Barlow Knife

Here's another tune I don't believe I've posted about before called Barlow Knife. As usual, lots of different versions, some with words most without. Searching for some good examples I came across this version, which I really like but seems to have been filmed in a staircase for some reason. Either way, well done sir:


YouTube/bassmart08

For a different sounding version, here's a group from TX:

YouTube/mandodoc

And for all you people who just like banjo, try out this version from the music archives of dphall:

Barlow Knife MP3

Backstep Cindy

Looking through my tune book, the one to come up is Backstep Cindy, which I believe is by Tommy Jarrell.

The first thing I did was type this in YouTube to see what versions came up and to my surprise/delight was a video of David Bass playing with Forge Mtn Diggers. I know of him from the Freight Hoppers, and he's been to Knoxville many times and played with some people I know here. Nobody plays with such a driving-yet-clear tone as Bass. He plays so hard he can never contain himself and inevitably breaks out what one friend of mine calls the stank leg.

Here he is with Forge Mtn Diggers playing Backstep Cindy:


YouTube/arthurhaskell

If it's the slower tempo you like with more banjo, try this version out from squawkeye on Fiddle Hangout:
Backstep Cindy MP3

Chance McCoy and the Appalachian String Band

Some of the people I play music with have been raving about Chance McCoy for a while now. For whatever reason, I did not look into it sufficiently until now. I could struggle to write a review myself, but it wouldn't say anything different from what you can already see on his MySpace page.

Here are the essentials:
He's from eastern West Virginia, a major plus as far as I'm concerned, and has learned from many of the state's greats, including Dave Bing.

A recently recorded album with The Appalachian String Band includes Adam Hurt on the banjo, who I think is one of the best young banjo players around. I had bought Adam Hurt's solo album (Insight) a while ago and really enjoy that one as well.

If you've played much in West Virginia, the repertoire on the album will be familiar, including tunes like "Shelvin Rock," "Yew Piney Mountain," and "Jimmy Johnson."

In short, I highly recommend this, I think it's one of the best newer acts to come along in a while.

Here are some videos from what I believe is Chance McCoy's personal YouTube profile:



Dance All Night With A Bottle In Your Hand MP3

And Wild Horse of Stony Point, or just "Stony Point" as I've often heard it called:

Fretless Banjo

Not sure the name of this tune here, but I really like it, and I like the sound of a fretless banjo. It takes the ring out of the sound and makes it more plucky, more primitive sounding.



YouTube/banjer

Adam Hurt: New River Train

One of the best banjo players I've heard is Adam Hurt. Here he is with New River Train. I have an old-timey recording of this somewhere that I'll post later to compare. I like his playing better though because it's so clean and precise and he's not in a hurry.

Elsick's Farewell

This tune has a story behind that I'm not sure I'm sold on, but I haven't heard otherwise either. My father-in-law's family is from the county line between Kanawha County and Clay County, WV. One of his brother's told me that this tune originated during the time of the Civil War by a family near them that is still around, the Carpenter's (of Ernie Carpenter).

He told me that when brother Elsick Carpenter was going off to fight for the Union (I believe he told me it was the Union) one of his relative's wrote him this tune, and that's why it's called Elsick's Farewell.

He could have told me that just to mess with me, I don't know, but it seemed legit.

Or if you prefer, here's the fiddle version by the very talented John Morris, who I believe is from Clay County, WV.

Boatman

Here's the same guy as in "Jordan Am A Hard Road to Travel" doing another hard to find tune, Boatman. Well done AppalachianNoir.

Jordan am a Hard Road to Travel

Man this tune is hard to find. This guy does a great job with it. It was also redone later, during or following the Civil War, as "Richmond Am A Hard to Travel."

Old, Old Arkansas Traveler

I just back from the stovepipe hat store myself.

Steven Martin and the Banjo

Check it out, today's NYT has a story about banjo playing Steve Martin. You can also hear a tune from his album.

Now Mr. Martin is once again in the musician’s role as he releases an album called “The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo.” The record (which is being sold exclusively as a download on Amazon.com, until April 26, when it also will be released by 40 Productions as a CD) is a token of his affection for bluegrass, with appearances by performers like Vince Gill and Dolly Parton. But it is also an opportunity to show off one of his less celebrated, least commercial skills, and to reimmerse himself in a musical genre he never fully gave up.

“It’s a secret world,” he said of bluegrass in an interview at his “SNL” dressing room, where his banjo sat beside him in its case like a baby in a bassinet. “It’s a big world, but it’s thin. And it doesn’t make the news, which is actually quite fantastic.”

Calloway

I could listen to this guy for a long time. He's always at Jackson's Mill, and that's Dave Bing in the background, one of the finest West Virginia fiddler's around.

Gourd Banjos

http://www.jeffreymenzies.com/audio/stolzer_deutscher.mp3
Just found this site today, plenty of links to tunes played on the gourd banjo. This one is called "Old Liza Poor Gal." Liza must have gotten around a lot during the old timey days, seeing as how she has about 136 tunes in her honor.