Here you will find png or jpeg images of the banjo tab for each tune, as well as sound files of each tune played at a reasonable pace by Greg (fiddle), Jere (guitar) and Candy (banjo).
Recordings were made with the knowledge and consent of the musicians for non-commercial use only. All content is licensed under Creative Commons (see below).
I hope that if you live near Seattle, you will come play with us at Candy, Greg and Jere's class and you just need this website as a little reminder of what you've already learned.
If you live far far away from Seattle, then I hope you have a bunch of friends who learn by ear so you can all learn these tunes and play them together. After all, it's more fun that way!
And if you haven't got that, I encourage you to bring yourself and your instrument to a festival and find some friends or a teacher.
**A Note To Banjo Tab Readers**
Try to learn the tune by ear. If you find you need to refer to the tab, here are a few things you might like to know.
This tab is far from authoritative. There are bound to be mistakes and different interpretations, so do not feel obligated to adhere strictly to the written tab.
To save space I have sometimes cut corners (measures?): Rather than notating a pick up and then first and second endings, I may have offset the beat by one - sometimes you'll find that what looks like the one beat in the tab is actually the four (usually if that's the case I have tried to point to the real one beat at the beginning).
I put some notes in parentheses either to show a variation that you might play some of the time, or to emphasize where the melody note is. For example, it might be a brush-thumb where only the melody note is not in parentheses. Also, if you see an "X" note, that means don't play it.
I notated with Xs instead of rests to indicate that you should still make a downward movement with your frailing hand to keep the rhythm, but just don't hit any strings. I hope it becomes clear on listening. If you have any confusion, listen again. Then feel free to write me (address below). Or just make up your own way that works for you.
Winter '10
2/8/10 Been to the East Been to the West:
learn by ear
2/1/10 Chicken in the Barnyard, from Monte Sano Crowder:
learn by ear
1/25/10 Cluck Old Hen, from Ed Weaver and Pug Allen:
learn by ear
Fall '09
11/9/09 Good Indian, from Marion Thede's Fiddle Book:
learn by ear; my
banjo tab;
banjo tab from Daniel Palmer
10/5/09 Old Sledge, from Ralph Roberts via Jimmy Triplett:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
9/28/09 Wink the Other Eye, from Hack's String Band:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
9/21/09 Long Summer Day, from Melvin Wine:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Spring '09
4/13/09 California Cotillion, from Fields Ward:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
4/6/09 John Brown's March, from the Hollow Rock String Band:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Winter '09
2/9/09 Billy in the Lowland, from Henry Reed:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
2/2/09 Jack of All Trades, from Melvin Wine:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
1/26/09 Liza Jane, from Marion Reese:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Fall '08
10/13/08 Rebel Raid, from W.H. Stepp:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
10/6/08 Old Skedaddalink or Mountain Hornpipe, from Melvin Wine:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
9/29/08 Tippin' in the Parlor, from Marvin Gaster by way of Rich Hartness:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Spring '08
5/27/08 Fort Smith Breakdown, on "Echoes of the Ozarks":
learn by ear;
banjo tab
4/15/08 Massa Bill or Mossy Bill, from Frank Reed via Rafe Stefanini:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
4/8/08 Seneca Square Dance, from Fiddlin' Sam Long, on "Echoes of the Ozarks, vol. 1":
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Winter '08
3/25/08 The Girl Slipped Down, from D. Dix Hollis:
learn by ear;
banjo tab2/12/08 Cripple Creek, from Chester Nolan:
learn by ear;
banjo tab1/29/08 Come On Boys, Let's Go to Anaky, from Kentucky fiddler Gusty Wallace:
learn by ear;
banjo tab 1/22/08 Cora Dye, from
Dear Old Illinois, a collection of Illinois tunes:
learn by ear;
banjo tab Fall '07
10/2/07 Going Back to Fielden, from Dirk Powell on "Hand Me Down":
learn by ear;
banjo tab 9/25/07 Johnny Come Along, from Clyde Davenport:
learn by ear;
banjo tab Spring '07
4/24/07 Jaybird Died of the Whooping Cough, from John Ashby:
learn by ear;
banjo tab 4/17/07 Bullfrog on a Puncheon Floor, a Kentucky tune from Bruce Greene:
learn by ear;
banjo tab Winter '07
2/13/07 Run Johnny Run, from W.H. Step:
learn by ear;
banjo tab 2/6/07 Southern Home in Dixie, from Luther Davis:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
1/30/07 Mary Wants a Lover, from John Ashby:
learn by ear;
banjo tab Fall '06
12/13/06 Possum on a Rail, from the Newton County Hillbillies:
learn by ear;
banjo tab 10/18/06 Magpie, via The Fuzzy Mountain Stringband:
learn by ear;
banjo tab 10/11/06 Going To The Wedding To Get Some Cake, from the Newton County Hillbillies, on Mississippi String Bands vol. 2:
learn by ear;
banjo tab 10/4/06 Green Mountain, from Isham Monday (of Kentucky):
learn by ear;
banjo tab Spring '06
5/9/06 Springfield Girl, (in Thede):
learn by ear;
banjo tab 5/2/06 Katie Fetch the Soap Home, from Estil Bingham:
learn by ear;
banjo tabWinter '06
3/14/06 Miss Sally at the Party:
learn by ear 1/31/06 Muddy Creek, from John Salyer:
learn by ear;
banjo tab 1/24/06 Great Big Yam Potatoes, from "Great Big Yam Potatoes: Anglo-American Fiddle Music from Mississippi," Hardy Sharp fiddling:
learn by ear;
banjo tab 1/17/06 Bear Creek (could be "Beer Creek's Up"), from "Great Big Yam Potatoes: Anglo-American Fiddle Music from Mississippi," with W.E. Claunch:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Fall '05
11/22/05 Cutting at the Point, from Charlie Wilson and his Hayloft Boys:
learn by ear;
banjo tab We played it out of D, but you could figure it out in G as well. There was controversy about which key it was really in. You'll see.
11/15/05 Barley Corn, off a 1980s Fiddle Tunes "field recording":
learn by ear;
banjo tab Spring '05
6/14/05 Nellie Bly:
learn by ear;
banjo tab 5/3/05 Who's Been Here Since I Been Gone:
learn by ear;
banjo tab 4/27/05 Sail Away Ladies, from J.P. Fraley:
learn by ear;
banjo tab 4/19/05 Great Big Taters, from Eck Robertson:
learn by ear;
banjo tab Winter '05
3/29/05 Corn in the Crib:
learn by ear;
banjo tab 2/22/05 Goin' Back to Chattanooga:
learn by ear;
banjo tab 2/15/05 Feed My Horses Corn and Hay, from Buddy Thomas:
learn by ear;
banjo tab 2/8/05 Push that Pig's Foot a Little Further into the Fire, from Marcus Martin:
learn by ear;
banjo tab Fall '04
11/29/04 Cotton Bonnet, from Bruce Greene:
original;
banjo tab 10/12/04 Old Time Billy in the Lowground, from Kelly Gilbert of Kentucky:
learn by ear;
banjo tab 10/5/04 Turkey in the Straw, from Bruce Greene's "Rare Chestnuts":
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Spring '04
4/13/04 Pearl Blake's Tune
3/30/04 Moon Behind the Hill, from Melvin Wine
3/23/04 Bile Them Cabbage Down
Winter '04
2/3/04 Charles Guiteau, from Ward Jarvis:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
1/27/04 Little Boy, Where'd You Get Your Britches?, from Clyde Davenport:
learn by ear;
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1/20/04 Handsome Julie, from Estil Bingham:
learn by ear;
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Fall '03
12/1/03 Boatin' Up Sandy, from Clyde Davenport:
learn by ear;
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11/25/03 Sourwood Mountain:
learn by ear;
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9/16/03 Rocky Road to Dublin:
learn by ear;
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9/9/03 Old Buzzard, from Doc Roberts:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Winter '10
2/22/10 Horse Shoe, from Andrew Burnside of West Virginia via Jimmy Triplett:
learn by ear
2/15/10 Texas or Newcastle, from Henry Reed:
learn by ear
Calico '09 (fiddle tuned to AEAC#)
12/7/09 Come Back Alive, from Greg Canote:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
11/30/09 Hickory Smith, from Greg Canote:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
11/23/09 Walkin' Back to Texas, from Greg Canote:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Fall '09
10/19/09 Come On Boys, Let's Feed the Horses, from Burl Hammons via Jimmy Triplett (modal!):
learn by ear;
banjo tab
10/12/09 Wine's Delight or Watermelon Pie, from Melvin Wine:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Spring '09
5/4/09 Blind Steer in a Mudhole, from Jimmy Wheeler of Ohio:
learn by ear;
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4/20/09 Bonaparte Crossing the Nile, from Jimmy Triplett (modal!):
learn by ear;
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4/13/09 Cluck Old Hen, from Alan Jabbour:
learn by ear;
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Winter '09
3/2/09 Hail Against the Barn Door, from Jimmy Triplett (modal!):
learn by ear;
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2/23/09 Speed the Plow, from the Beers Family:
learn by ear;
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2/16/09 Late for the Dance, from Garry Harrison:
learn by ear;
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Fall '08
11/17/08 Train on the Island, from Luther Davis:
learn by ear;
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10/27/08 Pretty Little Shoes, from Lester McCumbers:
learn by ear;
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10/20/08 Jenny Run Away in the Mud in the Night, from Marcus Martin:
learn by ear;
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Spring '08
4/29/08 Clayhole Waltz, from Bunkhouse Orchestra on "Old-Time Cowboy Songs":
learn by ear;
banjo tab
4/22/08 Icy Mountain, from Ward Jarvis:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Winter '08
3/4/08 Lacy Brown, from John Salyer:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
2/26/08 Christmas Time in the Morning, from Stephen B. Tucker:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Fall '07
10/16/07 Cotton Eyed Joe, from Marcus Martin of western North Carolina:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
10/9/07 Wild Rose of the Mountain, from J.P. Fraley of Kentucky:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Spring '07
5/8/07 Irish Polka, from midwestern fiddler Jeff Goehring:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
5/1/07 Sugar in the Gourd, from a recording of Andy Cahan with Carlie Marion:
learn by ear;
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Winter '07
3/6/07 Buffalo Gals, from John Hatcher:
learn by ear;
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2/27/07 Double File, from Gaither Carlton:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Fall '06
11/15/06 Tater Patch, from Charlie Lowe:
learn by ear;
banjo tab 11/8/06 Dinah, from Henry Reed:
learn by ear;
banjo tab Spring '06
5/16/06 Shaking Down the Acorns, from Burl Hammons (A modal!):
learn by ear;
banjo tab Winter '06
2/14/06 Grub Springs, from "Great Big Yam Potatoes: Anglo-American Fiddle Music from Mississippi," with W.E. Claunch:
learn by ear;
banjo tab 2/7/06 The Horny Ewe, from Ernie Carpenter:
learn by ear 2/7/06 Ida Red, from Dykes Magic City Trio:
learn by ear Fall '05
11/8/05 Give the Fiddler a Dram, from Luther Strong:
learn by ear;
banjo tab 11/1/05 Crow Little Rooster/Greenback Dollar, from Tom Sauber (from Marion Thede's Fiddle Book):
learn by ear;
banjo tab 10/18/05 The Rout, from Mike Seeger and Paul Brown:
learn by ear;
banjo tab Spring '05
5/17/05 Morning Flower, from Wilson Douglas:
learn by ear;
banjo tab 5/10/05 Chinquapin Hunting, from Norman Edmonds:
learn by ear;
banjo tab Winter '05
3/8/05 Shady Grove:
learn by ear;
banjo tab 3/1/05 Stillhouse Branch:
learn by ear;
banjo tab Fall '04
10/26/04 Fire on the Mountain:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
10/19/04 Old Joe Clark:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Spring '04
5/11/04 Left My Girl in the Mountains, from Estil Bingham:
banjo tab
4/27/04 Lady of the Lake
4/20/04 Liza Jane
Winter '04
2/17/04 Pretty Little Rooster, Traditional:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
2/10/04 Goodbye Girls, I'm Goin' to Boston, from Art Stamper:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Fall '03
9/30/03 Wine's Delight, from Melvin Wine:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
9/23/03 Greenback Dolly-O, from Melvin Wine:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Winter '10
3/1/10 Nancy Dawson, from Isham Monday of Kentucky:
learn by ear
Fall '09
11/2/09 John Dye, a tune out of
Dear Old Illinois from Henry Hall:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
10/26/09 Dance, Boatmen, Dance - a tune out of
Dear Old Illinois from Harvey Taylor:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Spring '09
6/1/09 Sally Ann, from Travis and Trevor Stuart:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
5/18/09 Going Down to Georgie-O, from Melvin Wine:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
5/11/09 Lowry's Quadrille, from John Summers via Armin Barnett:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Winter '09
3/16/09 Goodbye Liza Jane, Traditional:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
3/9/09 Cruel Willie, from Max Collins:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Fall '08
11/10/08 Black Eyed Susie, from Uncle Norman Edmonds:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
11/3/08 Willow Creek, from Ralph Whited:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Spring '08
5/20/08 Rock the Cradle Joe, Traditional (influenced by Franklin George):
learn by ear;
banjo tab
5/13/08 Julie Ann Johnson, from Emmett Lundy:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
5/6/08 Western Country or Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss or Susannah Gal, from Emmett Lundy:
learn by ear;
banjo tabWinter '08
3/18/08 Snowbird, from Sammy Dyer:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
3/11/08 Banjo Tramp, from Ward Jarvis:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Fall '07
11/13/07 Sweet Little Julie, from Uncle Norman Edmonds:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
11/6/07 Roscoe Parish's Tune, from Roscoe Parish:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
10/30/07 Another version of Durang's hornpipe, this time from Bruce Greene who got it from Jake Phelps:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
10/23/07 Rochester Schottische, from Tommy Jarrell:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Spring '07
5/22/07 Cumberland Gap (three parts), from Greg Canote:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
5/15/07 Grasshopper Sittin' on a Sweet Potato Vine, from Luther Davis:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Winter '07
3/27/07 Polly Put the Kettle On, from Luther Davis:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
3/20/07 Johnny Don't Get Drunk, from John Ashby:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
3/13/07 Shepherd's Walk, from Jimmy Triplett:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Fall '06
12/6/06 Sara Armstrong's, from James Bryan, who got it from a book (called
"Hill Country Tunes" by Samuel Bayard):
learn by ear;
banjo tab
11/22/06 Durang's, from Jim Herd:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Spring '06
5/23/06 Rabbit in the Pea Patch, from Uncle Dave Macon:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Winter '06
3/7/06 Robinson County, from "Echoes of the Ozarks" by the Morrison twin brothers stringband:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
2/21/06 Green Willis or The Raw Recruit, from the Kimble family:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Fall '05
10/11/05 Katy, Bar the Door, from Rayna Gellert (from Roscoe Parish):
learn by ear;
banjo tab
10/4/05 Yellow Cat, from Tom Sauber (from Marion Thede's Fiddle Book):
learn by ear;
banjo tab
9/27/05 Goin' Down to Georgie-O, from Melvin Wine:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Spring '05
6/7/05 West Fork Girls, from Wilson Douglas:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
5/24/05 The Eighth of January, from "Echoes of the Ozarks" by the Morrison twin brothers stringband:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Winter '05
3/22/05 Dog's in the Dishes:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
3/15/05 Drink More Cider:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Fall '04
11/23/04 Pumpkin Ridge/Round up the Yearlings, from Jimmy Triplett:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
11/16/04 The Old Muse and her Pups:
learn by ear;
banjo tab 11/9/04 Needlecase:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Spring '04
Yellow Rose of Texas, from Bruce Greene:
learn by ear;
banjo tab Jack Wilson, from John Salyer:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
Winter '04
3/9/04 Lucy's Tune, from Norman Edmonds:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
3/2/04 Bert Anderson's Tune (in C) from Clyde Davenport:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
2/24/04 Ship in the Clouds, from the Kimble family:
learn by ear;
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Fall '03
11/18/03 Wolf Creek, from Bruce Greene:
learn by ear;
banjo tab
11/11/03 Bonaparte Crossing the Rhine:
learn by ear;
banjo tab