Banjo Hangout
-- a website for everything banjo
If you've never explored the website called Banjo Hangout and you like the banjo, you're missing out on the world's biggest resource. I first used the site to look for tune tabs, but when I had a question about a bone bridge I became a member, which is free. Now I actively participate by learning and recording tunes and songs, by posting tabs, blogging, and by researching for the old-time Tune of the Week. My own research work is in the tab here called HISTORY. Tablature is under "TABS" and "MORE TABS." Do yourself a favor by opening the Banjo Hangout link to explore the site. If you use the Jukebox you can hear thousands of MP3s, organized by category.
If you check out my YouTube channel you'll see my banjo arrangements for many fiddle tunes, as well as slide-show videos meant to help promote Pioneer Day, the small-town gold rush festival in Smartsville every April.
On-line Documents
Great Big Yam Potatoes is a 42 track collection, condensed from an enormous recording project in Mississippi in the 1930's. Old-time musicians today are using these as sources to learn tunes, some of which date back to Civil War fiddlers. Here are the 23 pages of liner notes for Great Big Yam Potatoes, including an article on Mississippi fiddle style by Tom Sauber. Biographical information about each fiddler is included, as well as stories behind the tunes.
Dwight Diller, a veritable national treasure and prominent old-time musician of his beloved West Virginia. On his website he made available an extensive booklet to accompany the CD Yew Piney Mountain, full of regional and tune history and tabs.
Stephen Wade, another national treasure, has been performing and recording for decades. His clawhammer and picking styles highlight favorite and obscure tunes. His book, The Beautiful Music All Around Us, educates us far beyond the original Lomax collections. His new solo CD Across the Amerikee has the wonderful music and these fascinating liner notes to grow your musical mind!