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Posted by JanetB, written by Alice Gerrard
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- Play count: 728
Size: 2,154kb, uploaded 3/24/2017 4:44:27 PM
Genre: Other / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
Alice Gerrard, a living legend herself, wrote a song about another musical legend, Elizabeth Cotten, who she knew and whose conversation with her inspired this song, released on Alice's CD Bittersweet. As I listened to the CD this song moved me to attempt it on banjo and I've had the delight of learning more about these two amazing women. As the lyrics say, "And won't you sing to me as I take my leave, you're going to miss me when I'm gone."
8 commentsPosted by JanetB, written by W.L. Bloomfield (1853)
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- Play count: 609
Size: 559kb, uploaded 7/26/2011 9:11:45 AM
Genre: Traditional / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
A song about leaving one's home and sadly returning.
1 commentPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 699
Size: 1,651kb, uploaded 3/21/2013 5:53:21 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
These two pieces go together, both in chordal flavor and lyrical themes.
Add CommentPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 235
Size: 1,687kb, uploaded 3/20/2016 9:56:46 PM
Genre: Fiddle/Celtic/Irish / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
For the old-time Tune of the Week, 3/18/16 this tune was a new one for me. I listened to a lovely guitar arrangement by Ken Perlman and simplified it for clawhammering. Kids would like to swing on a gate, wouldn't they. Parents would tell them to get off, but it must be too fun to resist
4 commentsPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 72
Size: 2,553kb, uploaded 11/11/2023 3:03:58 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
Here's a modern, pretty, rather crooked tune from North Carolina. The key is G, but I used gDGBE tuning to facilitate ease of fingering.
Add CommentPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 801
Size: 1,117kb, uploaded 11/15/2014 1:25:07 PM
Genre: Fiddle/Celtic/Irish / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
Neill Connor of Sedgely, UK recently posted a video "challenging" me to learn his favorite hornpipe which he's been working on, so here's my effort after 3 days. I simplified Ken Perlman's original tab by changing the 5th string tuning and removing the difficult triplets. Though it's still the same tune, it's probably not what Neill hears more commonly in his country. I guess it's an Americanized hornpipe.
6 commentsPosted by JanetB, written by Blanche Coldiron
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- Play count: 231
Size: 1,867kb, uploaded 4/6/2018 1:59:51 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
For the old-time Tune of the Week, 4/6/18, Blanche Coldiron comes fully to my attention -- a Kentucky musician who lived the rural life of work and generosity and leaves a quiet legacy that we come to know after her passing. Tally Ho is a 4-part tune that builds up to a gallant descending end. I'm playing this in double C tuning on a Mac Traynham Whyte Laydie openback.
4 commentsPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 1019
Size: 1,029kb, uploaded 10/1/2015 7:40:44 PM
Genre: Fiddle/Celtic/Irish / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
This is a traditional tune from Scotland going back as far as 1549 in a published ballad format. Dave Hum played this tune and his videos are still on-line to view -- what an amazing picker he was! I'm playing on a Mac Traynham Whyte Laydie openback, but also enjoyed it played lower on the cello banjo. You can compare the two, as I've uploaded them both.
4 commentsPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 710
Size: 1,031kb, uploaded 10/1/2015 7:38:06 PM
Genre: Fiddle/Celtic/Irish / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
After hearing Dave Hum play this I wondered if I could, too. It's taken some effort, but here's what I came up with, thanks to banjukebox's tab and some further exploration. Though simpler than Dave's expressive, creative version, it's fun to play. I like the cello banjo's lower tone on Tam Lin compared to my Whyte Laydie openback, but you can compare them as I've uploaded them both.
Add CommentPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 122
Size: 763kb, uploaded 7/27/2011 10:32:41 AM
Genre: Unknown/None Chosen / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
The blue sky and flowers on the hill remind someone of who is missed. The Nashville Bluegrass Band recorded this.
1 commentPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 2162
Size: 935kb, uploaded 9/6/2011 6:29:32 PM
Genre: Fiddle/Celtic/Irish / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
Learned from the fiddling of Rafe Stefanini.
9 commentsPosted by JanetB, written by Dudley Vance
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- Play count: 861
Size: 1,172kb, uploaded 5/28/2015 6:00:54 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
A recent old-time Tune of the Week (http://www.banjohangout.org/topic/291864) included one of the two tunes recorded in the 1920's for Okeh records by Dudley Vance (1880 - 1962) and his Tennessee Breakdowners. Here's the other tune, encouraged for me to learn in one of my Skype lessons with Adam Hurt. This tune was recorded along with a square dance caller. You can hear my banjo picking up on the fiddler's role in this tune to provide lots of dance rhythm.
6 commentsPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 359
Size: 878kb, uploaded 9/28/2014 2:47:54 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
For the old-time Tune of the Week, 9/26/14. Part of this one reminds me of an old favorite, The Chieftains version of The Fox Hunt. I listened to the Okey 1920's recording of Vance's Tennessee Mountain Breakdowners. I found it interesting that artist Thomas Hart Benton drew Dudley Vance and described him a bit in his autobiography. Check out TOTW: http://www.banjohangout.org/topic/291864
4 commentsPosted by JanetB, written by Jimmie Driftwood
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- Play count: 277
Size: 980kb, uploaded 8/13/2012 11:13:32 AM
Genre: Traditional / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
After hearing Jim Reed's Sound Off post I gave this old favorite a try. It has many chords and was a fun challenge to clawhammer. I never got tired of hearing Doc Watson do it with his sound effects and incredible guitar runs.
5 commentsPosted by JanetB, written by Henry Reed
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- Play count: 712
Size: 1,316kb, uploaded 9/29/2012 1:46:42 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
For the TOTW on a fretless gourd.
7 commentsPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 377
Size: 1,098kb, uploaded 10/7/2011 6:08:38 AM
Genre: Traditional / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
I've heard the first song, but didn't learn it until it was played at the end of a Thomas Hart Benton documentary. Salt Creek was the last picking song I learned as a novice picker who changed over to clawhammer, and then much later back to picking.
4 commentsPosted by JanetB, written by Jay Ungar
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- Play count: 81
Size: 1,384kb, uploaded 11/26/2022 12:34:59 PM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
An appropriate time to play Thanksgiving Waltz, just at the end of this memorable national holiday and family gathering.
Add CommentPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 140
Size: 1,264kb, uploaded 4/18/2022 10:21:48 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
From the Walter family's 1930's recording and in the Milliner Koken book. This is a dance tune whose title can be literally sung in the B part.
1 commentPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 1241
Size: 1,043kb, uploaded 3/6/2012 5:55:07 AM
Genre: Traditional / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
This old English ballad is powerfully emotional in melody and lyrics.
2 commentsPosted by JanetB
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- Play count: 958
Size: 1,100kb, uploaded 11/17/2015 8:53:43 AM
Genre: Old Time / Playing Style: Clawhammer and Old-Time
Played by Kentucky legendary fiddler Buddy Thomas. Every time I learn one of his tunes I feel like I'm doing extra credit homework for a master's thesis. They're always challenging -- he was a heckuva a fiddler!
2 commentsCopyright Notice:
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