Muddy Roads

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 337

Size: 1,364kb, uploaded 3/25/2016 6:20:48 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

From the playing of Dwight Diller for the old-time Tune of the Week, 3/25/16. The tension of the tune from G to F chordal sounds reminds me of muddy roads, indeed. I don't like them at all, but I like the tune!

Mulberry Gap (TOTW)

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 918

Size: 2,442kb, uploaded 6/5/2020 9:41:00 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

Passed down through generations, northern Georgia banjo player Chesley Chancey (1913 - 1980) passed the tune Mulberry Gap from his grandfather on to Stephen Wade in 1979 while Art Rosenbaum recorded it at Chesley's home. He played it in the 2-finger style. I play it in the clawhammer style.

Murillo's Lesson (TOTW)

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 77

Size: 2,450kb, uploaded 7/6/2024 1:52:29 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

Described as a fife and drum march during the Revolutionary War and given other similar titles, Murillo's Lesson has evolved over the years. This clawhammer arrangement uses the musical annotation posted on the Traditional Tue Archive.

Music for a New Found Harmonium (TOTW)

Posted by JanetB, written by Simon Jeffes

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- Play count: 136

Size: 909kb, uploaded 6/2/2019 4:41:18 PM
Genre: Other / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

This is a tough challenge for the old-time Tune of the Week, 5/31/19. Our presenter, Andy Alexis, plays it like a champ and his old band, the Piney Creek Weasels made it a show stopper. I'm trying it once through, based on Andy's tab that really clarified what goes on musically here. I'd call it a quirky tune, but also fun to hear.

My Little Home in West Virginia

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 61

Size: 3,525kb, uploaded 7/5/2025 10:48:37 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

As played by WV fiddler Ellis Hall, here's a three-part tune that's been played all around by many well-known players. I'd like to hear James Bryan, but can't find his version. However, his partner, Carl Jones, plays it prettily on guitar and you can hear it on a link in this week's Tune of the Week.

My Long Journey Home (TOTW)

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 372

Size: 935kb, uploaded 8/12/2017 11:41:27 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

This old-time Tune of the Week for 8/11/17 reminds us in melody of some other traditional songs, such as Gotta Travel On and even Worried Man Blues. The Monroe Brothers recorded this as their first ever recording in 1936 and Bill said that it was commonly sung in Kentucky at the time.

My Wife Died Saturday Night (TOTW)

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 58

Size: 2,832kb, uploaded 2/8/2026 2:25:39 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

In topics:
TOTW 2/6/2026 – My Wife Died Saturday Night

As played by Humphrey Bates' harmonica in a 1928 recording. Terrible title, but a good dance tune, as it was probably intended.

Nancy Blevins (TOTW)

Posted by JanetB, written by Nancy Blevins

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- Play count: 635

Size: 897kb, uploaded 2/26/2016 5:38:15 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

For the old-time Tune of the Week, North Carolina fiddler Nancy Blevins supposedly wrote and fiddled this dance tune. It's described in a quote by Virginia fiddler Albert Hash, who was related to her and whose grandfather remembers dancing to it as a youngster after the Civil War.

Nancy Clough's March

Posted by JanetB, written by Tom Clough

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- Play count: 90

Size: 1,555kb, uploaded 8/22/2022 5:21:57 PM
Genre: Unknown/None Chosen / Playing Style: Unknown/None Chosen

A four-part version of the tune also known as Nancy and which resembles Fair Morning Hornpipe.

Nancy Dawson

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 275

Size: 705kb, uploaded 10/24/2012 6:00:11 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

For the Tune of the Week on the Playing Advice: Clawhammer and Old-Time forum. This is based on Isham Monday's version as tabbed by Maya Whitmont.

Napoleon Crossing the Alps

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 233

Size: 2,929kb, uploaded 7/22/2017 5:23:24 PM
Genre: Fiddle/Celtic/Irish / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

Napoleon Crossing the Alps is a tune with several names I've wanted to learn for a while. One of them is Bonaparte Crossing the Rockies. This recording has two parts -- the first is in SRB tuning (f#DGF#D tuned up a step) and the second is open G tuning. Adam Hurt taught me that G tunes can often be played well and sound good in the tuning he calls SRB, or Sandy River Belle. Perhaps you'll notice no difference in the two versions, also played on two different banjos, with cello banjo accompaniment.

Nashville Blues (TOTW)(CH)

Posted by JanetB, written by Earl Scruggs

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- Play count: 167

Size: 756kb, uploaded 6/16/2019 9:16:49 AM
Genre: Bluegrass / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

Here's a bit of an Earl Scruggs classic for the old-time Tune of the Week, 6/16/19. I've always thought it's fine to play in clawhammer style whatever suits me, though others may differ in opinion. The Dm tuning (aDFAD) gives this tune flavor and then it jumps suddenly to a major chord. Great composition!

Natalie's Dance & Harlan's Hornpipe Medley

Written/Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 291

Size: 1,133kb, uploaded 7/25/2011 10:27:11 AM
Genre: Traditional / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

These were written to continue a tradition of honoring each grandchild with their own song.

Nestlings

Written/Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 637

Size: 861kb, uploaded 3/16/2013 6:02:54 PM
Genre: Other / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

Dedicated to Paul Roberts and his creation, the Goldtone Soundbird tenor banjo. I composed this using clawhammer, but no 5th string to simulate a tenor banjo.

New Money (TOTW)

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 159

Size: 1,353kb, uploaded 3/28/2020 4:31:41 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

For the old-time Tune of the Week, 3/27/20, New Money is a Kentucky fiddle tune. I found a version by J.P. Fraley, one of my favorite fiddlers. I'm in the rare tuning of gCGCE which makes a nice open C sound.

New River Train (TOTW)

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 132

Size: 5,624kb, uploaded 2/12/2018 12:37:37 PM
Genre: Country / Playing Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs)

For the old-time Tune of the Week, 2/2/18, this is the Rough & Ready Fruit Jar Pickers sing-along version. Lots of people singing, lots of instruments, countrified style. My solo is minimal, heard after the electric guitar after the first verse. The FJPers disbanded last June. I played every Sunday with this rollicking group for 14 years. We always had an audience with songbooks who flipped through the book as our leader, Everette Burkhard, called out each song number. From gospel songs to old-time to country, we made lots of music over the years, sometimes sounding great, sometimes pretty awful. But it was always about being with friends and having fun together at the Rough and Ready Opry Palace and later at the Grange when they tore down the palace and put up a beautiful fire station.

New Year's A-Comin' (TOTW)

Posted by JanetB, written by Lynn 'Chirps' Smith

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- Play count: 185

Size: 1,472kb, uploaded 12/31/2016 8:08:01 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

For the old-time Tune of the Week this New Year's Eve, from the playing of Chirps Smith, Midwest fiddler. He's a big influence and mentor for one of my favorite fiddlers, Rhys Jones. It's a cheerful, rollicking tune, though mine's on the quiet side. I plan to stay home on New Year's Eve and watch sports and pick banjo!

No Corn on Tygart

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 95

Size: 3,196kb, uploaded 11/2/2024 11:53:19 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

As played by Kentucky fiddler J.W. Day and recorded in 1937 by John Lomax, No Corn on Tygart is a delightful tune with its minor chord in the A part and descending melody in the B part. I went with "guitar tuning" -- gDGBE.

North to Wisconsin

Posted by JanetB, written by John Hartford

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- Play count: 90

Size: 1,544kb, uploaded 12/16/2018 12:38:44 PM
Genre: Other / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

Intrigued by the title and the tune as played by Matt Combs, I had to work harder than usual to arrange John Hartford's fiddle tune. It has a Southwest/Latin flavor, though the title takes it much farther up north where John performed at an annual bluegrass festival in Mole Lake, Wisconsin.

O and K Train

Posted by JanetB, written by Addie Graham

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- Play count: 182

Size: 1,236kb, uploaded 12/31/2013 9:08:32 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

When Addie Graham wrote this in eastern Kentucky the O and K train line had already been build in front of her home. I'm playing on a Robert Browder small-scale gourd banjo.