Banjo Hangout Newest 100 Clawhammer and Old-Time Songs

Many of us know a Cousin Sally Brown with an evocative modal tuning. This is a different melody. The source is Gaither Carlton, to me known as the father-in-law of the more famous Doc Watson. My arrangements here come from Gaither, Doc, and another banjo player of the region, Calvin Cole. I'm playing on the slower side. Check out the TOTW to hear more, especially Paul Brown.

Not really a hornpipe, not the structure of a rag, maybe a rustic dance probably of Northumbrian origin. Good for Morris dancing, good for "dots and triplets" players…

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This old tune goes by other titles, but I chose the recording made by the great Missouri fiddler Cyril Stinett. I tried to eliminate some of the notes so typical for Ozark hornpipes and managed to simplify by using the 5th string as a kind of a drone.

As far as I know, T.A.R.L.N. is a sweet-sad, happy ending gospelsong written and recorded by the Louvin bros. in 1959. This is my clawhammerstyle banjo interpretation of this beautiful song.

banjo with nickel silver tone ring played clawhammer

Here's how Melvin Wine played a tune which is also found in the 1903 book of Irish fiddle tunes compiled by Chief Francis O'Neill, known as Mountain Hornpipe. I like this funny title given, though it sounds like skedaddling to me. If you hear how Melvin played fiddle in the recording with Carl Baron on banjo and Bob Carlin on guitar, you would hear how fast skedaddling really is. You can check out the current TOTW and hear it.