Stacker Lee

Police officer
How can it be?
You can arrest everybody
But cruel Stagger Lee
That bad man
Oh cruel Stagger Lee

Billy DeLyon told Stagger Lee
Please don’t take my life
I got two little babes
And a darling, loving wife
That bad man
Oh cruel Stagger Lee

What do I care about your two little babes
And a darling loving wife?
You done stole my Stetson hat
I’m bound to take your life
That bad man
Oh cruel Stagger Lee

Boom boom, boom boom
Went a fourty-four
Well when I spied Billy DeLyon
He’s lying down on the floor
That bad man
Oh cruel Stagger Lee

Gentlemens of the jury
What you think of that?
Stagger Lee killed Billy DeLyon
‘Bout a five dollar Stetson hat.
That bad man
Oh cruel Stagger Lee

Standing on the gallows
Head way up high,
At twelve o’clock, they killed him
We was all glad to see him die
That bad man
Oh cruel Stagger Lee

Filed under: John Hurt's Stagger Lee, My Journal, Show Notes & Song References

All Things Hoss

Here it is…another Sam Bush treat for my mandolin friends.  In this installment, Sam spends a good amount of time talking about his mandolin named Hoss.

I hope you learn a lot of interesting things about Hoss, I know I did.  For instance,  it is really interesting to hear how Hoss  reacts to the weather.  I also didn’t realize that Hoss started out as such an ugly duckling.  Didn’t know that the back has been replaced.  And I would love to hear the recording of John Hartford and Norman Blake scraping off the finish…that’s right…a play by play recording of John Hartford and Norman Blake scraping off the finish…

Enjoy!

sb-workshop2009-03-29t05

Filed under: Burning Questions, Music Clip, My Journal

Sam Bush and the White Rabbit

I have a little treat that I have been wanting to share with my fellow mandolin playing friends.  I have below excerpts from the Sam Bush mandolin workshop at the July 19, 2008, Greyfox festival.

This is a really classic piece.  The crowd is very, very lively.  I think it is raining outside, and everyone has huddled into the workshop tent.

Sam Bush gives great workshops.  It seems that lately he has been starting his workshops of with a brief intro to Bill Monroe, and then demonstrates different styles with “Patty On The Turnpike”.

But this workshop is different – this is Greyfox.  Check out the seamless transition between Patty and White Rabbit.  I won’t tease anyone…the masked rabbit man is Jerry Douglas.  Mr. Douglas must be quite the character.

My only question – was this whole thing rehearsed?  Sam does a phenomenal job with White Rabbit…the chords, the lyrics, everything!  I just have to think that it was rehearsed.  Take a listen – what do you think?

sam-bush-talks-about-bill-monroe

patty-on-the-turnpike-white-rabbit

Filed under: Burning Questions, Music Clip, My Journal

Taterbug Smack Down

The previous two weeks were pretty stale for me on the mandolin front.  I got in two good days of practice in L.A., but that’s about it.  It showed during my lesson with Taterbug on Tuesday.  He had given me the assignment of creating my own solo to “When You Are Lonely” using some of the licks and ideas from our previous work – I didn’t really have anything to show for.  I couldn’t even play the solo off the score very well.

Mike was very cool about it – there was no such smack down at all really.  But he did want me to try again and bring something “to convince him” at the next lesson.

In truth this is what I needed.  I needed more time with the piece and more time to practice.  As I told Taterbug, I am just starting to get into the meat of the thing.

I got to jam a bit with my friend Keith this past weekend, and I sang “Blue Yodel #4″ for the first time.  My solo was good, but I was surprised that my yodel was even better.  I feel like my singing in general is improving.

So, I am pretty focused on coming to my next lesson with Taterbug.  In the last couple of days I have been doing a lot of Getting Into Jazz Mandolin exercises, and the practicing “When You Are Lonely”.  I also have been keeping up with Brad Davis.

The only thing missing is a jam – I really am itching to get to one.  I can’t wait for Garland to start up again.

Filed under: Jam Reflections, Music & Mandolin Meditations, My Journal, Practice Session Notes , Taterbug