Louisville Breakdown

I stumbled across this in my YouTube subscriptions and realized that this fiddler also keeps a blog about sustainable farming as well as old-time music if you're interested.

This second video is the same tune just played in a different setting with more instruments. The first is good as kind of an instructional video.

Four Leaf Peat: Post Game

I saw Four Leaf Peat tonight (and made it home to watch my somewhat embarrassing UK Wildcats play) and it was worth it. They are seriously talented.

The best moment of the show for me was when they played James Scott Skinner's "Hector the Hero" and dedicated to recently passed loved ones. Any time you get to hear a Skinner tune out it's a treat, and under those circumstances it was even nicer.

Here's a collection of reels, but I encourage you to also buy the cd here.

The Green Fields of Miltown/The Long Drop/Callaghan's MP3

St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I'm watching some Irish music tonight. In the meantime, here's Ashley MacIsaac playing celtic tunes with Quinn Banchand.

Cigar Box Fiddle

I have to get one of these someday... right after I spend that other money I don't have.

Girl I Left Behind Me

I've generally had a hard time on YouTube finding this tune, so this is one of the better versions I could find. It's followed by Red Wing. Generally I want a little more grit out of my old-time music, but this will do.

Ida Red

Here's Lester McCumbers again playing Ida Red. This was filmed at the Glenville Festival of 2006.

John Brown's Dream

This is quite interesting. There are whole series of videos on YouTube that feature old-time music in Japan, and this one has what appears to be a Japanese clogger.

Hangman's Reel

This is a fun four-part tune to play. This was recorded out at Purple Fiddle in Thomas, WV.

New Cut Road

People that frequent West Virginia festivals will no doubt recognize these guys (Frank George on Fiddle, David O'Dell on banjo, Jimmy Costa on guitar). The tune is cut off, but I like the way these guys play.

Battle of New Orleans

This is a really nice version of Battle of New Orleans (aka 8th of January) by Little Brown Jug Band. The tempo on this is just right. A lot of people play this tune too fast.

Four Leaf Peat in Concert

Going to see Four Leaf Peat (see my previous post about them) this Tuesday at the Square Room in Knoxville. If you're in the area you should go. I got my tickets from here. After that it's off to freezing Snowshoe, WV, for a little family visiting.

Live from Clifftop

Not 100% certain, but this tune sounds a lot like Cumberland Gap to me. Anybody know any different? Wonderful tune whatever it is.

North Carolina Breakdown

This is a video I stumbled upon a while ago but it's still my favorite version of this tune that I've heard yet. It features Erynn Marshall among many others.

Temperance Reel

Here's Joe Dobbs playing Temperance Reel at the 2007 Jackson's Mill. I have a photo of him wearing that same shirt.... from 2008. Coincidence? Probably.

Pictures from Jackson's Mill

These are a little old, from the Summer of 2008. I took these at Jackson's Mill in West Virginia. Many of them are of the Samples Brothers, but there's a few others in there as well, including Dave Bing and Buddy Griffin.

Seneca Square Dance: Instructional

I always like this guy's instructional videos. Here's "that guy" playing Seneca Square Dance.

The Fox Hunt

I saw this band (The Fox Hunt) over on Fiddle Freak and when I learned they were from West Virginia I couldn't resist talking about it here. Go over there and check out some of their MP3s.

Here's an excerpt from Stuart Mason of Fiddle Freak:

This just in… West by-God Virginia has spawned another band of bad boys with an outlaw attitude that play real-deal oldtime mountain music. The Fox Hunt have released their second record, titled America’s Working So We Don’t Have To, on Skull City Records.

Lester McCumbers Plays Yew Piney Mountain

How could I not post this tune? This video is mostly the story of Lester McCumbers, which is worth watching, but if you just want to hear the tune it starts at 4:34. For what it's worth, the two people playing with him are regulars at Jackson's Mill in West Virginia and both are fantastic players in their own right.

Bill Bailey

Here's my in-laws (Samples Brothers) playing a fun tune called Bill Bailey. It was recorded live with friends back in the 1970s.

Bill Bailey MP3

Booth Shot Lincoln

This is one of my favorite old-time tunes, Booth Shot Lincoln. I really like the tempo these guys play at here. If you're trying to follow along, this tune is a little easier to play in cross tuning, either AEAE or GDGD.

Four Leaf Peat

This band is from Knoxville. They play a lot of Irish and Celtic traditional tunes. I heard on an interview that they met first at Patrick Sullivan's, a local bar that offers free Celtic music on Thursday nights.

Check out their MySpace page here for some of their tunes.

Old Mother Flanagan: Lester McCumbers

A lot of people are familiar with Lester McCumbers. He's kind of a legend in West Virginia. Here's a good example of why.