MOG

Hey great tunes.

I have been practicing this style for a little while now. Really a lot of fun to play. Mostly pretty simple tunes with simple melodies, but the picking can get pretty tricky sometimes. If I ever get around to it I will post some of my favorites. Mostly I think Piedmont refers to the alternating bass line plucked by the thumb over which the melody is played with the other fingers. Supposedly it stems from an adaptation of ragtime music to the guitar.

Thanks for that info,DzenD! I guess the fact that it is fun to play is why she stayed at it so long.

Awesome guitar pickin'.

What is the deal with this tune? I've heard it as "White House Blues" and "The Cannonball," and now "Railroad Bill." From Buffalo to Washington...

Brendan- There's got to be dozens of songs in the same key with those same chords, with similar melody. It could be they are all the same song, could also be the melody varies ever so slightly. I think its a matter of the "folk" song, they were passed around at informal gatherings, not codified as songs are these days. You know: "this song" by "this person". Had more of an organic flow to it.

I'm with you Brendan. I've heard that song many times, but never knew it was called "Railroad Bill." Me thinks you folks would have enjoyed the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in SF last weekend. Tons of incredible musicians including bigger names like Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Los Lobos, Del McCoury and pickers like Earl Scruggs and Doc Watson and many many more performing for free in Golden Gate Park. It's an annual event completely sponsored by one wealthy San Franciscan who loves bluegrass. I think I'm gonna make it a fellas weekend next year and encourage my boys come in from 'round the country.

I don't anything about technique or virtuosity but I know some sweet guitar-plucking when I hear it.

Thanks Cody.

Consumerx-That festival sounds like a winner..love me some Del Mc.

Brendan-Started the book and the mix, glad you liked the track..whatever it's name is.

Bartleby-I'm with you. And sometimes not knowing the technical can be a blessing. Trusting the ears works for me.

She's so remarkably smooth....

Great stuff! _Railroad Bill_ reminded me of this song:

Whoa,bloodtea I see what you are saying.....very cool tune. I actually own it, but I sure didn't know it well enuf to make that connection. Thanks.

the second it started, I instinctively began humming _Delia_ :)

This great post takes me back to when fellow high schoolers and I were figuring out how to pick "Railroad Bill," "Freight Train" and others during the early sixties folk craze. We hadn't heard of Etta Baker, but other more famous musicians whose records we learned from probably learned "Railroad Bill" from her recordings. Here's a 1929 version that wasn't reissued until the early seventies.

Love this. Thanks.