Key of A – aEAC#E
In this, Tunetorial number 24, Dan "Clawdan" Levenson teaches the tune Sandy Boys. This is one of his favorite tunes both on fiddle and banjo. It came to him from the playing of both Edden Hammons (fiddle version) on The Edden Hammons Collection – Volume 1 (West Virginia Press SA-1) and the banjo playing of Burl Hammons which can be found on the Library of Congress recording The Hammons Family – The Traditions of a West Virginia Family and their Friends (Rounder 1504/05). There are many great sources of this tune so these are only 2. Dan am also rather fond of Dan Gellert’s awesome fretless banjo version from his CD Waitin' On The Break Of Day.
Also known as Quail is a Pretty Bird – an old minstrel tune which is wonderfully recorded by John Hartford with Bob Carlin playing banjo (on John’s Hamilton Ironworks CD) and Gene Goforth (on his CD-Emminence Breakdown), this tune has gone through a lot of transition since first being collected. The parts are often played reversed from how it was recorded and how it is taught here so don’t be surprised.
As in past weeks, Dan plays the tune and breaks down sections on the fly.
This tune is tabbed out in Dan's book Old Time Festival Tunes for Clawhammer Banjo (MB 20313) which is a collection of over 100 tunes that show up at most festivals and jams.
You can purchase the video lesson (for unlimited streaming and download) here on the Banjo Hangout for $6.
Dan and I would love to hear any feedback you have on these videos, so feel free to post or email us. Our goal here is provide a steady, affordable way for people to learn a new clawhammer tune weekly (or as often as they'd like).
It would be great to hear some of your versions so far so post them here for all to hear!