This week's post is that ever-relevant, much recorded song Wild Bill Jones. How has this not been done for TOTW yet!?!?
On to the write up...
Wild Bill Jones was first recorded by Eva Davis (greatest version?) back in 1924 and since then has become one of the most popular songs in the Bluegrass and traditional Old Time repertoire. The earliest occurrence of the song is way back in 1916 at which time it was collected by Cecil Sharp from a woman named Miss Viney Norton (Big Laurel, NC). Other than that absolutely nothing is known about the origins of the lyrics and it appears to be one of those strange songs that just...is.
From what I can tell, the prevailing version among pickers these days is based on the version played by Wade Mainer's Mountaineers and the Stanley Brothers. While great indeed, I much prefer the versions done by folks like:
Fred Cockerham (banjo)(fiddle)
The tab for this post is based loosely on the playing of Dock Boggs, and is in the two finger thumb-lead style. Although Dock played it three-finger in open G tuning (gDGBD) I pick it out of fDGCD. If you've never played 2 finger thumb lead, give it a go. Watch the syncopation in the B part.
Either way, hopefully the above examples provide enough inspirational fodder for you folks to put something together; clawhammer or otherwise.
-Sean