I made this simple arrangement of What’s the Matter with the Mill years ago for <a href=”https://kennethrainey.com/writing/my-wildly-unsuccessful-book/”>my tunebook</a>, based on a Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys recording from a September 29, 1936, session in Chicago. Coincidentally, that same session produced Wills’ first recording of the Western Swing standard Steel Guitar Rag. The tune is a…
Wish I’d Stayed in the Wagon Yard
I made this simple arrangement of Wish I’d Stayed in the Wagon Yard years ago for my tunebook, based on Lowe Stokes’ recording from a November 1st, 1929, session in Atlanta, released as Columbia 15557-D. Stokes’ recording is the only version listed under the title ‘Wish I’d Stayed in the Wagon Yard’ in Tony Russell’s comprehensive…
Walking Boss
I made this simple arrangement of Walking Boss years ago for my tunebook, based on recordings by Doc Watson and Clarence Ashley. I’m not aware of any recordings that precede the Clarence Ashley recording (ca 1960). It has since been performed by artists including Jerry Garcia and David Grisman, Mike Seeger, and Meat Puppets.
Wabash Blues
This arrangement of Wabash Blues is mostly based on Milton Brown’s recording, cut on January 27th, 1935 in Chicago. The tune has also been recorded by other notable artists such as Roy Acuff and the Delmore Brothers. The song is a straightforward pop tune by Fred Meinken, with a nice harmonic surprise in the form…
Oozlin’ Daddy Blues
I made this arrangement of Oozlin’ Daddy Blues for my tunebook, based mostly on recordings by Bill Cox and Bob Wills. The song is a simple smutty ditty, bearing more than a passing resemblance to Lonesome Jailhouse Blues and several other tunes. The Cox performance features a short yodeled section at the end of each…
Hesitation Blues
I made this arrangement of Hesitation Blues years ago for my tunebook. It attempts to combine attributes of performances by Charlie Poole, Milton Brown, Hank Penny, and Doc Watson. The earliest recordings of this song were in a twelve-bar form, but most contemporary players use the structure Doc Watson used, a sixteen-bar form with an…
Blue Eyed Girl
Blue Eyed Girl is, for all intents and purposes, Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss. The Hill Billies (aka Al Hopkins and His Buckle Busters) recorded it at an October 22nd, 1926, session for Vocalion. It was released as Vocalion # 5017, paired with Fisher’s Hornpipe. As with several other of the group’s recordings, the fidelity of the…
Johnson Boys
This transcription is based on a performance by Al Hopkins and His Buckle Busters, recorded in New York City on May 14th, 1927. It was released as Brunswick # 179. Al Hopkins and His Buckle Busters were the same group as The Hill Billies. The group’s releases on Vocalion were credited to The Hill Billies,…
There's More Pretty Girls than One
This transcription is based on a performance by John D. Foster, recorded for the Gennett company on April 11, 1929. It was issued on the Gennett-affiliated label Challenge (#423), credited to ‘Crocker & Cannon.’ This performance is in waltz time. Modern performers often play this in 4/4. Though the lead sheet starts with the chorus,…