Recordings

A very pretty tune from Grossman’s Big Book.

Just A Closer Walk With Thee

Here’s one from Grossman’s Big Book O’ Tunes.

Working on the New Railroad

Yep. Flangdang. You got a better name? There are versions of this song more than 150 years old. It dates back to the ‘parlour guitar craze’ of the 19th century, when it was called “Spanish Fandango”. Also, there isn’t anything Spanish about it at all. Rather, it’s played with the guitar in “Spanish Tuning”, also known as Open-G Tuning.

It’s a lovely little song, but I doubt the craze ever got that crazy if this was the sort of stuff they were playing. This is Elizabeth Cotton’s version and I learned it off Miller’s DVD.

Here’s an Elizabeth Cotton song from Miller’s DVD.

Oh, Babe, It Ain’t No Lie

And another Hurt song from the Grossman CD.

Richland Woman Blues

Another song from the Grossman CD.

Nobody’s Dirty Business

A pretty little song about cocaine addiction, taught on Happy Traum’s DVD. The lyrics aren’t quite as sweet-sounding.

Cocaine Blues

Another Hurt tune. Are you detecting a pattern? This one is from Grossman’s CD, but I added some variations.

Make Me a Pallet on Your Floor

Another Hurt song from Grossman’s CD. This one is pretty rough, but I doubt it will get any better as it’s not one of my favorites and I’ve no incentive to practice it further.

Joe Turner

A Hurt song I learned from Grossman’s CD. It has a nice set of lyrics I hope to one day be able to sing.

Louis Collins