Learn Clawhammer Banjo

Season 3: Songs for Singin’! Episode 5: “Been All Around this World” Take a story of a man coming to terms with his impending demise from the gallows, combine it with an unforgettable melody, and what do you get? Our 5th selection in the “Songs for Singin’” season of the Core Repertoire Series, that’s what! […]

Season 3: Songs for Singing! EPISODE 4: “Gum Tree Canoe”   When it comes to places to mine for great songs to play on the banjo, there are several great sources to mine. We pulled from one of those sources – the body of work by Stephen Foster – for our last episode. Today, we’ll […]

Season 3: Songs for Singing! Episode 3: “Oh Susanna” For the singing banjoist looking to boost their repertoire, I don’t think you can find a better source than Stephen Foster. Classic, memorable melodies beloved by fans of all ages. And there are even banjo references! You may not be coming from Alabama, but you must […]

Season 3: Songs for Singing! Episode 2: “Crawdad Hole” The banjo and songs about animals go together like peas and carrots. Yet, while songs about chickens, muskrats, and other small and furry mammalian lifeforms abound, the crustaceans, with their beady eyes and hardened exteriors, are often overlooked. Well, not anymore! Besides paying long overdue homage to […]

Season 3: Songs for Singing! Episode 1: “Will the Circle Be Unbroken”  The calendrically oriented among you will note that we recently ushered in a new year. And a new year means a new season in the Core Repertoire Series! Up until this point we’ve focused exclusively on tunes, or “instrumentals.” Just the banjo […]

    The Fridays are Blackened, the Mondays are Cyber-ed, and the Eggs have been Nogged. Yes, the holiday season is officially in full swing. Which means it’s that time of year when you can bust out your holiday repertoire! And there’s nothing better for rousing up the spirit of the season than some tunes played […]

 I defy you not to grab your banjo after listening to this tune. There’s just something about Wandering Boy. Instantly likable. And I’d bet after only a few listens its melody is indelibly embedded in your memory. And while the tune itself is traditionally traced back to a Frank Jenkins fiddle recording from 1927, it […]

   Generally speaking, I like to make tunes my own. Meaning that even if I may be playing a tune I didn’t write (which is the case when one is pulling from a traditional repertoire), I still like to interpret the tune in my own way. When setting about to learn a new tune, […]

Ready for another bonafide clawhammer classic? Me too! We have Clarence Ashley to thank for setting the world of old timey banjo enthusiasts ablaze with his rendition of “The Cuckoo” (or “Coo-Coo”) on the Anthology of American Folk Music album. It didn’t take long to secure a position as a clawhammer classic, and has since been […]