Banjo Hangout Top 100 Clawhammer and Old-Time Songs

I wanted to learn a Franklin George tune after seeing and playing with him at the Berkeley Old-Time Music festival and happened to pick this tune after listening to it as I commuted. It turns out to be a tune he learned from a book and I believe that book to be Samuel Bayard's Dance to the Fiddle, March to the Fife, song #317. It's a song with a long history, some of it dramatically political. I listened to Cathy Fink's version, too, to come up with this one.

Based on William Stepp's version and inspired by Rhys Jones, Rebels Raid is the current Tune of the Week. This is the slow and sweeter version. The aggressive soldiering of Morgan's Raiders inspired a slide show video, with the help of Tom Berghan's encouragement and movie-making talent.

This version comes from Paul David Smith of Kentucky who learned it from his father. It's in the unusual tuning of fCGCD, though Paul played it in fDFAD. Mine's clawhammered, his was picked. I've wondered how many different Lost Indians there are. I know three distinct tunes called Lost Indian and have heard more than that.

I recorded this one with a Brooks Masten 12 inch fretless Spartan strung with Nylgut minstrel strings and tuned to a low D modal.

For the TOTW, 10/4/13. Kind of makes one hungry for something that sounds so yummy. It's a sweet-sounding song and has the interesting history from having been recording by two Mississipian musicans--Narmour and Smith--by Okeh, the company who recorded the Carter Family during that era.

From a session at Clifftop, Tuesday, 7/29/13. Adam Hurt - fiddle, Beth Hartness - guitar, Brendan Doyle - banjo Recorded by Adam and Beth's friend Paul DeBlois. I believe Adam got this version of Fiddler's Reel from Benton Flippen. This was a really fun session, and one which I'd like to make at least a yearly habit! Adam and Beth are both lovely people as well as being fabulous musicians, and I can't get enough of playing with them. Being a festival recording, this has the typical festival background noise of other sessions, hollered conversations, etc., but despite that, it came out pretty good, I think. I hope you enjoy it!

From a session at Clifftop, Tuesday, 7/29/13. Adam Hurt - fiddle, Beth Hartness - guitar, Brendan Doyle - banjo Recorded by Adam and Beth's friend Paul DeBlois. This was a really fun session, and one which I'd like to make at least a yearly habit! Adam and Beth are both lovely people as well as being fabulous musicians, and I can't get enough of playing with them. Being a festival recording, this has the typical festival background noise of other sessions, hollered conversations, etc., but despite that, it came out pretty good, I think. I hope you enjoy it!

J. P. Fraley's album with this title name has a gem of his fiddled tunes. Kentuckian J. P. was influenced greatly listening to Ed Haley as a youngster. Previously I'd arranged this with 3-finger picking. By changing the key it laid out better for clawhammer.

Kit wrote this song in honor of his precious granddaughter, Audrey. She's a lively one and the tune really fits her. I'm playing on a Mac Traynham Whyte Laydie in double C tuning.

For the TOTW, 9/6/13, this is from Kentucky fiddler Buddy Thomas. The actual Tune of the Week is Walking Down Georgia Row and is very different, in my opinion, but I like learning anything from Buddy Thomas' playing.