In Praise of Banjo Picking Women by Mike Seeger

When one thinks of the banjo today what generally comes to mind is a picture of a man in an ensemble playing serious, often jazz-like music based on a style initiated by the most influential and widely imitated banjoist of all time, Earl Scruggs. This style is barely 50 years old and has involved a long evolution since the gourd instrument that came here from Africa in the 17th and 18th centuries. That instrument was handmade from whatever organic materials would be available. The sound was quiet often solo but soon after Africans were brought here as slaves they no

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Grandpa Jones

By Charles Wolf

It was a hot night at the Grand Ole Opry in the summer of 1995. Out frontthe crowd in the Opry house was stocking up on Cokes and trying to explain to northern visitors what Goo ­Goos were. Backstage the talk was about whether or not the Houston Oilers were serious about moving to Nashville. An­nouncer Kyle Cantrell was checking over his schedule and getting ready to intro­duce the host for the 8:30 P.M. segment of the world’s longest running radio show. He smiled when he saw who was up next.­

Bradley-Kincaid,-Joe-Troyan-and-Grandpa-JonesAccompanied by his back-up band of

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Frank Smith, Andrew Jenkins, and Early Commercial Gospel Music

In 1923 two forces were working in the South to transform the face of American music: the radio and the phonograph record. As the various forms of traditional and grass roots music encountered these new mass media, a curious and complex chemistry developed that gradually changed the nature of the music, the musi­cians, and the role music played in people’s lives. Music once designed for the parlor, the back porch, the barn dance, or the church was now the creature of the radio studio, the Victrola, the fiddling contest, or the vaudeville theater. Musicians used to playing for a local

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A Word About Free Mandolin Tabs

Howdy!

These free mandolin tabs are written out for you two ways, in standard musical notation, and also in a style of tab that I invented. Instead using numbers on the strings to represent the fret that you play, I put the name of the note.

This method does require you to learn the eight notes of the scale, and where to find them on your mandolin. This may seem like a “royal pain,” but trust me, this will give your music a Big Boost. You absolutely need to know the name of the note you’re playing, instead of just

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Working on a Building

Working on a Building

If I was a sinner, I’d tell you what I’d do,
I’d quit my sinning and I’d work on a building too.

Chorus:

I’m working on a building, I’m working on a building,
I’m working on a building for my Lord, for my Lord.
It’s a Holy Ghost building, It’s a Holy Ghost building,
It’s a Holy Ghost building for my Lord, for my Lord.

If I was a preacher, I’d tell you what I’d do,
I’d keep on preaching and I’d work on a building too. (Chorus)

If I was a liar, I’d tell you

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Wildwood Flower

Clawhammer banjo for the complete ignoramus cover

Wildwood Flower

I’ll twine ‘mid the ringlets of my raven black hair
The lilies so pale and the roses so fair,
The myrtle so bright with an emerald hue,
And the pale aronatus with eyes of bright blue.

I’ll sing and I’ll dance my laugh shall be gay
I’ll cease this wild weeping drive sorrow away;
Tho’ my heart is now breaking he never shall know
That his name made me tremble and my pale cheek to glow.

I’ll think of him never, I’ll be wildly gay,
I’ll charm every heart and the crowd I will sway;
I’ll live yet

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Wild Bill Jones

Wild Bill Jones

As I went out for to take a little walk
And I walked upon that Wild Bill Jones
He was walkin’ and talkin’ by my true lover’s side
I forbid him for to leave her alone

He says my age it is just twenty-one,
Too old for to be controlled
I drew my revolver from my side
I destroyed that poor boy’s soul.

Well he kicked and he staggered boys he fell to the ground
And he give one dying groan
I throwed  my arms around my true lover’s neck
Saying baby you’ll be left alone.

I’ve

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Wandering Boy

Wandering Boy

Out in the cold world and far away from home,
Some mother’s boy is wandering all alone,
No one to guide him or keep his footsteps right,
Some mother’s boy is homeless tonight.

Chorus:
Oh, bring back to me, my wandering boy,
For there is no other left to give me joy,
Tell him it’s mother with faded cheeks and hair,
She’s at the old home a-waiting him here.

Out in the hall way there stands a vacant chair,
With an old pair of shoes that used to wear,
Empty now the cradle the one he loved so

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Take This Hammer

Take This Hammer

Chorus:
Take this hammer, carry it to the captain,
Take this hammer, carry it to the captain,
Take this hammer, carry it to the captain,
Tell him I’m a gone, you tell him I’m gone,
Tell him I’m a gone

If he asks you, was I running,
If he asks you, was I running,
If he asks you, was I running,
Tell him I was flying, tell him I was flying. (Chorus)

I don’t want your cold iron shackles,
I don’t want your cold iron shackles,
I don’t want your cold iron shackles,
It hurts my leg,

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