Apologies. ER trip on Friday played havoc with my schedule. I’m ok, but the time was lost.
So, a quick and dirty post….This week’s tune (song, actually) is Boston/Louisville Burglar—and a couple of links to examples of how to accompany a ballad with the 5-string. Boston Burglar is one of the first songs I learned as I began to play banjo—long abandoned because I can’t sing. I learned it from Harry West’s rendition on “Banjo Songs of the Southern Mountains,” a now-classic Riverside LP from the. Late ‘50s. (If you’re not familiar with it, the entire record is posted to YouTube and well-worth the listening. Traditional playing from before the ascent of Round Peak style.). West's version starts at about 19:50. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6n2_reQrDIA&list=RD6n2_reQrDIA&start_radio=1
Boston Burglar is an American Version of an Irish song of the same name. More commonly it's rendered as Louisville Burglar in the U.S. The main difference between the U.S. and Irish versions seems to be the time signature.
Two more from YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9c64GERioc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvG0FO0Lpis
Edited by - Bill Rogers on 10/17/2026 22:23:39
quote:
Originally posted by Bill RogersApologies. ER trip on Friday played havoc with my schedule. I’m ok, but the time was lost.
Most importantly you're OK. Wishing you well.
Hope it wasn't anything serious and you're okay.
Hang in there Bill, we aren't getting any younger.
And from Debby McClatchy from whom I heard her sing it live youtube.com/watch?v=JTK9Hz7VxSQ
And from a friend whose comforting words are, "Don't worry about old age, it won't last long." (Uh, OK Richard. Thanks, I guesss......) banjered
Thanks to all. I’m ok—such as that is late in life. I’m lucky to have a supporting family close at hand.
Thank goodness you came home the same day, Bill. E.R. is always a hardship and you better remember to bring a jacket, at least in our town.
Thanks for the link to the classic LP. I found Harry West at 24 minutes in and used his vocals to arrange something. Clawhammer didn't work as well as a 3-finger style, so I donned my picks, a rarity these days.
The theme of the song is so sad. Hopefully somebody gleaned some wisdom from it.
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