Been working on a couple of new fingerpicked tunes. Here's one of them, a bit off the beaten path. In Double C.

I'm playing a hot rodded Gold Tone Bob Carlin clawhammer banjo with wound nylon strings tuned down to Low A-modal.

Dedicated to my mother, now 93 years old. In my mind she's reached the summit, which was the original title of this piece. I'm playing on a Goldtone cello banjo.

I wrote this late one night when I couldn't sleep. That's why it sounds like a late night thing, when the banshees are roaming around! ;>)

Pentatonic CEFGBb

A clawhammered, chordal approach to this light-hearted song John claimed in his lyrics that he dreamt about. I've heard this on BHO several times and am a great fan of John Hartford, though I have much, much more to learn about his music. I think the genre is considered Newgrass, but you can correct me.

The first is from Buckley, the second from Converse.

the first track on Banjo Suite 2 (2013) with Paul Mills on guitar and bass, and Don Reed on fiddle.

Our first grandchild was born the day after Thanksgiving last year, so today she is celebrating her first Thanksgiving with us, something to be so thankful for. Before she had arrived I composed this tune for her in Double C tuning. Hope you enjoy and all have your own Happy Thanksgiving.

After hearing Paul's Leap Frog I found that I could easily play along with it. I tried composing some counterpoint melody to it, but forgot to re-set the slow-downer back up to the key of D. This came out in C with my banjo tuned to double C and I'm playing clawhammer. Paul is playing a mandocello tuned in 5ths and uses a flatpick.