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Home Page Native Ground Music produces recordings and books capturing historic American music and folklore, plus music instruction CDs and books for guitar, fiddle, mandolin, banjo and dulcimer using traditional and old-time songs as examples. Our songs, recordings and books cover authentic, historic folk music of the Civil War, Appalachia, rural America, the roots of bluegrass, pioneer cooking and historic recipes, the Old West, classic railroad songs, humorous folk songs, nature lore, and old-time gospel.

New Releases New books and Recordings on Native Ground Books & Music. Books & CDS include: The Bluegrass Gospel Songbook, The 1st American Cookie Lady, Old-Time Fiddle for the Complete Ignoramus!, Rural Roots of Bluegrass, The Outhouse Papers, The Lost Art of Pie Making, etc.

Rural America Old Time Music of the Southern Mountains. Here are the songs and square dance tunes that have moved rural Americans to tap their feet and make their voices ring. Many of these folk melodies, old-time and bluegrass songs conjure up images of a simpler America where a good tune, a good tale and a good laugh were all it took to be entertained. Books & CDs Include: An Old Fashioned Wingding CD, Backpocket Bluegrass Songbook, Backpocket Old-Time Songbook, Front Porch Favorites CD, Front Porch Songs, Jokes, & Stories, Log Cabin Pioneers, Log Cabin Songs CD, The Outhouse Papers, Rural Roots of Bluegrass Book & CD.

Frontier Trailblazers The songs, tales, lies, jokes and slang of the fearless and sometimes reckless men and women of the Old West. The books are packed with authentic music and colorful folklore of cowboys and outlaws and include insults, lingo and cowboy wisdom. The recordings take you to a cowboy campfire where the smell of coffee and the taste of beans make you wish you were in some saloon or dance hall in some far off western town. Instruments include banjo, fiddle, guitar, bass, mandolin, harmonica, washboard, spoons, jews harp and dobro. Books & CDs Include: Cowboy Songs, Jokes, Lingo ‘n Lore, Cowboy Songs of the Wild Frontier CD, Outlaw Ballads, Legends & Lore, Authentic Outlaw Ballads, Songs of the Santa Fe Trail & the Far West, Pierre Cruzatte - A Musical Journey.

Instruction Books Native Ground's many music instruction lessons and books are the gateway to learning traditional old-time and bluegrass music. For almost forty years, Wayne Erbsen has been teaching folks just like you to play the banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin, and dulcimer. Through years of teaching, Wayne has figured out how to make things simple for the struggling beginner. Books Include: Bluegrass Banjo For The Complete Ignoramus!, Clawhammer Banjo For The Complete Ignoramus!, Old-Time Fiddle for the Complete Ignoramus!, Painless Mandolin Melodies, Southern Mountain Banjo, Southern Mountain Fiddle, Southern Mountain Guitar, Southern Mountain Mandolin, Southern Mountain Dulcimer, Starting Bluegrass Banjo from Scratch,

Civil War These Civil War ballads and songs will take you into the hearts and souls of both Confederate and Union soldiers. In these recordings, you'll hear authentic renditions of Civil War music. Historical instruments include minstrel banjo, 5-string banjo, fiddle, mandolin, guitar, bones, spoons, jew's harp, drum, harmonica, tambourine, accordion, washboard, mouth bow, hambone and feet! Books & CDs Include: Ballads & Songs of the Civil War CD, Battlefield Ballads of the Civil War CD, Southern Soldier Boy CD, The Home Front CD,  Love Songs of the Civil War CD,  Rousing Songs of the Civil War (book), Ballads & Songs of the Civil War (book)

Cookbooks & Home 19th Century Cooking, Historic Recipes and Folklore. Step into Barbara Swell's kitchen as she dishes up delicacies from times past. Her best-selling cookbooks are packed with historic old-time recipes and cooking methods, kitchen proverbs, folk remedies, romantic advice, autograph rhymes, food insults, table manners, vintage photos, and more than a cupfull of homegrown humor. Books Include: The 1st American Cookie Lady, Children at the Hearth, Early American Cookery, Log Cabin Cooking, Lost Art of Pie Making, Mama’s in the Kitchen, Manners & Morals of Yesterday, Old-Time Farmhouse Cooking, Take Two & Butter ‘Em While They’re Hot!

Railroadin' Railroad Books, Songs, Legends and Lore. The railroad music recordings feature banjo, fiddle, mandolin, National Steel guitar, harmonica, dobro, piano and bass. The books are jammed with the complete lyrics to authentic railroad tunes, and the melody line to numerous songs plus entertaining railroad superstitions, weird laws, tall tales, trivia, slang and more! Books * CDs Include: Railroad Fever book & CD,, Railroadin’ Classics CD, Singing Rails book & CD.

Heart & Soul Open your heart and soul to these Native Ground recordings and books! Hear the magical sounds of the hammered dulcimer and mountain dulcimer music ,plus banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin and bass. Collections of favorite Christmas carols, old-time gospel instrumentals and songs. Books & CDs Include: The Bluegrass Gospel Songbook, The Old-Time Gospel Songbook, Old-Time Gospel Favorites CD, Old-Time Gospel Instrumentals CD, Cold Frosty Morning CD.

Nature & Lore Stories and Songs of Nature, for Kids of All Ages. With Ranger Doug Elliott as your trusty naturalist guide, take a wild adventure into the swamps, fields, woodlands, mountains and to the sea shore. The recordings of animal stories, lore and tales feature harmonica, banjo, guitar, fiddle, trombones, bass, buckets, bells, bottles, cans, drums and rattlesnake rattles, plus many authentic recordings of birds, alligators, owls and frogs. Books & CDs Include: Crawdads, Doodlebugs and Creasy Greens Book & CD, Raccoon and a Possum CD, Bullfrogs on Your Mind CD.

Song Index An alphabetical list of all the songs in our recordings and books of Old-Time and Bluegrass, Civil War, Railroad, Gospel, Christmas and Southern Appalachian music.

Articles Practical music lessons for the beginner, plus articles and interviews of many important players and composers of old-time, bluegrass, and historic American folk music.

The Origins of Bluegrass in Western North Carolina - This article traces the roots of bluegrass music back to pioneer days in the mountain of western North Carolina.

Cleo Davis, The Original Bluegrass Boy - In 1938, Bill and Charlie Monroe split up, and Bill went looking for a new guitar picker. He found Cleo Davis in Atlanta, who became the first member of the Bluegrass Boys. The rest is history...

Jim Shumate, Bluegrass Fiddler Supreme - Jim Shumate joined the Bluegrass Boys in 1943 when Howdy Forrester joined the Navy, and played with Bill Monroe until Howdy returned from the war in 1945. He went on to play with Flatt & Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys in 1948.

Lester Woodie -- Coming Up The Hard Road - Fiddler Lester Woodie, along with George and John Shuffler, founded the Melody Mountain Boys and went on to join the Stanley Brothers in 1949.

Wiley & Zeke -- The Morris Brothers - Popular in the 30's for their gospel tunes, ballads and love songs, the Morris Brothers are immortalized today as the authors of bluegrass anthem "Salty Dog Blues".

Making His Own Way -- Raymond Fairchild - Born and raised in the mountains near Cherokee, Raymond Fairchild became one of the world's best and fastest banjo pickers.

Curly And Jack -- The Shelton Brothers - Manly "Jack" Shelton and Carson "Curly" Shelton played with many other musicians during their time with the Sons of the Mountaineers, the Rambling Mountaineers, and the Green County Boys.

Tommy Millard -- Blackface Comedian & Bluegrass Boy - When the full story of country music is told, the name Tommy Millard will not be forgotten. Tommy was one of a small number of blackface comics who helped make the transition from the racially sensitive blackface act to the more acceptable role of the rube comic.

Walter Davis -- Fist & Skull Banjo - One of the most fascinating of all the two finger pickers is a gentleman by the name of Walter Davis. How could anyone get that many notes and sound so full and right using only his thumb and index finger?

Dan Emmett, The Man Who Wrote "Dixie." This is the story behind one of the most powerful songs ever written in America.

The Art of Chewing Tobacco for the Compete Ignoramus! Everything you always wanted to know about this vital subject, but were afraid to ask!

Welcome Closet Banjo Players! - A beginner's banjo lesson

Introduction to Old-Time Clawhammer Banjo - A beginner's lesson in clawhammer banjo

How To Play The Mandolin - A complete yet easy to understand beginner's lesson for playing the mandolin, plus some history of how the "'tator bug" came to this country and evolved into one of the most important and distinctive instruments of modern bluegrass

The Coon Creek Girls by John Lilly  - A fascinating look at one of the pioneer old-time bands who were stars of John Lair's Renfro Valley Barn Dance.

The Carter Family by John Lilly - The story of the first family of Country Music.

Jimmy Rodgers by John Lilly  The father of Country Music.

The Delmore Brothers by John Lilly  - Stars of the Grand Ole Opry, The Delmore Brothers were among the greatest guitarists of all time and a big influence on Doc Watson.

O-18, D-28...What It All Means - by Bob Smakula, this article explains fine points of various Martin Guitar models.

Repairing Your Instrument Case by Bob Smakula:

Fitting Fiddle Pegs by Bob Smakula:

Truss Rods by Bob Smakula:

Rosin by Bob Smakula:

Cracks by Bob Smakula:

Buying a Used Guitar by Bob Smakula:

Music of the Southern Appalachian Mountains by Mike Seeger

Appalachian Traditional Music - A Short History  by Debby McClatchy

The 5-String Banjo in North Carolina by C.P. Heaton

Banjo History by George R. Gibson

About Us History of Native Ground Music, Inc. and its founder, Wayne Erbsen.

Links Links to Sheet Music, Tab, Lyrics & Instruction, Bands & Musicians, Magazines, Festivals & Camps, Supplies, Record Labels, Folk & Music Archives, Musician Unions & Agents, Civil War Info, Instrument Dealers, Builders and Suppliers, and more.

Ordering Info Instructions for ordering from Native Ground Music, Inc., shipping information. Warranty and privacy policies.

Native Ground Book & Music
109 Bell Road
Asheville NC 28805

Orders: (800) 752-2656
Office: (828) 299-7031
Fax: (828) 298-5607

banjo@nospamnativeground.com

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