Banjo Hangout Newest 100 Clawhammer and Old-Time Songs

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.

Goldtone 5 string cello banjo with four fiddles

Yesterday our daughter-in-law gave birth to our third grandchild, Evan. Charles Shultz’s Linus character famously posited “The way I see it, as soon as a baby is born, he should be issued a banjo”. That may not be practical but I see no reason why a baby can’t have his/her own banjo tune. This one might be a bit to sprightly for a lullaby but I’m sure Evan won’t mind. In Double C.

Haven't played this one for a while, but it's a lovely tune. I hope that you like it.

2-finger index. S.S. Stewart Thoroughbred.

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.

I've been trying to play this song for years and finally I think that it is beginning to sound OK.

Salty River Reel is inspirational for learning more about Missouri fiddling. This old-time Tune of the Week, 2/4/17, comes from Cyril Stinnett, Missouri fiddler (1912 - 1986), though he didn't appear to have written the tune. He was a precise player, very shy they say, and very successful at fiddling competitions. His style came from the north Missouri region, influenced by Canadian hornpipes, and one of his important sources was Casey Jones, who recorded this tune in 1951. Cyril's first name is pronounced "Serl" and the recording of this piece was in the 1960's at a fiddle contest. It's upbeat, so hope you enjoy!

Decided to upload a version faster than what I put up a few years ago.

Turlough O'Carolan wrote many of his harp tunes to honor the friends where he stayed at length, earning his living as a bard. Those friends are called patrons and the tunes are called planxties. Lady Athenry was one such patroness who hosted him as he traveled. It's written that this composition was one of his loveliest. I found that 2-finger picking was the easiest way for me to play this tune. It was exciting arranging a tune in 6/8 time in this style since I sort of make up my own rules as I go. If I want to pick something twice in a row with my thumb, I do. If I want to use my finger likewise I do! Not using picks, though, the tone may not be as bright as it could have been.

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.

Kingston Trio from Darlin'Corey played on a LeVan CannonBell longneck banjo

Half Past Four