Soapsuds Over the Fence (TOTW)

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 62

Size: 3,910kb, uploaded 6/8/2024 3:44:16 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

From the fiddling of Alabama fiddler James Bryan in 1983, he learned from Mack Blalock, a Georgia fiddler, and the tune is older yet. I tuned to an open C tuning, something only done occasionally, so it changed the fingering from the better-known ways.

Soldiers Joy--cello banjo

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 154

Size: 1,172kb, uploaded 10/2/2012 6:12:50 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

For Don Borchelt's joy-a-thon.

Song for Leon

Written/Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 879

Size: 1,675kb, uploaded 8/5/2013 9:43:58 AM
Genre: Unknown/None Chosen / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

I wrote this song, calling it Journey's End, but then realized it was a perfect song for a friend who had passed on, Leon Uris. The rhythm is a mystery to me, but Leon had this unique rhythm and he was always an audience favorite.

Songs for Kids

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 242

Size: 1,765kb, uploaded 8/4/2011 8:14:34 AM
Genre: Traditional / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

Five songs: Buffalo Gals, Froggie Went A-Courting, Groundhog, The Fox, Alvin & the Chipmunks Christmas

Sopping the Gravy (TOTW)

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 142

Size: 1,289kb, uploaded 5/1/2023 9:37:44 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

It's always a good challenge to learn from a Clark Kessinger recording. The tune reminds me of Soldier's Joy and The Year of Jubilo.

Sour Apple Pie (TOTW)

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 275

Size: 957kb, uploaded 5/21/2016 12:20:55 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

This Tune of the Week, 5/19/20, is from the fiddling of West Virginian's Scott Prouty via Harvey Sampson's earlier recording with the Big Possum String Band. My playing's probably not too sour and it's actually a rather pretty tune if played slowly. It has a tense driving rhythm which I think comes from its syncopation.

Southern Flavor

Posted by JanetB, written by Bill Monroe

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- Play count: 322

Size: 807kb, uploaded 7/5/2011 8:16:23 AM
Genre: Bluegrass / Playing Style: Bluegrass (Scruggs)

Bill Monroe said he wrote tunes out of the air because he heard them first! He was an incredible composer. I've come to appreciate the South more lately and this tune brings it to my mind.

Speed the Plough

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 1409

Size: 1,998kb, uploaded 1/1/2013 2:59:56 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

A title with a good wish for the new year, also known as God Speed the Plough.

Spider Bit the Baby

Posted by JanetB, written by Kenny Baker

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- Play count: 121

Size: 1,436kb, uploaded 4/8/2017 9:31:23 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

Favorite fiddler of mine from Kentucky (and of course Bill Monroe's best fiddling Blue Grass Boy ever), Kenny Baker, wrote this tune but stated that the title was just a title and didn't have meaning. The CD cover of Kenny's fiddling, however, called Spider Bit the Baby, sure showed a scary painting! A shout-out to Don Huber for introducing me to the song and to Linda Gunderson who -- quite coincidentally -- loaned me that very CD at the same time. It's the first tune I've learned from it and continue to joyfully pursue Kenny Baker's many musical offerings.

Spootiskerry

Posted by JanetB, written by Ian Burns

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- Play count: 52

Size: 2,983kb, uploaded 10/5/2024 11:21:24 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

In topics:
TOTW 04/10/24 "Spootiskerry"

A fairly modern (1980) Shetland Islands tune for TOTW. The composer lived at a ranch with this name and it turns out that a few players actually do know it. Our presenter, Andy Taylor, often gives us an exotic tune, but always a delightful one.

Spotted Pony

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 389

Size: 3,441kb, uploaded 6/15/2011 5:13:57 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Unknown/None Chosen

A happy song, fun to play, with images of little Appaloosas kicking up their heels. Mine was named Cookie. When I sold her, I was able to buy my Bart Reiter Whyte Laydie, so my banjo is named Cookie, too. Honestly.

Spring Creek Gal

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 576

Size: 857kb, uploaded 7/20/2011 7:49:22 AM
Genre: Traditional / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

Per request, you'll hear 3 different banjos--2 resonators (Gibson RB250 and Deering Calico) and 1 open back (Bart Reiter Whyte Ladye). Can you tell? Which one do you like best?

Spring in the Valley

Posted by JanetB, written by Tom McCleesh

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- Play count: 135

Size: 3,104kb, uploaded 9/8/2023 3:03:13 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

An contemporary (1970's) Ohio tune named for a town there. I thought it pretty to slow it down at times.

Squire Wood's Lamentation

Posted by JanetB, written by Turlough O'Carolan

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- Play count: 215

Size: 2,286kb, uploaded 7/6/2015 11:37:37 AM
Genre: Fiddle/Celtic/Irish / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

This is the 213th and last tune of O'Carolan notated in his lengthy biography Carolan, The Life, Times, and Music of an Irish Harper. I keep coming back to this great book. However, I learned the music from the wonderful playing of Joemy Wilson, who plays hammer dulcimer -- highly recommended for good listening. She also wrote a story about young Turlough, equally enjoyable listening on a CD with accompanying music. Squire Wood had a copper mine and was contracted to mint copper coins for Ireland. The merchants and public refused to use his coins, so the lamentation title is tongue-in-cheek. But the composition is beautiful, as is so much of O'Carolan's work and I keep wanting to learn more of them.

Squirrel Hunters

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 521

Size: 1,364kb, uploaded 10/22/2012 5:33:59 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

John Hartford credits this to Samuel Bayard. I'm playing the small scale white oak fretless gourd made by Robert Crowder.

Squirrel Hunters--gourd

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 336

Size: 717kb, uploaded 10/24/2012 6:06:17 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

This is the better recording I made after playing around with the Zoom 4Hn recorder. The first post was the thumpy one whose sound wasn't optimal.

Star of the East (Brighter and Best) (TOTW)

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 124

Size: 1,342kb, uploaded 12/21/2018 8:16:42 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

For the old-time Tune of the Week, 12/21/18, this 1800's hymn from William Walker's Southern Harmony book (first published in 1835) has beautiful lyrics that makes it perfect for Christmas. I tuned down the 5th string to an "e" note and played Star of the East in Am.

Steam Powered Aereo-Plain

Posted by JanetB, written by John Hartford

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- Play count: 1920

Size: 683kb, uploaded 4/17/2014 9:40:59 AM
Genre: Other / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

A clawhammered, chordal approach to this light-hearted song John claimed in his lyrics that he dreamt about. I've heard this on BHO several times and am a great fan of John Hartford, though I have much, much more to learn about his music. I think the genre is considered Newgrass, but you can correct me.

Steamboat Around the Bend

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 203

Size: 1,484kb, uploaded 6/23/2013 7:42:07 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

For the Tune of the Week 6/23/13. This arrangement is based on Alabama fiddler James Bryan who recorded it on his 1986 solo album Lookout Blues. It has differences from Bob Walter's fiddled version, sited as one of the original sources for the TOTW, and I'm not quite sure how James came to interpret it the way he did, with more Em sounds. Still, James Bryan being a favorite fiddler of mine, I thought it was a good exercise to attempt it.

Stear's Quadrille (TOTW)

Posted by JanetB

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- Play count: 267

Size: 1,260kb, uploaded 2/29/2020 12:20:22 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time

Any time I can learn another tune from the immense Samuel Bayard collection, that's a good day. This jig, recorded in 1948 by fiddler Albert Stear, is a challenge. Clawhammering in 6/8 time is another genre in itself.