Clifton Hicks

"Bright, Sunny South" Lesson (Dock Boggs)

fCFA♯C ~ gDGCD. I learned "Bright Sunny South" from a 1960s recording of Dock Boggs of Wise County, Virginia. Other noteworthy versions have been recorded by Merle & doc Watson, and Alison Krauss & Dan Tyminski.

In the bright sunny South in peace and content 

The days of my boyhood I scarcely have spent, 

From the deep flowing spring to the broad running stream 

Ever dear to my memory and sweet in my dreams.  

I will leav...

"Bright, Sunny South" Performance (Dock Boggs)

I learned "Bright Sunny South" from a 1960s recording of Dock Boggs of Wise County, Virginia. Other noteworthy versions have been recorded by Merle & doc Watson, and Alison Krauss & Dan Tyminski. Banjo is dropped two frets from ~ gDGCD.

In the bright sunny South in peace and content 

The days of my boyhood I scarcely have spent, 

From the deep flowing spring to the broad running stream 

Ever dear to my memory and sweet in my dreams. &n...

"Old Rub Alcohol Blues" Lesson

eCFGC ~ f#DGAD. I learned to play "Old Rub Alcohol Blues" from the original 1920s recording of Dock Boggs. It is similar to John Lee Hooker's "Two White Horses," and Blind Lemon Jefferson's "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean."

Download 8.5" x 11" Tablature 👇

"Old Rub Alcohol Blues" Performance

I learned "Old Rub Alcohol Blues" from a 1929 recording of Dock Boggs. The tune is very similar to Blind Lemon Jefferson's "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean," and John Lee Hooker's "Two White Horses."   

My instrument is an 1888 Thompson & Odell "The Luscomb" banjo ~ f♯DGAD.  

Troubles up and down this lonesome road 

Trials all the way around, 

But I never knew what trouble was  

'Til my darling threw me down.  

<...

"Indian Tribes of Tennessee" Performace & Tablature

I learned "The Indian Tribes of Tennessee" from recordings of Addie Graham, L.P. Carlock, Dee Hicks, and Bessford Hicks. Alternate titles include "The Cumberland," "Old Cumberland Land," and "Pioneer's Letter." Mention of indigenous society in eastern Tennessee suggests the song was composed before the Indian Removal Act of 1830.  

Also, note that many versions of the song include a reference to prehistoric mound-building in the area:  "I found six hundred human graves all wal...

"False Hearted Lover's Blues" Lesson

eCFGC ~ f♯DGAD. I learned "False Hearted Lover's Blues" from the original recording by Dock Boggs (banjo) and Emry Arthur (guitar). My understanding is that they recorded it in Chicago around 1927.

Tab contributed by Patreon member, ToneWoods86.

"False Hearted Lover's Blues" Performance

~f#DGAD. I learned "False Hearted Lover's Blues" from a 1927 recording of Moran Lee "Dock" Boggs. The melody is borrowed from the earlier ballad, "Hustling Gamblers," also known as "Country Blues." Other notable recordings have been contributed by Ralph Stanley, Levon Helm, Riley Baugus, and Hank III.  

False hearts have been my downfall 

Pretty women have been my craze, 

I know my false hearted lover 

Will drive me to my lonesome grave.  

"Southern Texas" (Texas Rangers) Lesson

f♯DGAD ~ d♯BEF#B. I learned "Southern Texas" from George Gibson of Knott County, Kentucky. It is related to the WW1 ballad, "Old German War," and the early 19th-century ballad, "The Texas Rangers."

Listen to Aunt Molly Jackson of Clay county, Kentucky, sing "Texas Rangers" here: https://lomaxky.omeka.net/items/show/1381

2021-12-24 14:01:02 +0000 UTC View Post

"Southern Texas" (Texas Rangers) Performance

f♯DGAD ~ d♯BEF♯B. I learned "Southern Texas" (an adaptation of the earlier ballad, "Texas Rangers") from George Gibson of Knott County, Kentucky.

See George play it: https://youtu.be/2DcslGzAgSo

Way down in southern Texas where I rejoined to stay 

I left my kind old parents when their hair was turning grey, 

I joined them dying cowboys I knew I had to ride 

I clim...

"Drunkard's Lone Child" (Bloody Bill Anderson) Lesson

d♯BEF♯B ~ f♯DGAD. I learned "Drunkard's Lone Child" from a 1960s recording of Dock Boggs of Wise County, Virginia. My instrument is a Thompson & Odell "The Luscomb" banjo.

Download 8.5" x 11" Tablature 👇 👇

"You Shall Be Free" by Bill & Belle Reed

fB♭FB♭C ~ gCGCD (aka Hook & Line tuning). I learned "You Shall Be Free" from a 1920s recording of Bill and Belle Reed. Almost nothing is known of the duo beyond their stage names, yet they were libeled by the owners of Dust-to-Digital in a recent New York Times interview.

While th...

"How Came That Blood" Lesson

eBEF♯B ~ gDGAD. I composed "Ballad of Kyle Rittenhouse" a few days after  its protagonist killed two men, and wounded a third, in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The melody is my original arrangement of a traditional English call-and-response ballad known by numerous titles, including "Edward," "My Son David," "Henry," "What Put the Blood," "How Came That Blood," and others (Child 13; Roud 200).

More info on the source material: 2021-11-24 20:12:55 +0000 UTC View Post

"Drunkard's Lone Child" Performance

d♯BEF♯B ~ f♯DGAD. I learned "Drunkard's Lone Child" from a recording of Dock Boggs made by Mike Seeger in Wise County, Virginia, during the 1960s. 

"Washington Blues" (All You Fascists) Lesson

gDGBD ~ fCFAC. I learned "Washington Blues" (also known as "McKinley," "White House Blues," "All You Fascists," etc.) from George Gibson of Knott County, Kentucky. George played the tune overhand, though I much prefer to fingerpick it.

The earliest lyrics seem to be those referencing the assassination of President William McKinley in 1901. McKinley was shot during a visit to Buffalo, New York, inside the Temple of Music concert hall. The entire structure was demolished soon after.  ...

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RARE New Photos of Kyle Creed's 1st Banjo.

Submitted by Kyle's grandson, Stanley Gonyo:

"Attached are pictures of Kyle’s first banjo that he made around age 15. He told me he killed a cat to get a skin head and I’m sure this is the banjo he used it on. It’s missing one tuning peg and the fifth string peg."

Drunkard's Doom (At the Close of Day) Lesson

I learned "The Drunkard's Doom" (I Saw a Man at the Close of Day) from Matt Kinman in Watauga County, North Carolina. My instrument is a fretless gourd banjo by Jeff Menzies, tuned d♯CFB♭C ~  fDGCD.

"Drunkard's Doom" (I Saw a Man at the Close of Day) Performance

I learned "Drunkard's Doom" (I Saw a Man at the Close of Day) from Matt Kinman (of Arizona) in Watauga County, North Carolina. My instrument is a 5-string gourd banjo made in Jamaica by Jeff Menzies ~ fDGCD.  

Notable recordings of this song have been made by Grayson & Whitter, The Louvin Brothers, Doc Watson & Clarence Ashley, Ted Chestnut, Doc Roberts, Asa Martin, etc.

I saw a man at the close of day

Standing by the grocery door,

His eyes were...

New Banjo Heritage Online Course: Last-Minute Update & DISCOUNT CODE

Most of you are already aware of the new Banjo Heritage course that will be launching next Monday, October 11th. If you're interested in enrolling, please add your name and email address to the early-bird registration list at BanjoHeritage.com 

NOTE: Several people have asked if I will be ending or slowing down the Patreon content, and the answer to that is no. Our activities here will conti...

"Little Gray Mule" (The Wild Boar) Lesson

fB♭FBC ~ gCGCD. I learned "Little Grey Mule" (The Wild Boar) from a 1960s film clip of Roscoe Holcomb of Daisy, Kentucky. Watch the original clip here:

Recording of Holcomb's version: https://youtu.be/ujeRwzIjqOs

If anyone knows where to find the film clip of Holcomb, please share it here as I've lost it. There are 4 or 5 videos on YouTube of me playing it which are easy to find.

2021-10-01 15:00:09 +0000 UTC View Post

"Little Grey Mule" (The Wild Boar) Performance

fCFAC ~ gCGCD. Lesson/tab coming soon! 

I learned "Little Grey Mule" from a film clip of Roscoe Holcomb of Daisy, Kentucky. In the film, Holcomb (born Halcomb), mentions that the tune was also called "The Wild Boar."

I'm also linking to two unlisted videos of this performance: Take 1 and Take 2. While both of these were OK, I dec...

"Marching Through Georgia" Lesson (two-finger)

👇 download 8.5" x 11" Tablature

"Poor Boy Long Way From Home" Lesson (two-finger)

I learned "Poor Boy and a Long Old Ways from Home" (fDGCD) from a recording of Virgil Anderson.

👇 Download 8.5" x 11" Tablature

"Old Chattanooga" Lesson

gDGBD ≈ fCFAC (A = 440 Hz). I learned "Old Chattanooga" from a 1977 field recording of Florrie Stewart of Flat Top Mountain, Tennessee. The original track can be heard on The Pine Breeze Recordings made by Ron Williams.

👇 Download 8.5" x 11" tablature 

Update from Clifton Hicks

We are now selling T-shirts, hoodies, stickers, mugs, and other stuff featuring the new Banjo Heritage artwork. The store link is here: http://banjoheritage.org

Also, in response to the harsh censorship going on in most "old-time" music circles, we've set up two new Banjo Heritage chat groups. Both are members-only, and moderation will be as hands-off as possible.

Link to Facebook group: 2021-08-29 14:54:35 +0000 UTC View Post

"Old Chattanooga" Performance

Overhand and Two-finger tab/lesson coming soon!

e♭B♭E♭GB♭ ≈ gDGBD (A = 432 Hz). I learned "Old Chattanooga" from a 1977 performance of Blaine Smith, Florrie Stewart, and Willie Branan recorded by Ron Williams and his high school students in Chattanooga, Tennessee. According to Williams, the trio learned this tune in the early 1900s from Tom Douglas (father of fiddler, Bob Douglas). See his compilation "The Pine Breeze Recordings" for more traditional folk music from east Tenne...

Early gourd banjo build!

I learned "Trouble" from George Gibson of Knott County, Kentucky. My other sources are David Hurt of Harrodsburg, Kentucky, and a 1940s recording of Rufus Crisp of Floyd County, Kentucky. The tuning is BBE♭F♯ (A = 432 Hz).

2021-08-20 15:01:03 +0000 UTC View Post

Tacking my first banjo head with wooden cobbler's pegs...

Instead of carving my own hickory tacks for this banjo, I decided to purchase a bunch of premade, lemonwood cobbler's pegs. They hold the skin down very tightly, and are a more historically-informed choice than the upholstery nails typically used by builders.  

I find that shellac works nicely for sealing the inside and outside surfaces of the gourd. It's advisable when shellacking to apply one light coat, let dry, buff with very fine sand paper, and then apply a second coat.

"Bonnie George Campbell" Lesson

(gDGBD ≈ eBEG♯B) I learned "Bonnie George Campbell" from a recording of Bascom Lamar Lunsford of Mars Hill, North Carolina. Lunsford played it on the fiddle, and mentioned that he thought of it as an early relative of "Cumberland Gap." The song was also recorded on banjo by Frank Proffitt of Watauga County, North Carolina, as "Bonnie James Campbell."

Download 8.5" x 11" tablature 👇

Vote on New T-Shirt Logo

Three new logo designs for T-shirts, stickers, etc. Which one do you like best?

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