Long-time player Rick Hocutt takes us back to his learning roots with this week's song by Gil Tanner and the Skillet Lickers.  It's a banjo piece that can be played with more than one style, as Rick does and as Jack Beuthin demonstrates with a video and tab.  The song has a story and Rick delights in singing it for us with his deep-down voice.  Here's string band music at its heyday with more to hear, such as by Doc Watson, Bob Dylan, the Everly Brothers and more.  Tune in to TOTW, 1/30/26, The Rovin' Gambler.

Old-time string bands are the source of music we learn and play today. Carl Baron presents a tune from one of the first recorded bands -- Dr. Humphrey Bate and the Possum Hunters. Bate played harmonica and produced the melody and rhythm as well as a fiddle. Carl offers an instructional audio of how to play the tune on banjo. The title may be somewhat macabre, but it's a lighthearted and lively tune: TOTW, 2/7/26, My Wife Died Saturday Night.

Virtuoso Noah Cline is tapping into a rather obscure old-time resource, Virginia fiddler David Hamblen (1809 -1893), whose tunes were revealed by the fiddle/banjo duets of Christian Whig and Mark Ward. Though this tune has been compared to Billy in the Lowground, it surely has a distinctive and regal, but also jaunty melody worthy of hearing and learning.  The range of the tune is enormous, but Noah has dealt with the issue on both banjo and fiddle. You're bound to enjoy this TOTW, 2/13/26, Queen of France.

Porter Branch, himself from Alabama, has chosen "a West Alabama tune with a ton of great versions floating around." His favorite version comes from Bob Carlin and Bruce Molsky, two living legends. Porter has good links to hear others, plus offers his own take.  Give this lively one a try, and if you learn it from the Lukas Pool version, it can be played prettily as well.  TOTW, 2/20/26, Big Footed Man in the Sandy Lot.

Andy Taylor's presentations are always welcomed and well-received.  Today he's chosen the title tune of a Christian Whig CD.  Andy found an opportunity to do an interview of a Foghorn Stringband musician to learn more of how this old tune was passed around.  It's crooked and therefore what Andy says may be a "jambuster", but still appealing and fun to play.  If you haven't heard this one yet, tune in to TOTW, 2/27/26, Chadwell's Station.

This week we're presented by Jim of Virginia with a song whose history links to the tragedy of fire destruction in the big city. These events aren't easily forgotten and are memorialized by composers and musicians. Fortunately, we also see the determination and unity that drives people to rebuild and recover, while improving their city as they do so. The solo banjo is appealing even without lyrics. Give a listen to the TOTW, 3/6/26, The Baltimore Fire.

Mark Gentry offers an old tune today that's worth exploring.  It's been compared to Paddy on the Turnpike and has many recordings, even with a completely different melody. His portrayal of the tune is beautiful.  Mark also describes the title for those of us who like ornithography and compares some of the musical effects to sounds in nature.  Enjoy the TOTW, 3/13/26, Snowbird in the Ashbank.

I've chosen a tune first heard by Bruce Molsky's fine fiddling on his CD "Poor Man's Troubles." The title's namesake may be a cavalry colonel with connection to President Theodore Roosevelt. The tune has eight distinct parts, which kept me from learning it until now. Once learned, it's not really too hard. Listen in on our new TOTW, 3/20/26, Grigsby’s Hornpipe.

 Lyle Konigsberg offers this week one of the many Dear Old Illinois tunes. It is related to the more well-known Dominion Reel. The speculation is that the seldom heard title relates to farm laborers who harvest soy beans. Take a listen, with the added treat of hearing two legendary fiddlers -- Charlie Fulk (1916-2021) and Charlie Walden (still fiddling): TOTW, 3/27/26, Bean Walker’s Mile.

Our recent study of Texas fiddler, Eck Robertson, is followed through this week by Jan Olov Sundqvist presenting a medley that combines and mixes up several tunes. Most of them you are familiar, such as Bill Cheatham and Old Billy Wilson.  Perhaps you're not as familiar with Drunken Billy Goat or Wake Up Susan.  Jan provides a lengthy tab to follow along with Mr. Robertson. See if you're up to the challenge of playing along with something as lively, yet jumbled up, as this TOTW, 4/3/26, Brilliancy Medley.

Pat Lyons goes by Banjukebox here and he has a huge collection of tunes we love to hear him play.  His choice for Tune of the Week is from Canada, composed by a well-known Métis fiddler, John Arcand.  Pat gives background on the title as a pseudonym for an actual person, on the historical background of Métis music, and examples and a tab to give instant access to this TOTW, 4/10/26, Grey Owl.

This week's tune, offered by Adam Schweigert, doesn't have a known source, but has been played by today's great players such as Dan Gellert, Rayna Gellert and the Canote Brothers.  You can hear in the melody the urgent calling for a doctor with a bothersome malady, which lyrics state may have been the swallowing of tobacco! Adam newly learned it in a jam and skillfully portrays it in a video, so let's see who will also give it a try this week.  TOTW, 4-17-26, Doctor, Doctor.