Banjo Hangout Top 100 Songs

Frosty Morn is the old-time Tune of the Week, 8/24/18. Related to Cold Frosty Morning in some of its melody and chordal movement, here's a medley of the two. The first was learned from the guitar flat-picking of Doc Watson, who I idolize. The second was learned from Miles Krassen's Clawhammer Banjo book. He used Henry Reed's version which he had published previously in his Appalachia Fiddle book. Sawmill tuning, playing on my Doc's Banjo.

This is the Luther Davis version of Sail Away Ladies, or at least my interpretation of it. Presented for Tune Of The Week for August 2nd, 2018. In any case a fine tune!

For the old-time Tune of the Week, 4/13/18, Snake wrote this tune during a recording session and it was was recorded and kept for posterity with this title that was reminiscent of his experience as a child of being knocked down by an angry hornet.

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!

Made this banjo duet recording with Ed Britt back in November, 2014. We still play it when we go busking in Harvard Square.

CH take on Irish Reel composed by Michael Gorman. AB AB. Wildwood. D tuning

This old-time Tune of the Week for 8/11/17 reminds us in melody of some other traditional songs, such as Gotta Travel On and even Worried Man Blues. The Monroe Brothers recorded this as their first ever recording in 1936 and Bill said that it was commonly sung in Kentucky at the time.

I posted another Tommy Jackson tune unknowingly the other day..."Snowflake Reel". JanetB was kind enough to give me some background on the tune and add a very nice clawhammer arrangement. This led to us trading messages about a collaberation of another Jackson tune. It was a bit different for us both. Not too bad for a first time collab...she plays the cello banjo and gracefully states the melody and I come in later like an overexcited 2nd time beginner ('cause it's what I am!) and barrel through the changes again with Janet's accompaniment. My ending is a little exaggerated, but it was good fun, and I hope to do another soon. Thanks Janet for your nice playing and your use of the garage band software.

Grateful Dead classic built on a descending G scale

grassabilly blues

imagining Earl and Jimi at some blues dive in Clarksdale

For the old-time Tune of the Week, Green Willis is named for a fiddler from Willis, Virginia. It's also called The Raw Recruit. When it's played in slow jig time, it's called Chapel Hill March. Go back far enough to Scotland and it was called Da New Rigged Ship. Lots to think about here on this cheerful tune that reminds me of a new soldier marching enthusiastically.