I’m trying to learn Wade Ward’s version of Chilly Winds:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWijzeSel1U
I haven’t been able to find tabs for his particular version. Does anyone happen to have a clawhammer tab for it, or know where I might find one? I’ve thought about trying to work it out by ear, but I don’t think my skill is quite good enough yet to figure out all the details of Wade’s playing.
A little history of the tune for anyone interested: Wade learned “Chilly Winds” when he was about 14 years old, on a trip to Tennessee with his older brothers. There are recordings of him playing it going back at least to 1941. It’s also particularly interesting because, unlike many of the old-time tunes in his repertoire, there doesn’t seem to have been an established fiddle version that corresponds to Wade’s particular rendition. Wade often adapted existing fiddle tunes for banjo, so this version of 'Chilly Winds' is unique to him.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
That was the TOTW on 7/31.
See Janet Burton's tab at: https://www.banjohangout.org/topic/409679, but it is a "mash-up" of Wade Ward's Chilly Winds and the "non Wade Ward" version. So, you'll only want the first part. See the thread there for the explanation of there being two rather different (but related?) versions of this tune.
P.S. - "Boblamoy" beat me to it by 8 minutes
Edited by - LyleK on 09/06/2026 12:06:26
A tab of Ward's playing is included in : Art Rosenbaum, Old Time Mountain Banjo.
For copyright reasons I can't post it here, but you may drop me a pm for a personal copy.
There's a tab for his Memorial Album recording of it in Wade Ward Clawhammer Banjo Master by Bob Carlin, from Mel Bay.
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