Old-Time Banjo Favorites for Clawhammer Banjo

levensonDan Levenson has put together a handy tunebook for fans of old time fiddle and banjo music, published by Mel Bay.

Though titled Old-Time Favorites for Clawhammer Banjo, the book (with a pair of audio CDs) contains transcriptions of both banjo tab and fiddle melody for 62 popular and more obscure tunes.

In fact, each tune contains three musical examples: the basic fiddle melody, and both a basic and more advanced banjo arrangement. One of the accompanying CDs contains recordings of the fiddle versions, and the other the banjo tabs.

Tunes included are:table tr {background:white;}

  • And the Cat Came Back
  • Angelina Baker
  • Arkansas Traveler
  • Bitter Creek
  • Black Hills Waltz
  • Bob Tailed Mule
  • Bonapart’s Retreat – Wm. H. Stepp version
  • Booth Shot Lincoln
  • Briar Picker Brown
  • Cluck Old Hen
  • Cold Frosty Morning – modal – Henry Reed
  • Mel Durham version
  • Cold Frosty Morning – major – Melvin Wine version
  • The Cuckoo
  • Cumberland Gap
  • Doctor Doctor
  • Duck River
  • Ducks on the Millpond
  • Ebenezer
  • (Mr.) Fishar’s Hornpipe – 3 part version
  • Folding Down the Sheets
  • Forked Deer
  • Fortune
  • Great Big Taters in A Sandy Land
  • Grey Eagle
  • Johnson Boys
  • Katy Hill
  • Little Dutch Girl
  • The Merry Blacksmith
  • Mississippi Sawyer
  • (Wooliver’s) Money Musk
  • Needlecase
  • Old Belle Cow
  • Opera Reel
  • Over the Waterfall
  • Policeman
  • Polly Put the Kettle On
  • Push the Pig’s Foot a Little Further Into the Fire
  • The Rattlesnake
  • Rock the Cradle Joe
  • Sal’s Got Mud Between Her Toes
  • Salt Creek – aka Salt River
  • Salty River Reel
  • Shady Grove – modal version
  • (Doc Robert’s) Shortnin’ Bread
  • Snowbird
  • Soldier’s Joy
  • Spotted Pony
  • Step Around Johnny
  • Sugar Hill
  • Three Thin Dimes
  • Three Way Hornpipe
  • Waiting For the Federals – aka Seneca Square
  • Dance
  • Walk Along John to Kansas
  • Walking in the Parlor
  • West Fork Gals
  • Whitesburg
  • There is a) Wild Hog in the Woods
  • Wild Horses at Stony Point
  • Wooden Nickel
  • The Year of Jubilo – aka Lincoln’s Gunboats
  • Yellow Barber
  • Y. Z. Hamilton’s Special Breakdown

Soon to follow is a book with the same tunes arranged for fiddle and mandolin.

Old-Time Banjo Favorites for Clawhammer Banjo is available now from Mel Bay, Mel Bay dealers worldwide, or from Dan’s web site.

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About the Author

John Lawless

John had served as primary author and editor for The Bluegrass Blog from its launch in 2006 until being folded into Bluegrass Today in September of 2011. He continues in that capacity here, managing a strong team of columnists and correspondents.