Posted by JanetB, written by Tommy Magness
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- Play count: 211
Size: 1,922kb, uploaded 6/10/2022 3:32:51 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
Here's Benton Flippen and The Smokey Valley Boys version of Polecat Blues. The fiddler seemed to be leading the bandmates on quite a chase and I could scarcely keep up.
Add CommentPosted by JanetB, written by Clyde Davenport
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- Play count: 651
Size: 923kb, uploaded 9/29/2017 5:36:02 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
This tune was once a TOTW back in 2012, but I'm just getting around to it. I once had a polecat (i.e. a ferret) visit the classroom one day and I'll try to dig out photos. I recall the owner said he didn't have a permit for it, so mum's the word... When Clyde Davenport sings "ain't goin' there no more" I'm not sure what he's referring to as a polecat's den. Don't enlighten me unless it's gentle! The tune is catchy, beginning on a IV chord, in this case a G chordal sound when the tune is in C. Mr. Davenport (who I think is in his 90's now) played it greatly on banjo, though he's known more for his fiddling. If you play it still in jams, like RG did when it was TOTW, let me know, please.
Add CommentPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 110
Size: 3,176kb, uploaded 10/12/2024 4:17:52 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
Polly Put the Kettle On isn't usually in a modal key, but this week's Tune of the Week appears to be in Gm. If I knew more, I could confirm the scale is G aeolian. To play it the most easily I used cello banjo and brought the notes down four steps, so that's even more complex. I suppose this is all a good cognitive exercise to keep my brain a bit spry, which it needs.
Add CommentPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 108
Size: 1,922kb, uploaded 10/16/2024 3:58:59 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
For the current Tune of the Week, I thought I'd give yet another tuning a try, and this one seems to be able to hit the notes without jumping around octaves and doing finger gymnastics (it's at least doable, anyway, not necessarily easy).
1 commentPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 475
Size: 1,948kb, uploaded 1/18/2015 3:41:14 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
The old-time Tune of the Week for 1/16/15 allowed me to look at many sources. I ended up learning from Kentucky fiddler Emmett Lundy, Virginia banjo player Wade Ward, and traditional children's nursery songs. Check out more information on the tune: http://www.banjohangout.org/topic/297815
1 commentPosted by JanetB, written by Jimmy Wheeler
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- Play count: 57
Size: 2,721kb, uploaded 4/20/2024 4:03:43 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
This version of Portsmouth Airs is based on Buddy Thomas' fiddling. He'd visit Jimmy Wheeler, leaving Kentucky to go to the neighboring town of Portsmouth in Ohio.
1 commentPosted by JanetB, written by Randy Marmouze
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- Play count: 718
Size: 805kb, uploaded 3/11/2014 8:30:44 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
For the Tune of the Week, 3/7/14. I like all the possum tunes! Played with new nylgut strings on my oldest little banjo.
5 commentsPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 1074
Size: 1,508kb, uploaded 6/3/2016 4:11:59 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
From the 1930's recording of the Mississippi Possum Hunters for the old-time Tune of the Week. I'm partial to possum tunes, and anything Bigfoot plays....
3 commentsPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 830
Size: 775kb, uploaded 10/28/2013 5:35:02 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
Learned from a recording by Kentucky fiddler Buddy Thomas. I like to learn any of Buddy's tunes--he had a smooth, intricate style. And also to learn any of the possum tunes as my memory of one is quite fond.
Add CommentPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 1043
Size: 1,207kb, uploaded 8/3/2012 10:24:43 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
For the Tune of the Week, August 3, 2012.
2 commentsPosted by JanetB, written by Jimmie Rogers
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- Play count: 278
Size: 800kb, uploaded 7/8/2011 9:27:25 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
A pretty lullaby by Jimmie Rogers, the yodeling brakeman. "Tumble in bed my tired little ole sleepyhead to a prairie lullaby."
2 commentsPosted by JanetB, written by Woodie Guthrie
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- Play count: 129
Size: 533kb, uploaded 4/23/2022 3:47:58 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
This is 2-finger picking learned via the playing by BHO member RG. He presented lots of research on the song you can read if you go to the TOTW discussion thread. He also recorded Pretty Boy Floyd's many verses.
Add CommentPosted by JanetB, written by Wilson Douglas
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- Play count: 1139
Size: 913kb, uploaded 4/12/2014 2:43:05 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
For the Tune of the Week, 4-11-14. I listened to Erynn Marshall's fiddling for this version. As I was learning this old-time tune my pretty little cat, Louie--black with a white tuxedo, was amusing me with his hunting antics.
4 commentsPosted by JanetB, written by Lee Triplett
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- Play count: 680
Size: 1,089kb, uploaded 9/23/2016 8:16:42 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
After reading Lew Stern's new book, Dwight Diller, West Virginia Musician, I became more inspired to keep learning this region's special branch of mountain music. For the old-time Tune of the Week, 9/23/16, Pretty Little Dog is a sawmill tune with kind of funny origins. Lee Triplett wrote it, along with Pretty Little Cat, after having trouble learning his friend Doc White's Pretty Little Shoes. Dwight learned it from Lee in the 70's and still plays it today. Lots of Hangout members have recorded it. Check out the TOTW for more info.
2 commentsPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 25
Size: 3,495kb, uploaded 10/4/2026 2:42:53 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
In topics:
TOTW 10/02/2026 Pretty Little Girl (Fred Cockerham)
As played by the banjo of North Carolina's Fred Cockerham, he of course plays it faster and with even more slides, but it's as close to Round Peak as I've gotten by trying to arrange such a tune. This one has five parts!
Add CommentPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 201
Size: 1,113kb, uploaded 6/18/2016 3:11:12 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
For the old-time Tune of the Week, 6/16/16, this arrangement uses three sources: fiddlers Clayton McMichen, of North Carolina, who learned it from his father and recorded with Gid Tanner and the Skillet Lickers in 1928; William Stepp, who recorded it with John Lomax in 1937; and John Ashby of Virginia, with his Free State Ramblers band. If you go to the TOTW thread, http://www.banjohangout.org/topic/319572, there's a great link of Stringbean playing and singing. It's a much better piece with the singing, IMO, but strangely the vocals don't use the double tonic mode like you hear in the A part.
1 commentPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 219
Size: 1,316kb, uploaded 9/28/2018 4:57:40 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
For the Tune of the Week, 9/28/18, Pretty Polly is an old, old song with other titles and many lyrics. I listened to Ralph Stanley with Patty Loveless and to Abigail Washburn with Bela Fleck's banjo, so this arrangement modulates in sawmill tuning as I imagine Willie and Polly having their depressing conversation.
4 commentsPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 73
Size: 3,240kb, uploaded 9/1/2024 8:23:00 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
As played by West Virginia fiddler, Israel Welch, related to Noah Cline, who gives a fine history of the tune Price Bane Waltz on the Tune of the Week for 8/29/24. It's a pretty little waltz and was easier to play than I anticipated.
Add CommentPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 257
Size: 1,543kb, uploaded 11/19/2016 11:27:01 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
For the old time Tune of the Week, 11/18/16, Puncheon Floor (or Puncheon on the Floor) comes from the fiddling of Esker Hutchins of North Carolina. A puncheon floor was made from split logs finished on one side. This upbeat tune modulates from G to D. Rather than play it in open G I tried it in Cumberland Gap tuning (gEADE). Check out the TOTW for more info.
2 commentsPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 1184
Size: 1,316kb, uploaded 10/15/2012 7:20:07 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
Based on Missouri fiddler Gene Goforth's version as played by John Hartford. Known as Sandy Boys elsewhere.
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