Banjo Hangout Newest 100 Clawhammer and Old-Time Songs

Memories of 1973. Tuning Double C tuned lower to A. Banjo comes in about a minute into the song.

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.

My Long Journey Home - G tuning

Kentucky banjo picker, Jim Reed, was posting for a while on BHO video after video, truly enchanting us with his soft, fluent, melodious 3-finger style. Molly Sue is one of his originals (which he could write instantaneously at will) which is also on his only CD. I learned it yesterday, thinking it has that descending scale (in the A part) I'm looking for and recently posted about on a Sound Off! thread called Kentucky modal tunes. I really think there's a parallel with some Native American music. Kentucky was full of Cherokee Indians at one time. Somehow their traditional music, especially as played on flute, has slipped into our modern mountains. Can it be?

J.P. Fraley is one of my favorite fiddlers and this is one of his few original compositions. I learned Winds of Shiloh last year and am re-visiting now, thinking it reminded me of another original Kentucky tune recently learned called Foxfire, by Owen "Snake" Chapman. Both melodies sound like there's Native American influence -- I think of the many Cherokees who used to live in those mountains and wonder how much musical interaction occurred.

Kentucky tune writers have often amazed me in the delicacy and musical beauty they create. BHO member Jim Reed comes to mind. He'd write a tune at the drop of a hat and they'd all be winners to my ears, worth pursuing on my banjo.

For the old-time Tune of the Week, 8/4/17, West Virginia fiddler Delbert Hughes (1905 -1982) recorded this one. It sounds like Davy is responding in the B part with his grievances, which he finds reasonable enough. I think this story ends where he comes back home....

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.

It's thought that this old-time Tune of the Week comes from California Kathy Barwick's grandfather. She'a a local staple for good music here in California. The tune is simple but catchy. When played by Erynn Marshall and Carl Jones it's a real old-time treat.

This is the beginnings of my wife Patsy's original called "Selling Memories". Later it will get final vocals, conga parts, and acoustic guitar. Patsy is singing the vocal and playing the djembe, I'm on banjo and acoustic bass. Hope y'all like it Ruff ;^)

After Dock Boggs. Three-finger thumb lead. Played on Backyard Music short-scale fretless. f#DGAD, capo 5th.