Banjo Hangout Top 100 Old Time Songs

First Published in 1840. Vocal, Early Banjo, Castanets, and Donkey Jawbone

Early Banjo by James Hartel, Sweeney Model Belle Breezing was born in 1860 and was a nationally known Madam in Lexington, Kentucky. Belle&#39s first job began when she was 19 years old, in a brothel house maintained by Jenny Hill, which had the distinction of being the former residence of First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln. Her final and most elaborate &#34Gentleman&#39s Club&#34 was located at 153 Mego...

1843. a very popular song in the Antebellum Minstrel shows. Played here with a copy of a banjo made by Joel Walker Sweeney circa 1840. The banjo was reconstructed by Luthier James Hartel. Percussion is played on a Donkey&#39s Jawbone. The sound you hear is the teeth rattling when the jawbone is struck with the palm of the hand.

This tune comes from the repertoire of famed Kentucky fiddler Ed Haley (1883-1951). Ed Britt and I recorded this back in November, 2014. Ed is picking clawhammer style on his OME Columbine, in open G tuning, capoed on the second fret. I am three finger picking my semi-fretless short scale Paramount, in an A variant tuning (aEABE).

Ric Hollander - My arrangement of Cumberland Gap, played on the Rettberg and Lang with Nylgut strings. Recorded in 2013. Arrangement and performance copyright 2016 Ric Hollander - All Rights Reserved

Another rearrangement of the handful of notes I know how to play. In Double C.

Edden Hammons

From an excellent jam in Tucson. Dan Levenson on fiddle, Dave Firestine on mandolin, Jerry Weinert on bass, George Flink on banjo uke, Greg Smith and Jennifer Levenson on banjo, Pete Bowers and me on guitar.

For the old-time Tune of the Week, 11/20/15, this version comes from West Virginia fiddler French Carpenter, grandson of Solomon Carpenter who played a tune he called Camp Chase when he was a prisoner-of-war at that location in Ohio during the Civil War. It&#39s said that by playing the tune best Sol actually won his freedom. Check out the TOTW for more info.

A tune learned from the playing of North Carolina fiddler Marcus Martin (1881 - 1974). I hear a sad and serious melody.

For a ToTW post. Dan Levenson on fiddle, Jerry Weinert on bass, me on guitar. No banjo.

A G tune from the playing of fiddler Jim Reed. Played on my Menzies tackhead in standard tuning, but tuned down to C.

Been awhile since I&#39ve posted something. Composed this in CH but liked the way it sounded fingerpicked better. In Double C.

aDAde - derived from Melvin Wine&#39s fiddling. Not exactly as in my Banjo Newsletter tab of 31 years ago (February, 1984).

Learned from the fiddling of well-known Missourian Lonnie Robertson (1908 - 1981). I&#39m just becoming familiar with some of his work and am impressed by his smooth, clear, fast playing.

This style of clawhammer I really only use on stage. Very little melody is played except in the break. I got this song from my dad, who got it from my grandma, who probably got it from the Osborne Brothers.

Sad song. From Cousin Emmy, Roscoe Holcomb, and Frank Proffitt. G tuning, two-finger thumb lead. Rose Maddox recorded a lighthearted version.

The old-time Tune of the Week for 1/16/15 allowed me to look at many sources. I ended up learning from Kentucky fiddler Emmett Lundy, Virginia banjo player Wade Ward, and traditional children&#39s nursery songs. Check out more information on the tune: http://www.banjohangout.org/topic/297815

I&#39ve played this one for a few years now and it has evolved into this. Good ol tune, fune to play and I like it where it is.

Unleashing the latest wanderings of my mind and fingers on the unsuspecting banjo public. In Double C.

From the fiddling of Bruce Greene who learned it from Uncle George Nicholson (born in Laurel Co., KY in 1854). This tune reminds me of another I&#39ve heard before. For some reason the tune gives me a deep sense of deja vu when Bruce plays it. It&#39s on his solo fiddle CD Five Miles of Ellum Wood.

&#34Meg Gray&#34 from the fiddle playing of George Hawkins. Played by Bob Lanham on a Vega Tubaphone banjo.

aEAC#E with autoharp