Mark is our Old Time Jam leader on Sundays. When he sends a reminder to his list, he includes resources of interest. Here are a few he has shared.
Old Time Resource of the Week:
Rayna’s YouTube channel is an exceptional resource.
- Really tasty versions of tunes — old, new, and original.
- Just watching her bow with the sound turned off will make us all better musicians.
- Old-time musings and geekery from her quirky and influential dad, Dan Gellert.
- Generous lifting-up of other contemporary bands and musicians
- Jumping-off links to her current work with Kieran Kane, writer of subtle and thoughtful songs.
Old Time Resource of the Week
Here is a deep catalog of fiddlers and other musicians from all over the country.
As the name says, it’s a collective — an inspiring example of the generosity and sharing of our old time music community. Mostly younger folks informally recording older folks so they could learn tunes. Now the young are older and the older are — you know…
It’s not free but it’s definitely worth checking out and supporting.
Old Time Resource of the Week
Charlie is an excellent fiddler and all-around musician and exemplifies the Midwest style. He also has a great sense of humor and fun. He is also a great community builder around traditional music.
Old Time Resource of the Week: Pegram Jam
This resource is well-known to some of you. This living room jam in Pegram, Tennessee, just west of Nashville, ran from 2001 to 2007 and lives on in the form of the excellent resources they developed and shared with each other. Do check it out.
Old Time Resource of the Week:
Lots of old time tunes — some I’ve heard of.
One of the more guitar-friendly sites I’ve seen.
Old Time Resource of the Week
- As they describe themselves:
A Collection of Over 13,000 Old-Time Fiddle, Banjo, Mandolin, Harmonica, Country, and Western Swing Source Recordings
- To search use this link on the main page.
- There is also a huge list of resources: books and websites to explore.
Old Time Resource of the Week
There are many reasons to bookmark and visit.
Claire Milliner and Walt have written a huge book of fiddle tunes transcribed from source recordings. This channel brings many of them to our eyes and ears.
I also like the guitar back-up on the band tunes– relaxed and clear, with simple but tasty runs.
Don’t miss the little magnifying glass that lets you search just this channel, not all of YouTube.
Old Time Resource of the Week
Get up in the Cool podcast
Interesting and thoughtful conversations about music and life, with usually four or five live tunes interspersed.
Some classics: Alice Gerrard / Canotes / Mark Graham / Janie Rothfield / Jerron Paxton / Bruce Molsky
Also, some videos on YouTube.
Old Time Resource of the Week:
This site contains lots of notated tunes (with chords), old time, including new tunes, plus some bluegrass and Irish.
There are Strum Machine files [ Strum Machine is an app that plays rhythm for you so you can play along ]
Other stuff, too. Check it out.
Old Time Resource of the Week
You can just imagine the deep dive you can do here.
Listen to Luther Strong play Ways of the World from 1937.
Or just search for fiddle tunes or banjo tunes.
Old Time Resource of the Week
Whitetop Music YouTube channel
This site is good about posting audio and video of older regional musicians, mostly things you won’t find elsewhere.
Here are some sample queries from the channel: NC fiddlers Tommy Hunter / Osey Helton / Marcus Martin / J. Laurel Johnson
Old Time Resource of the Week:
Recordings, photographs, scans of documents, videos — bunches of stuff.
Example: A simple search on “fire on the mountain”: results
Not all music-related but worth a look.
Old Time Resource of the Week:
Resource of the Week: The Traditional Tune Archive
This is the Wikipedia of fiddle tunes. Usually you’ll find multiple versions transcribed in musical notation, and many tunes will have historical background and stories and cross references to other tunes or tune families or alternate titles. It’s almost too much information!
Check out this link to one of “our” tunes, Shove That Pig’s Foot …
There aren’t many sound files on the site, but the annotations page often contains links to Slippery Hill or other sites where you can listen.
It is a wiki, so users like us can make additions and corrections.
Old Time Resource of the Week
P.S. — I heard this on the Deep In Tradition podcast today.
Walk Chalk Chicken With a Necktie On – crooked but charming
I ran into a couple of rambles about playing old time music.
It’s a lot of talk but I think it will be of interest to some of you.
I haven’t listened to it all yet but the first question is “What is old time music?” Her answer(s) are bound to be worth hearing.
Usually they have guests on to interview and play tunes. Occasionally they do one where people send in questions and requests. Early in this one they have some good insights on playing music. More time is spent on some non-musical topics than I liked. But one can always skip ahead!
Old Time Resource of the Week:
Here’s how they describe themselves:
The Old-Time Tiki Parlour is the online musical headquarters of Tiki Parlour Recordings, founded by David Bragger and Rick Hocutt. Since 2014, it has served as a concert, workshop, jam, film and instructional epicenter for traditional old-time (and experimental) music around Los Angeles and beyond. It is an atomic-era destination complete with wooden tikis, strange folk art, weird curios, palm trees and a variety of old-time string instruments.
Old time resource of the Week:
The Old Time 100
Fiddler George Jackson and mandolinist Tristan Scroggins came up with the idea of recording sort of a “top 100” fiddle tunes in one mammoth recording session. Here’s how they describe the project on the Bandcamp page:
Have you ever wondered what tunes to learn next, or what some good tunes to learn might be for your local jam? Have you struggled to listen through old recordings that are hard to learn from? Tristan Scroggins and I are super excited to announce the public release of The Old Time 💯 – Vol. 1 which features the first 20 tunes from our mammoth recording session of 100 of the most common jam friendly old time tunes.
The most fun way to hear the tunes is on YouTube with an overhead camera. Here’s an example on the tune Waynesboro. Also, Last Chance.
More tunes are available this way for Patreon subscribers, I believe.
Old Time Resource of the Week:
Old Time Resource of the Week: Old Time Backup Guitar
A bit of a departure, this site is primarily selling a book on, er, old time backup guitar. I haven’t seen the book but the samples look interesting — tablature transcriptions from actual old source recordings.
But there are other good resources there, too.
Old Time Resource of the Week:
Miscellaneous Podcasts
I have promoted at least one podcast here before. This week I’m throwing out several that I just learned about. They look promising. Help me check’em out.
- Meg Wobus Beller – Fiddle Studio – talkin’ ’bout fiddlin’
- Ozark Highlands Radio – live traditional music with a live audience – listen online or find it as a podcast
- Hilary Hawke – Banjo Chat – not just old time but looks promising
- John’s Old Time Radio Show – mostly the “other” old time, but often a deep dive like this one about the Crockett Family, or about Appalachian Mountain Music. Great graphics.
- Leah Roseman – Conversations with Musicians — not really old time, but eclectic enough to feature Brittany Haas, Jane Rothfield, Adam Hurt, and more.
Old Time Resource of the Week:
This informative podcast featuring traditional music is hosted by musicologist/musician Nicholas Edward Williams.
- If you only listen to one episode, I recommend the deep dive into the history of Moses Asch and Folkways Records. (That’s a Spotify link; check your favorite podcatcher.)
- Nick also was the driving force behind ReString Appalachia, getting musical instruments back in the hands of musicians who lost them to Hurricane Helene.
- One of his many projects is Pickers Anonymous, a band with our own Owen Grooms.
Old Time Resource of the Week:
Old Time Resource of the Week: Deep In Tradition
This is a radio show from WMMT in Whitesburg, KY, also available as a podcast. Past shows are available, too.
The show is associated with the venerable Appalshop, also worth checking out. What you’ll hear on the show is a mix of old 78s, live performances by regional Kentucky artists and contemporary old time bands from all over. It’s an enjoyable and eclectic mix, a little different from our local programs, fine as they are. Every week I hear songs I wish I knew.
