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Posted by JanetB
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- Play count: 696
Size: 734kb, uploaded 1/8/2021 9:59:35 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
Based on Ola Belle Reed's version for which you can read a lot of background on the Tune of the Week for 1/8/21. I used to think it was a bluegrass song, but it was old-time first.
2 commentsPosted by JanetB, written by Edden Hammons
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- Play count: 251
Size: 1,136kb, uploaded 5/10/2015 7:37:27 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
Played at a relaxing tempo for the old-time Tune of the Week, 5/8/15, this tune is named for the Tug Fork River of West Virginia, known for its rugged beauty. It's the locale for the Hatfield/McCoy feud. The name is reminiscent of a failed effort to reach a battle site during the French Indian War due to rough terrain and poor hunting. The starving and mutinous soldiers were forced to eat "tug," or boiled leather strips. Here's the link for the TOTW to read and hear more: http://www.banjohangout.org/topic/303503
2 commentsPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 257
Size: 816kb, uploaded 10/5/2014 2:49:15 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
For the old-time Tune of the Week, this tune comes from West Virginian fiddler Henry Reed via Alan Jabbour. I always like learning the historic tunes collected by Alan. I especially enjoyed his video performance with Ken Perlman where I heard a Southwest flavor and saw a very upbeat Mr. Jabbour. Henry Reed learned the tune from a mulatto fiddler possibly from Texas, which could explain that special rhythm.
1 commentPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 1705
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.
5 commentsPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 608
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.
4 commentsWritten/Posted by JanetB
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- Play count: 826
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.
4 commentsPosted 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.
Add CommentPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 186
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.
1 commentPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 200
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.
3 commentsPosted by JanetB, written by John Hartford
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- Play count: 92
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.
6 commentsPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 232
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.
3 commentsPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 786
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.
1 commentPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 1914
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.
13 commentsPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 154
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.
1 commentPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 180
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.
2 commentsPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 74
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!
Add CommentPosted by JanetB, written by Hank Williams
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- Play count: 668
Size: 633kb, uploaded 7/15/2011 8:07:31 AM
Genre: Traditional / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
A happy gospel song.
Add CommentPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 602
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!
2 commentsPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 108
Size: 2,044kb, uploaded 7/9/2022 4:58:37 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
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.
Add CommentPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 941
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!
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