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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.
1 commentPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 523
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.
3 commentsPosted 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.
Add CommentPosted 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.
Add CommentPosted 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.
12 commentsPosted 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.
2 commentsPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 269
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.
2 commentsPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 250
Size: 1,316kb, uploaded 9/1/2017 4:13:16 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
For the old-time Tune of the Week, 9-1-17, from the mandolin playing of Alabaman Sam Taylor. I played this a bit differently than usual, avoiding extra notes and bass notes that seemed to slap, and also used more slides than I usually do. Johnny was laid-back, I guess, probably due to overworking in the excessive heat.
Add CommentPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 205
Size: 1,448kb, uploaded 8/22/2015 2:02:01 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
From the fiddling of Nebraskan fiddler Bob Walters and the current old-time Tune of the Week for 8/21/15. This make a great dance tune. You can hear and read more at: http://www.banjohangout.org/topic/307971.
Add CommentPosted by JanetB, written by Tony Ellis
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- Play count: 88
Size: 1,723kb, uploaded 1/3/2018 7:22:12 PM
Genre: Unknown/None Chosen / Playing Style: Unknown/None Chosen
Tony Ellis and Stephen Wade are good friends, with Stephen having produced at least one of Tony's CDs. The tune "Stephen" I understand was written for him by Tony. It's another beauty. It uses syncopation in the last parts, which is something I understand Tony learned about from Earl Scruggs. I hope to learn more from Tony himself about these tunes and am researching one for a future old-time Tune of the Week. The tuning I used isn't the one Tony composed with, as I hear a higher 5th string than I'm using. Soon I'll have Tony's tab book and perhaps will see first hand how he arranged Stephen, as well as several others I've worked on. I think it's okay to adapt a tune in an inventive way and it's more fun than memorizing somebody else's playing. Do you agree?
4 commentsPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 148
Size: 1,340kb, uploaded 5/3/2022 11:33:00 AM
Genre: Ragtime / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
Having heard Doc Watson's version, I was familiar with Stone's Rag. But only having Vernon Spencer's version from the Field Recorders Collections, I used that one for a clawhammer arrangement. Usually in the key of C, I tuned on the cello banjo to what is equivalent to open G tuning on a regular banjo. It was easier and more fun to do the runs in the A part.
2 commentsPosted by JanetB, written by William Sydney Mount
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- Play count: 113
Size: 1,627kb, uploaded 8/28/2018 4:09:08 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
One of several tunes we can hear based on the fiddle playing of the famous American painter William Sydney Mount of Stony Brook, NY. Notated on January 11, 1859 and played not long ago by contemporary fiddler, Gilbert Ross, Stony Brook Moonshine was recorded on one of Mount's three patented Cradle of Harmony fiddles. Perhaps you're familiar with Mount's painting The Banjo Player, which was the example for the modern minstrel banjo building of George Wunderlich and other luthiers. I wonder about the title of this tune, Stony Brook Moonshine.
2 commentsPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 878
Size: 821kb, uploaded 9/29/2013 4:20:59 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
For the TOTW, Sept. 27, 2013. This was learned listening to Howard Sims recording by Gerry Harrison on the Dear Old Illinois set. I had such a dog growing up, and, boy, how he could wag that little tail!
2 commentsPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 311
Size: 906kb, uploaded 9/6/2014 7:13:29 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
For the old-time Tune of the Week based on the playing of William Stepp and the more modern recording by Jesse Wells. This title could describe a dog or a laundry item. I'd go along with the laundry as the original idea, but who knows. And I'm grateful for my modern washer and dryer. Here's the link for the TOTW: http://www.banjohangout.org/topic/290832
Add CommentPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 1365
Size: 1,324kb, uploaded 2/10/2014 2:22:25 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
This version of Sugar Hill comes from the fiddling of Grayson County, Virginia fiddler, Emmett Lundy, born in 1864. Adam Hurt's Skype lessons provided the vehicle by which I've been encouraged to listen to, learn, and attempt my own arrangement of Mr. Lundy's tunes. I'm playing on a Gold Tone cello banjo.
6 commentsPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 319
Size: 1,292kb, uploaded 9/11/2015 9:25:51 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
For the old-time Tune of the Week, 9/11/15. Melvin Wine played this one with his father, both of them playing one fiddle just for fun. It's quite a cheerful tune. I remember the candy Sugarbabies as a child--very chewy. Now that's a good memory, though I don't indulge any more!
1 commentPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 836
Size: 760kb, uploaded 6/3/2012 2:02:03 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
Inspired to learn by Adam Kiesling's Tune of the Week.
2 commentsWritten/Posted by JanetB
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- Play count: 774
Size: 588kb, uploaded 7/13/2011 10:30:16 AM
Genre: Unknown/None Chosen / Playing Style: Unknown/None Chosen
Just holding the banjo and fooling around, sometimes you come up with a sound you like.
5 commentsPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 731
Size: 1,687kb, uploaded 3/24/2018 11:14:25 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
For the old-time Tune of the Week, March 23, 2018. Susannah Gal goes by other titles. This one comes from the duet CD of Tommy Jarrell and Fred Cockerham, both from the Round Peak, NC region. Their B part is unique, but they play it together and so it sounds great. Fred adds slides which I attempted to include, too. They must have had lots of fun playing together!
6 commentsPosted by JanetB
[download]
- Play count: 93
Size: 2,536kb, uploaded 3/23/2024 8:51:12 AM
Genre: Fiddle/Celtic/Irish / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
It's rare to work on a jig with clawhammer. This is a sweet tune with a real Irish (to my ears) melody. Its minor tones make it a bit bittersweet.
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