I'm working with Mark and Sharon on a project, and one of the tunes is Hell Among the Yearlings. It's a great twisty tune, but I can't do some of the syncopation that she does on fiddle.

I'm playing the Tradesman capoed up to D.

A quick run through to test a new banjo I built for my son Russ. This time in G modal. The banjo is a cherry slothead which started life as a Rickard neck blank, 25 1/2" scale, 1/4" brass tone ring on pins, John Balch skin head, etc.

Laurence Diehl banjo, Paul Diffin bass, Tom Berghan guitar & vocal

From two Ozark fiddlers: Fred Stoneking of Missouri and Absie Morrison of Arkansas. Hope you enjoy the relaxing tempo of these waltzes!

My adaptation of Adam Hurt's version resulted from an assignment he gave to explore the Old Cumberland Gap tuning of f#BEAD (though raised one step). Adam's original Brushy Fork of John's Creek was based on Art Stamper and the old-time Tune of the Week has a video of Art's father, Hiram Stamper, playing the tune. Adam played it on the Earth Tones CD on a bottle-neck gourd banjo in SRB tuning (fDGCD). That CD was my inspiration to seek him out as a teacher. Check out this week's TOTW: http://www.banjohangout.org/topic/317352

This old-time Tune of the Week is quite old -- from the 1700's -- and comes from Sweden (and has a Swedish name if you check it out here: http://www.banjohangout.org/topic/317105. I liked the fact that the lyrics describe the lonely but important work of the Swedish "cowgirl" who had to move and keep watch on the herds of cattle and goats at certain times of the year to allow the fields to be used for crop growing. I'm playing in open G in the key of Am.

I'm revisiting this song. It sure is fun to play and sing. I'm not making any effort for proper 1840s styling on it.

Recorded by most every blues artist, but rarely on old-time banjo.