Continuing our exploration of old time banjo and fiddle music, let’s look at a song called Barlow Knife. A Barlow knife is a style of folding pocket knife, invented in the UK and popularized in North America in the 18th and 19th centuries. Tom Sawyer… Read More
I was surfing around the YouTube machine, and this video popped up amidst the usual folky-ka-dolky music I like to listen to. It features Frank Zappa on the Steve Allen Show in 1963, and the gig was Frank playing the bicycle along with Steve Allen… Read More
I’ve been listening to this tune because I’ve been trying to play it in my own beginner way on the oil can banjo. It’s played in sawmill, or mountain modal tuning in the key of A. On a regular banjo that would mean playing with… Read More
I was surfin around the YouTube machine and stumbled onto this performance of Tecumseh Valley by Townes Van Zandt with Nancy Griffith. This song stops me in my tracks every time I hear it. Sad. Beautiful. Just about perfect. This is like a desert island… Read More
Mike Seeger and Doc Watson
I thought I knew a lot of old time fiddle tunes. After all, I’ve been listening to folk music for a very long time. Lately though, I’ve been listening to the music in a different way, since I’m trying to learn to bash out a… Read More
I’ve continued to practice the oil can banjo like a mad thing and at the same time I’ve been listening to all the old time music I can. Tonight’s Daily Dose is Mississippi Sawyer. Here’s Richard Hood, playing it two-finger style on a fretless banjo…… Read More
Since I’ve started to learn to play my oil can banjo, I’ve been immersing myself in old time American folk music. Shady Grove is another old tune that has been recorded a squillion times and that has about as many verses. I’ve known this song… Read More
This is a really hypnotic performance… featuring Johannes Bonefaas and Hendrik Holst Anderson. I stumbled upon this one on the YouTube machine and it stopped me in my tracks.
Pigtown Fling is also Wild Horse, Stoney Point or Wild Horse at Stoney Point. Featured on this version is the sound of crickets in Chuck Levy’s garden. Here’s a nice string band version featuring Chance McCoy and The Saddle Horn Stringband (Matt Metz-Guitar, Ben Townsend-Banjo)… Read More
27th Street 