This is one of my favorite Robert Frost poems - Reluctance.

I am reciting it over my banjo rendition of Gymnopedie No.1, a piano piece written by the French composer Erik Satie in 1888.

Reference recording for the tab posted--view my tabs here.

From the fiddling of Alabama fiddler James Bryan in 1983, he learned from Mack Blalock, a Georgia fiddler, and the tune is older yet. I tuned to an open C tuning, something only done occasionally, so it changed the fingering from the better-known ways.

Reference recording for the tab posted--view my tabs here.

Carl Arcand, Minstrel Banjo,

Reference recording for the tab posted--view my tabs here.

J. D. Crowe & The New South @ The Holiday Inn, Lexington KY, November 1974. J. D. Crowe, banjo and baritone vocals; Tony Rice, guitar and lead vocals; Ricky Skaggs, mandolin/fiddle, lead and tenor vocals; Bobby Slone, bass.

J. D. Crowe & The New South @ The Holiday Inn, Lexington KY, November 1974. J. D. Crowe, banjo and baritone vocals; Tony Rice, guitar and lead vocals; Ricky Skaggs, mandolin/fiddle, lead and tenor vocals; Bobby Slone, bass.

Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs & The Foggy Mountain Boys, WSM Radio, June 1953. With Benny Martin, fiddle and vocals; Curly Seckler, mandolin and vocals.