Click Here To Get The Tab

I’ve talked before about what a peculiar thing it is that bluegrass and old time musicians so seldom cross paths.

To the casual roots music fan, the differences between the two genres are imperceptible, which is why when old time acts are presented as a “bluegrass” band (a common convention), less than 1% of the audience will detect the labeling imprecision.

Evidence of their recent split in the tree of musical evolution are the multitude of songs common to both genres, with “John Hardy” being one of them.

“John Hardy” is also a 2-for-1 deal, as it’s also common in both traditions for it to be played as both an instrumental and as a song. Today’s is the former version, and it’s a good thing, as I might rupture a blood vessel trying to sing it in the key of G.

But it’s a good key for banjos and fiddles, so a good key for vocal free versions.

You’ll note that this arrangement includes some “up the neck” adventures, pushing it into Brainjo level 4 territory (so you can keep it at 3 by staying in down the neck territory).

John Hardy

gDGBD tuning, Brainjo level 4

Notes on the Tab

Notes in parentheses are “skip” notes. To learn more about these, check out my video lesson on the subject.

For more on reading tabs in general, check out this complete guide to reading banjo tabs.

Level 2 arrangements and video demos for the Tune (and Song!) of the Week tunes are now available as part of the Breakthrough Banjo course. Learn more about it here.

Click here for a current list of all the clawhammer songs and tunes currently available inside of The Vault

Click on the button below to get the PDF download for this tab delivered to you, and get 2 new tunes and tabs sent to you every week!

Click Here To Get The Tab

You’d be forgiven if you thought the title of today’s tune referred to a pair of durable trousers stitched from the tanned hide of a cow.

Because, well, that’s not it.

You see, in the American south, “leather britches,” aka “breeches,” was also a nickname for green beans dried in the pod. Sometimes multiple pods would be sewn together with needle and thread and hung for drying.

While this knowledge may win you friends at the International Conference of Pedantry, it regrettably will not aid in your playing of the tune.

Do not let this deter you, as it is a most excellent tune.

Leather Britches

gDGBD tuning, Brainjo level 3-4

Notes on the Tab

Notes in parentheses are “skip” notes. To learn more about these, check out my video lesson on the subject.

For more on reading tabs in general, check out this complete guide to reading banjo tabs.

Level 2 arrangements and video demos for the Tune (and Song!) of the Week tunes are now available as part of the Breakthrough Banjo course. Learn more about it here.

Click here for a current list of all the clawhammer songs and tunes currently available inside of The Vault

Click on the button below to get the PDF download for this tab delivered to you, and get 2 new tunes and tabs sent to you every week!

Click Here To Get The Tab

Over the years, a recurring theme in world of southern old time has been the transformation of a popular song into an fiddle or banjo instrumental. Such is the case with this week’s number, “Darling Nellie Gray” (or “Nelly,” or “Grey”…)

The song began its life as a breakout 19th Century hit, penned by Benjamin Hamby (who also composed the holiday hits “Up On A Housetop” and “Jolly Ol’ St. Nicholas”). Kyle Creed’s version on solo banjo is perhaps the most recognizable of the recorded instrumental renditions, and is the primary inspiration for the version presented here.

It was also Kyle’s iconic version that led Justin and I to include it as one of the tracks on our Round Peak, Georgia album.

(RELATED: Click here to learn about the Player’s Edition of “Round Peak, Georgia.” 20 great fiddle-banjo classics, tabs, and solo fiddle tracks for banjo-fiddle duet practice).

You’ll find many of the classic elements of Round Peak style here: lots of single string work with a minimum of brush strokes, frequent double and drop thumbing, and liberal usage of the Galax lick, indicated by the up arrow in the tablature (more on how to perform the Galax lick, along with accompanying close up videos, can be found in the the “Reading the Tabs” post).

A New Addition to the Brainjo Line!

Longer-time observers may notice there’s a new banjo in my hands in this video, a half-fretless model (with a brass plate over the fretless portion) courtesy of the gifted hands of Tim Gardner of Cedar Mountain Banjos. It’s become my latest obsession, and I’m delighted to report that it’s now another option in the Brainjo line of banjos (click here for more information).

Darling Nellie Gray

gDGBD tuning, Brainjo level 3-4

Notes on the Tab

Notes in parentheses are “skip” notes. To learn more about these, check out my video lesson on the subject.

For more on reading tabs in general, check out this complete guide to reading banjo tabs.

Level 2 arrangements and video demos for the Tune (and Song!) of the Week tunes are now available as part of the Breakthrough Banjo course. Learn more about it here.

Click here for a current list of all the clawhammer songs and tunes currently available inside of The Vault