Banjo Hangout Top 100 Old Time Songs

Cluck Old Hen

Little Princess Footsteps

I learned this C tune from a 1931 Okeh recording of the Mississippi old time string bad the Newton County Hillbillies, featuring Alvis Massengale on fiddle. It's a practice recording from a few years ago, uploaded for the 11/11/22 Old Time TOTW. I am three finger picking my 1928 Vega Tubaphone with a semi-fretless conversion neck, in double C tuning (gCGCD)

Single Girl

My take on Roscoe Holcomb's (Rosko Halcomb's) classic 2ftl version of "Single Girl" in open D tuning (f#DF#AD)

Needle Case

2010 on Jason Burns #3

Four Cent Cotton (TOTW)

A bit of Prohibition and Depression era history here, the poor farmer couldn't make enough money raising cotton. Four Cent Cotton led to raising corn instead for whiskey. Times haven't changed so much, sad to say. This arrangement comes from the early recording of fiddler Lowe Stokes.

Rose Conley

Rose Conley, 2 finger thumb lead, based on Grayson & Whittier's 1927 version, tuned a half step or so low out of standard "G"

I Wish I was a Mole in the Ground (TOTW)

Based on Doc Watson's banjo playing, he learned this as a child from his uncle Jake Miller and said it was a courting song. It was a pleasure to look at the video, hear his banjo and vocals, and learn his solo, as well as see him performing with his son Merle. The video is an entire live performance if you're interested. Nice TOTW choice by Neill Connor!

Cousin Sally Brown

I'm uploading this Marcus Martin tune as my contribution to the 1/29/21 old time Tune of the Week. The fiddler is my good friend John Maguire. We recorded it exactly one year ago, today.

Last Chance

Such a compelling old time tune handed down to us from the great Hobart Smith. I prefer to play it at this slow groove tempo.

Porter's Reel

From the CD "The Old Texas Fiddle, Vol. II", with Howard Rains and Tricia Spencer, fiddles; Brendan Doyle, banjo; Nancy Hartness, guitar; Charlie Hartness, ukulele; Virginia Musser, bass. Recorded in December, 2014 by Mike West at the 9th Ward Pickin' Parlor, Lawrence, KS.

Buffalo Nickel

Upload for the Old Time TOTW for December 4, 2020. The tune is generally called Too Young to Marry, but the fiddler I learned it from called it Buffalo Nickel.

28th of January (TOTW)

The date hasn't rung any bells yet, but the minor key sure gives it a rather melancholy feel. I listened to some vintage Piney Creek Weasels to arrange this one and used a rare Am tuning rare -- aEACE.

Country Blues/Hustling Gambler

Dock Boggs' Country Blues/Hustling Gambler in f#CGAD tuned a half step or so low...

Green River (TOTW)

A fine Tune of the Week from North Carolina with a crooked part that suits the title Green River.

Blackberry Blossom (Emma Lee Dickerson)(TOTW)

A wonderful champion fiddler, Tatiana Hargreaves, plays the Tune of the Week and bases it upon the older fiddler Emma Lee Dickerson. In an interview Tatiana claims that's her doppelg?nger, a new word for me. They look alike in photos. The tune is very familiar to me, but Emma Lee's is unique, so I also include the more traditional one in this recording.

A Rose for Polly (TOTW)

Rose for Polly is a pretty, 3-part song in a minor key. Perhaps it makes for a good love story -- a hopeful suitor gives her a rose, she responds sweetly, but with a bit of reservation, though continuing to offer hope.

Old Plank Reel (TOTW)

This is the one of the versions for the old-time Tune of the Week, differing from the famous Uncle Dave Macon song. My arrangement comes from Erich Schroeder (BHO's vrteach). I wish he was still active here and I really enjoyed learning a tune from his recording. The title, as we learn in the discussion thread, is probably not the real one. But if it were to be, I'm reminded of Old Sacramento where you walk on the historic old plank road as you visit the shops and museums and go on the old Delta...

Coal Creek March

Finger picked on a newly crafted 11"walnut and pecan open back banjo in open D tuning d a f# d f#.

Eastern Interloper

Tunaday #106 - In G Modal-f (fDGCD).

Darling Nelly Gray Kyle Creed

Wolf Creek (DOI)(TOTW)

This version of Wolf Creek is from Harvey "Pappy" Taylor (b.1894), recorded in 1974. Slowed down from the original, it makes a pretty piece in fDGCD tuning. DOI stands for Dear Old Illinois, a compilation of songs and fiddle tunes by Garry and Steve Harrison and Jo Burgess. Wolf Creek is the old-time Tune of the Week for 3/13/20.

Lovely Jane (clawhammer)

A tune I learned while playing banjo to Melvin Wine's fiddling. aDAde

Ridin' the Dusty Trail

Tunaday #100 - In G Modal-f (fDGCD).

Hills of Mexico

Hills of Mexico - mix of Rosko Halcomb and Bye Hutchins lyrics, banjo tuned eC#F#BC# (fDGCD tuned down a step)

Christmas Morning (from Melvin Wine)

Played in the key of A using the "John Brown's Dream" or Low Bass tuning--a A(low) A C# E. Banjo is a Fairbanks Whyte Laydie #2.

Old Spinning Wheel (TOTW)

For the old-time Tune of the Week, 12/14/18, this sentimental song plays out in clawhammer rather than the Scruggs picking style I originally learned it in.

Sweet Nell (TOTW)

For the old-time Tune of the Week, Sweet Nell is the title name of a CD by a Washington-based group who wrote the tunes. The tune is named for Nell, the daughter of Paul Newman, partners in a charity-based organic snack company. It's a sweet tune.

Frosty Morn/Cold Frosty Morning medley (TOTW)

Frosty Morn is the old-time Tune of the Week, 8/24/18. Related to Cold Frosty Morning in some of its melody and chordal movement, here's a medley of the two. The first was learned from the guitar flat-picking of Doc Watson, who I idolize. The second was learned from Miles Krassen's Clawhammer Banjo book. He used Henry Reed's version which he had published previously in his Appalachia Fiddle book. Sawmill tuning, playing on my Doc's Banjo.

Sail Away Ladies

This is the Luther Davis version of Sail Away Ladies, or at least my interpretation of it. Presented for Tune Of The Week for August 2nd, 2018. In any case a fine tune!

Trouble on My Mind (TOTW)

For the old-time Tune of the Week, 6/8/18, Trouble on My Mind was recorded by Kentucky fiddler John Salyer's sons at home. Salyer never recorded commercially, but was an excellent fiddler. This tune is crooked in the last measure when it repeats and is unusual in having six measures in the A part and eight in the B part.