Banjo Hangout Newest 100 Clawhammer and Old-Time Songs

A 9-part tune, Grigsby's Hornpipe source recording is Eck Robertson, the "Famous Cowboy Fiddler" from Texas. Colonel Melvin Grigsby may be the namesake for the tune, having gained some fame himself when he prompted Congress to pass an act to form his cavalry. That act led to Teddy's Rough Riders, which may have led to his ascension to the U.S. presidency.

Though another melody goes by this title, and this version of WV fiddler Oscar Wright's resembles Paddy on the Turnpike, it's a tune that's been recorded with credit given to Wright.

TOTW 03/13/26

Charlie Poole wrote the song and recorded it with the North Carolina Ramblers in 1929, but it's said that a similar older song centered around a much earlier fire in Boston was the inspiration.

Reference recording for the tab posted--view my tabs here.

This arrangement of Chadwell's Station using cello banjo tuned down four steps allowed me to hit the lowest notes, but it also caused me to re-tune the first string because of the high fret notes needed. So the tuning is dGDGB -- open G. The alternate method to play used a regular banjo in normal tuning -- gDGDB -- and is easier to play.

From the 1840's Hamblen collection of a Virginia fiddler, David Russell Hamblen. As these tunes become known and played from the musical notation made by Hamblen's grandson, their richness is appreciated in the old-time music world.

Reference recording for the tab posted--view my tabs here.

As played on fiddle nearly one hundred years ago by the Stripling Brothers, without the insertion of the hymn In the Sweet By and By.

Shady Grove might be the most universal old time tune that ever existed. It 's pretty hard to make a rendition that is satisfactory as to combining the banjo with the singing.

Reference recording for the tab posted--view my tabs here.

From the notation of Virginian David Hamblen's fiddling, as played by Christian Whig. Thanks to Noah Cline for bring this collection to our attention.

As played by Humphrey Bates' harmonica in a 1928 recording. Terrible title, but a good dance tune, as it was probably intended.

Banjo aDAde Derived from Dr. Humphrey Bate and His Possum Hunters

Via Eddy Arnold, here are the lyrics the woman can sing. She's determined to go with her roving gambler. Good luck to them both, but ....

Two-finger arrangement by Matt Brown

The Rovin' Gambler based on Gid Tanner and the Skillet Lickers 1929 Columbia Records recording

Reference recording for the tab posted--view my tabs here.

Three-finger style, G rather than the usual A as I wasn't using a capo.

A French Canadian tune with a title that says it all!

From the collection of Samuel Bayard of Pennsylvania around the 1930's, Harry "Tink" Queer liked "tinkering" with his father's fiddle at a young age and grew to be a capable fiddler. The A part of this tune sounds unique and the B part reminds us of Little Billy Wilson's part A. The cello banjo's lower tuning allowed me to arrange this tune in equivalent to a double C tuning. Because the original tune is in A, open G tuning would work, too. Here it goes from the low fourth string up to the 10th fret on the first string. I had to memorize my tab's part B to accurately get up there. (Normally for Tune of the Week, I arrange and tab a tune after slowing the fiddle down to hear what is played and don't make an effort to memorize it.) I like imitating the fiddle on banjo and often have said my banjo thinks it's a fiddle. :) I get the melody best from a fiddle, and for me it's melody that makes the tune, with the clawhammer rhythmic style giving it body.

An Irish polka with a long history and various titles. I'm curious how the cello banjo would sound with regular banjo chordal accompaniment. Perhaps I can try that later for this Tune of the Week.

Celtic polka that fits well in an old time playlist.

Bill Monroe's 1951 recording is the inspiration here. Such a cheerful song!

Key of G and played on a newly constructed open back

From the Mississippi collection called Great Big Yam Potatoes. Lots of fun tunes to explore!

In 1935 the Mississippi Sheiks recorded this jazzy piece and 90 years later I'm playing it on clawhammer banjo. It's the Tune of the Week, so go to the thread if you want to learn more about its history.

Reference recording for the tab posted--view my tabs here.

Reference recording for the tab posted--view my tabs here.

This tune comes from fiddler Buddy Thomas (1934-1974) of Lewis County, Kentucky, who learned it from Ohio fiddler Morris Allen. Jeff Titon notes the A part's close similarity with the English dance tune The Rose Tree.

The Carter Family first presented this iconic song to the world of country music. These lyrics came from Carlene Carter, daughter of June and Johnny Cash. The 3/4 timing for the verses was my idea.

Using cello banjo, this recording adds chordal accompaniment to the previous solo banjo posted for Tune of the Week.

A fun little tune where I keep singing the more common B part in my head, "Johnny, get your hair cut, hair cut, hair cut..."

Tippy Get You Hair Cut (Melvin Wine, fiddle GDAD and Carl Baron, banjo gDGDE) was recorded from an over the air public radio broadcast of the 1977 Chicago Folk Festival.