Mel Bay's The Art of the Mountain Banjo (Fantasy) Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm amazed that no one has reviewed this yet. This reissue was published about ten years ago. I hunted down the old kicking mule copies via interlibrary loan years ago, and though the tab used on those original imprints was a bit odd, it was still readable. It's such a relief to see these arrangements in normal tab finally!
The book comes with a CD of the first Kicking Mule album, and that's almost worth the price of admission right there. I love those recordings--even if Art takes things a bit fast at times, he mixes up solos with a good choice of songs you're not liable to find anywhere else("Tennessee Line Hard Times", a variant of "Old Reuben"). One gripe is that they may as well have just added his second album as well for good measure.
I especially appreciate the mix of transcriptions of clawhammer with other picking styles. As much as we associate clawhammer with traditional banjo picking, there were other picking styles that pre-dated Scruggs. Art Rosenbaum seems to be the only one who gives these styles any air time. For example, I love Doc Boggs, and I learned a great deal about Boggs' style working out Art's transcription of "Country Blues"
If you're just a straight clawhammer player, I still think it's worth getting for those arrangments. The rest makes for a nice encyclopedia of oddball picking styles. So, I'll lead off with five stars.

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A complete survey of traditional banjo styles complete with tunings, playing tips, and the author's deft drawings. Progresses from easy tunes for the beginner to more difficult pieces. The styles include up-picking or Pete Seeger's basic strum; two-finger picking; three-finger picking; and what had variously been called frailing, clawhammer, knocking, rapping, overhand, fram-style, flayin' hand, and other Appalachian names, here called down-picking.

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Log Cabin Pioneers: Stories, Songs & Sayings Review

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(More customer reviews)The back of the book includes a witty epigraph by none other than Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln notes "For those of you who like this kind of a book, this is that kind of book you will like." The tautology rings true! What kind of people might like this book? If you're interested in the history of log cabins, Erbsen provides an interesting historical context for these types of buildings. He cites current authorities in vernacular architecture and even critiques some of the myths of the log cabins. He replaces the inaccurate ideas about log cabins with good information about the cultural context that supported these constructions. There is good information about cabin-raisings, ways that musicians "fiddled up a cabin," and the various construction techniques used in a range of buildings. The book provides special attention to ways in which log buildings continue to provide important themes within old-time fiddle tunes, ballads, and bluegrass music. The book includes the words and music to a number of ballads and folksongs, and readers will also appreciate the way that Erbsen included mountaineers' proverbs, folk-speech, and even recipes. I also like the presentations of clever tall tales, legends, and other narratives that pertain to the life of those who lived in these types of houses. Even though Lincoln wasn't born in a log cabin that he built with his own two hands, the book does provide a good understanding of the types of cabins that Lincoln actually lived in. It even includes some of the actual ballads that he sung as a youngster. As Lincoln stated, this book will appeal to people who like this kind of book: namely, those with an interest in the folklore and history of rural America.


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Step inside the door of Log Cabin Pioneers as Wayne Erbsen takes you on a personal journey of finding and restoring a historic log cabin. By the magic of a crackling fire, he'll introduce you to authentic pioneers who will sing you ancient songs, spin yarns about Davy Crockett, Daniel Boone and Thomas Jefferson, and tell spell-binding tales of bear hunting with moonshine or give you advice on how to buy a mule. Join other settlers in a house raising, hew logs for a cabin, shop in an old-fashioned general store, eat ash cake and dance your socks off at an old-fashioned barn dance. Includes remedies, superstitions, romantic advice, 143 vintage photos, words & music to 19 songs.

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The Outhouse Papers: Country Humor and Trivia Review

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(More customer reviews)THE OUTHOUSE PAPERS is simple light-hearted fun about such diverse concerns as Corn & Insults, Gold Rushes & Festivals, Love Lore & Chickens, Civil War Slang & Cowboy Cooking Lingo, Dogs & Famous People, Hobo Jokes & Farmers, Mark Twain Wit & Mule Eggs, Fingernail Lore & Fiddling Around, Inventions & Hunting Tales, General Stores & Headstone Humor, & much, much more!
A bit of earthy frivolity for when we're about our serious business. Every throne room should have a copy - even those in our libraries!

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A hilarious book of country humor and trivia that gathers together jokes, slang, stories, folklore, and facts on a broad range of topics.

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Banjo Pickers Fake Book Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is 216 pages of banjo tunes arranged for three-finger and clawhammer players. It includes a cross-reference of alternate titles and a 24 page general discography, as well as a discussion of the types of tunes included. There is also a short discussion of technical topics such as modes (very appropriate for traditional music) and how to read tablature.
This book is a lot like a Grainger's collection of fiddle tunes for flatpickers. Unlike Grainger's, which only provides enough tablature to spell out the melody for the A part and the B part, The Banjo Picker's Fakebook takes you through one whole iteration of each tune complete with first and second endings. Also like Grainger's, this is not an instruction book. It leaves both the right and left hand fingerings entirely up to the reader. For example, if you are a strictly a bluegrass player, the clawhammer arrangements will not be useful to you.
Although the discography could be used to collect aural examples of the tunes, a CD or a set of tapes would have been a welcome addition. Music is an aural art, and it is impossible to convey the full musical sense in tablature or in standard musical notation alone.
If you are looking for a lot of tunes, thoughtfully arranged in a single volume, I highly recommend The Banjo Picker's Fakebook. If the tune can't be found in this book, chances are no one eles knows it either, so you could go ahead and play anything that fit.

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This ultimate sourcebook for the banjo player contains over 230 jigs, reels, rags, hornpipes, and breakdowns from all major traditional instrumental styles. Includes special introductory materials on regional styles, interpretation, and bluegrass techniques. Discography.

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Rousing Songs & True Tales of the Civil War Review

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(More customer reviews)Rousing Songs and True Tales of the Civil War is an anthology of vintage songs and anecdotes from the American Civil War. Each song is fit onto one page, in simple musical notation with the lyrics printed both within the music notation and separately for easy reading. Black-and-white photographs and illustrations embellish the histories behind individual tunes and some just plain eye-popping tales. Especially ideal for Civil War buffs as well as anyone interested in singing vintage pieces or performing them on any simple instrument (the tunes appear to work especially well with a harmonica), Rousing Songs and True Tales of the Civil War perfectly captures the spirit of a troubled and transforming era.


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Here are the songs and stories that made history.Includes lyrics, music, song histories, trivia, humor plus 100 CivilWar photographs and illustrations.A great companion to ourrecording, "Ballads & Songs of the Civil War."5 1/2" X 8 1/2",perfect bound, full color cover.

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