Banjo Hangout Top 100 Clawhammer and Old-Time Songs

This tune in 3/4 time is a rare find from Turlough O'Carolan (1670 - 1738). It's only found in one source dated in the early 1900's from Chief Francis O'Neill who had procured a rare notebook of old Irish tunes. The melody and title didn't sync well until I made a slide-show video (in the BHO archive) of people happy with tears. As several of my O'Carolan pieces, I've added cello banjo in the background.

Here's a clawhammered planxty from Turlough O'Carolan (1670 - 1738) in 6/8 jig time with cello banjo accompaniment.

Jake Phelps was a Kentucky fiddler who is known for the "unusual tunes" he played. This recording is multi-tracked with cello banjo accompaniment. I find Across the Plains enchanting and think of the Westward Ho pioneers beginning their journey, before the problems set in....

All of Ed Haley's fiddle pieces are a good challenge. Dunbar is a little town in West Virginia though Haley had moved to nearby Kentucky.

Ome Flora with a 12'' pot. aDADE.

For the old-time Tune of the Week, 2/17/17, this comes from the playing of NC fiddler Marvin Gaster. It's kind of a simple melody, so it was fun to try various slides, hammer-ons, or chords for variation.

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.

A multitrack fiddle-banjo duet with some guitar and bass backup. This is one of those fiddle tunes that's difficult to track down in terms of a source. Although there are several versions (some unrelated) of the tune, this version is probably a Hiram Stamper version and later adapted slightly by his son Art.

For the old-time Tune of the Week, 1/20/17, this is a favorite Texas waltz my husband, Kit, and I have enjoyed. Don Borchelt does a great job covering its history if you check it out, and has lots of examples, including two superb videos of his own.

For the old-time Tune of the Week, 1/20/17, this is a favorite Texas waltz my husband, Kit, and I have enjoyed. Don Borchelt does a great job covering its history if you check it out, and has lots of examples, including two superb videos of his own.