrugg's version. It's neat to have these two icons linked through this song. I'm playing on a brand new Randy Shelton "The Ironsides Banjo Co." mountain banjo--quite fun!

In Christ Alone

Posted by JanetB, written by Keith Getty and Stuart Townsend

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- Play count: 90

Size: 1,288kb, uploaded 4/22/2021 11:29:04 PM
Genre: Unknown/None Chosen / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

This hymn caught me off guard with its unusual meter in the second section. When I heard Allison Kraus' version I had to give it a try and was very surprised that it clawhammered quite easily. I don't know many modern hymns, but am finding that many are quite beautiful. This has a Celtic feel, and, indeed the writers are from Ireland and England.

Indian Corn

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 767

Size: 1,328kb, uploaded 10/24/2015 9:38:20 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

For the old-time Tune of the Week, 10/23/15, Indian Corn comes from the Dear Old Illinois collection by Garry Harrison. I find it to be a cheerful harvest tune which I first heard played by a favorite fiddler, Rhys Jones.

Indian Eat a Woodpecker

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 1095

Size: 2,058kb, uploaded 3/26/2015 9:05:41 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

For the old-time Tune of the Week, 3/27/15. This tune comes from Mississippi fiddler Stephen B. Tucker (b. 1859). It was recorded recently by Bigfoot with Rhys Jones fiddling. Check out the TOTW to learn more.