Banjo Hangout Newest 100 Clawhammer and Old-Time Songs

Epic Kentucky bluegrass fiddler Kenny Baker played Make a Little Boat with his buddies after learning it from Howdy Forrester. I think of Mr. Baker as a swing-type of fiddler with Bill Monroe, but his family background was as an old-time fiddler. I can just see a little guy growing up in the country sailing his hand-made boat in a little creek....

For the old-time Tune of the Week, 12/9/16, Snow Deer was a popular song written in 1913 by the same composer of Moonlight Bay, and inspired by the success of Redwing in 1907. The Stanley Brothers did an instrumental of it in 1963 and Bob Wills' band performed it, amongst many others. I added a Native American bridge to it to go along with the lyric's theme of a cowboy and Indian maiden's romance. Played on a Gold Tone cello banjo and learned from Ken Torke's tab. See the current TOTW for more info. I'll be surprised if people have heard of this song before -- I hadn't.

Inspired by Wade Ward, four examples each two times through. Which do you like best? There is no right answer; it's all subjective.

My banjo is tuned up so pitches are g#EG#BE

The banjos are my Bacon Professional (11") and my Bruno (10 1/2"), which has no tone ring (top of the pot is thinned to the outer edge). Both banjos have skin heads though the Bacon's head is thinner then the Bruno's. The two configurations are slightly different, with about a 4 inch difference where the hand is striking the strings. In one configuration, my hand was at the edge of the pot and as I played my other fingers would strike the head with a bit of a drumming effect. The other configuration was with my hand just over the end of the neck, near the pot, so no drumming effect. Both banjos have a Tally Tone Enhancer (see picture on my home page; cork between dowel stick and head near the neck end).

1. Bacon with hand over the head

2. Bruno with hand over the neck

3. Bacon with hand over the neck

4. Bruno with hand over the head

Another Chirps fav from the Down in Little Egypt album. Banjo tuned aDADE.

I wrote this tune in the summer of 1994. Named for the Riverhouse Motorlodge in Gatlinburg, TN. Riverhouse was our favorite spot for a weekend getatway. It burned to the ground in the great Gatlinburg fire of 2016.

Really happy with the rhythm of this one. Joe Derrane's jig in aDADE tuning on clawhammer.

Inspired from Art Rosenbaum and Pete Seeger. I'm studying Art Rosenbaum's material, especially 2-finger style from Pete Steele's playing. Though his tab was for that style, I found that it worked equally well for clawhammer and was easier. :( Oh well, please don't call me lazy. :)

I had a thanksgiving jam and George Flink on 6 string and John Walkenbach on guitar came over. This was the highlight. I thought I was friends with George, but I couldn't find him. That's him on the 6 string banjo.

For the old-time Tune of the Week, 12/2/16, from the playing of Virginia fiddler Taylor Kimble (1892 - 1979). I wouldn't know much at all about this kind of corn, so I'm sure this version won't "set your head on fire," as the lyrics said.

From my "Carry On John" cd - named for the Riverhouse Motorlodge in Gatlinburg, TN. Strings arranged and played by Jim Wood.