Old Time Fiddle Tune Favorites from Tristan Scroggins

Popular Nashville mandolinist Tristan Scroggins has published a book containing 15 familiar jam tunes called Old Time Fiddle Tune Favorites.

The book is just as the title describes. Tristan has selected a group of tunes that are very common in jam sessions, to help intermediate mandolinists who are ready to approach the old time scene, but aren’t sure which pieces to learn.

Or as Scroggins puts it…

“This is a book for mandolin players who are interested in old time fiddle tunes but don’t know where to start. I’ve curated a selection of 15 tunes that I are frequently played in jams in all the places I’ve traveled to. I’ve written out a simple but accurate version of the melody in standard notation and tab. I’ve also included some history of the tune and where I learned it. There are also multiple sources/versions of the tune that can easily be found on the internet listed for each tune, and a Spotify playlist contatining them all.”

Tunes in the book include:

  • Booth Shot Lincoln (AKA “Booth”)
  • Breakin’ Up Christmas
  • Chinquapin Hunting
  • Dry and Dusty
  • Farewell Trion
  • Greasy Coat
  • John Brown’s Dream
  • Julianne Johnson
  • Lost Girl
  • Midnight on the Water
  • Old Grimes (AKA Dubuque)
  • Seneca Square Dance
  • Shove That Pig’s Foot (A Little Farther in the Fire)
  • Squirrel Hunters
  • Tennessee Mountain Fox Chase

You can purchase a copy of Old Time Fiddle Tune Favorites from Tristan’s bandcamp page for $20.

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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 2004 until being folded into Bluegrass Today in September of 2011. He continues in that capacity here, managing a strong team of columnists and correspondents.