By Dave Nance

Hey all, this is a reminder about this week’s (3rd) Tuesday Beginner’s Bluegrass Jam, to be held this coming Tuesday, July 20, at 7:30 PM   I’ve pulled together some song ideas, and I have the charts in .pdf  format this month.  Also, here are some links to nice youtube versions of these songs -just click thru to see (& hear!) ‘em.

Blue Moon Of Kentucky – 3/4 time, Key of A – chords:  A  A7  D  E   [version, in C, by: Bill Monroe]

Down The Road – 4/4 time, Key of G — chords:  G   Em    D  (my chart’s in “A” – but let’s do it in “G“)       [version, in G, by: Dwight Yoakam]

If I Lose – 4/4 time, Key of A – chords:  A   D   E       [youtube version, in B, by: Ralph Stanley]

Jimmie Brown The Newsboy – 4/4 time, Key of G – chords:  G   D     (my chart’s in “A” – but let’s do it in “G“)   [version, in G, by: Flatt & Scruggs]

My Home’s Across The Blue Ridge Mountains – 4/4 time, Key of G – chords:  G    D     [version, in F, by: The Carter Family]

Trouble In Mind – 4/4 time, Key of G – chords:  G   G7  C   D        [version, in E, by: Johnny Cash]

I’d be glad to hear any suggestions or requests you may have for any additional songs you’d like to try out or work on.  You can send them to me by return e-mail, or by going to my contact page page.  Or just bring your ideas on Tuesday!

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

By Jon Peik

Here’s the info for this month’s first-Tuesday facilitated Beginner Bluegrass Jam.

Tuesday, 7/6/10 from 7:30-9:00pm at the Germania parlor area (youth friendly) of The Up North Bar, 514 E Wilson St. Madison, near the Essen Haus at the corner of Blair and Wilson streets. Plenty of free parking behind the Essen Haus.

Formal instruction and facilitation will run from approximately 7:30-8:30pm (as soon as I get there after my lessons at Spruce Tree Music)

The Jam is sponsored by the Southern Wisconsin Bluegrass Music Association. A $5 donation is requested, but not required.

This month we will start with the following songs and then go around the circle with song suggestions from you. So bring a song to sing or suggest.

She’ll Be Comin Round the Mountain, Key of G (3 chords, G, C, & D)

You Are My Sunshine, Key of G (3 chords, G, C, & D)

By Dave Nance

Okay, let’s try again!  I missed last month’s Third Tuesday Beginner’s Bluegrass jam class, stuck in an airport after a delayed flight at the end of a trip. Ah, traveling!  So I never got a chance to try out this group of traveling songs.  But I’m still in travel mode — I will be heading off to Colorado next week — so they’re still apropos. So here’s the group of traveling songs I got together last time — with an addition (”Going To The West”) that we’ve played before.

A Lonesome Road To Travel – 3/4 time, Key of D — chords:  D   D7 G   A

(links to charts for these songs can also be found at: http://webpages.charter.net/dnance/songs/ )

By Dave Nance

Reminder: (3rd) TUESDAY NIGHT BEGINNER’S BLUEGRASS JAM
MAY 18, 2009 – 7:30 PM

Hey everybody! Here’s a reminder about this week’s (3rd) Tuesday Beginner’s Bluegrass Jam.

You’ll probably notice a theme when you look at these titles for songs I’ve picked to try out on this month’s Third Tuesday. That’s right, I’m doing some traveling. First, in May, out to the east coast; then, in June, out to Colorado. Matter of fact, I’ll be arriving back from the first one of my trips late on the afternoon of the next scheduled Third Tuesday jam, which will be May 18 — I expect to be in on time, but just in case the gods of travel don’t smile on me, don’t worry if I’m a little late…

Have any songs about traveling you enjoy, or would like to try? Bring ‘em along!

A Lonesome Road To Travel – 3/4 time, Key of D — chords: D D7 G A

Gotta Travel On – 4/4 time, Key of G — chords: G G7 C D

Mighty Dark To Travel – 4/4 time, Key of A — chords: A D E

Traveling This Lonesome Road – 4/4 time, Key of G — chords: G D

I Am A Pilgrim – 4/4 time, Key of D — chords: D D7 G A

(Live links to charts for these songs can be found at:
http://webpages.charter.net/dnance/songs/ )

By Jon Peik

February’s first-Tuesday facilitated Beginner Bluegrass Jam will meet Tuesday, 2/2/10 from 7:30-9:00pm at the Germania parlor area (youth friendly) of The Up North Bar, 514 E Wilson St. Madison, near the Essen Haus at the corner of Blair and Wilson streets. There’s plenty of free parking behind the Essen Haus. Formal instruction and facilitation will run from approximately 7:30-8:30pm (as soon as I get there after my lessons at Spruce Tree Music)

This month we will start with the following songs. If we have time we will also go around the circle with song suggestions from you.

Take Me Back to Tulsa, key of G, (2 chords, G, D); My Home’s Across the Blue Ridge Mts, key of G, (2 chords, G, D); Crawdad Song, key of G (3 chords, G, C, D); Long Journey Home, Key of G, (3 chords G, C, D); Nine lb Hammer, Key of G, (3 chords, G, C, D); Cripple Creek, key of A, instrumental (3 chords, A, D, E); Sitting Alone in the Moonlight -key of G, waltz time (4 chords, G, C, D, & Gb).

Just a reminder of the Jim Hurst Concert and Guitar workshop January, 30. A few slots are still available for the workshop in the afternoon, so take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. And don’t miss the concert in the evening.

Concert: 8 pm at Mother Fools Coffee House, 1101 Williamson St., Madison, Wisconsin.

Workshop: 1 pm – 4 pm at the Wil-Mar Center, 953 Jenifer St., Madison, WI.  Contact Julie Cherney at cherney@uwalumni.com or 608-244-2184 for more information and a registration form.

By Dave Nance

Hi everybody !  I’m writing to remind you: The 3rd Tuesday Beginner’s Bluegrass Jam, sponsored by SWBMAI (Southern Wisconsin Bluegrass Music Association), and hosted by yours truly, Dave Nance, will be held this Tuesday evening, January 19, 2010, at the Up North Bar at 514 E. Wilson St.

I’ll be there by 7:30 P.M., and  we’ll start the jam by 8:00 P.M.

What’s on tap this month:  “Chiming in on the Chorus.”  What’s that all about?  Bluegrass is not just about pickin’, it’s also about singin’.  But many people find it difficult to play their instrument AND sing at the same time, so the singing sometimes gets passed over. Which is too bad, because there’s really only one way to get better at playing and singing at the same time, and that’s doing it.  So let’s do it!

This week I’ve come up with some ideas for songs that all have repeating choruses that are great for singing along on.  Choruses are ideal for practicing your singing, for a number of reasons (including the repetition).  They’re also great for folks who are a little shy about their singing, because with everybody singing, everybody gets the anonymity of the herd! (Did you know that that’s why zebras, which live in dull brown grasslands, have that ridiculous black-and-white stripe thing going on?  Sure, it’s lousy camouflage if you’re trying to hide by yourself out on the grassland, but it’s great if you’re trying to hide in a herd of zebras!).  So, that’s why it’s gonna be important for EVERYBODY to sing!

Anyway, here are some “chorus” songs I’ll be ready to lead you in:

Angel Band
Banks Of The Ohio
Bury Me Beneath The Willow
Columbus Stockade Blues
I’ll Fly Away
Keep On The Sunny Side
Long Journey Home (aka Two Dollar Bill)
On And On
On My Mind
On My Mind
Our Last Goodbye

NOTE: I will bring along lyrics sheets that have the choruses of these (and other) songs.  I also really encourage you to bring your own ideas for songs with repeating choruses.

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

Tune into 89.9FM WORT to hear an interview with Jim Hurst by John Fabke Tuesday, 1/19 at 11:00 a.m. on John’s show Pastures of Plenty. Then tune in again on Friday, 1/29 at 11:00 a.m. for a live studio appearance by Jim on Chris Powers’ Mud Acres Bluegrass Show.

Don’t miss Jim Hurst’s concert January 30, at 8 pm at Mother Fools Coffee House, 1101 Williamson St., Madison, Wisconsin. And if you’re a flat-picker who needs a little fine-tuning, take advantage of the best flat-picker in bluegrass today at Jim’s guitar workshop on the 30^th from 1 pm – 4 pm at the Wil-Mar Center, 953 Jenifer St., Madison, WI. Contact Julie Cherney at cherney@uwalumni.com or 608-244-2184 for more information and a registration form.

Are you serious about your New Year’s resolution of becoming a better guitarist?  Or has cabin fever got its grip on you?   Then take advantage of two-time IBMA Guitar Player of the Year and member of the Grammy-nominated Claire Lynch Band Jim Hurst’s guitar workshop and concert Saturday, January 30.

“In a field known for great instrumental work, Hurst is as good as they come…His guitar playing is marked by pure abandon.”
- Country Standard Time

Workshop, $60
1-4pm at:
Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center
953 Jenifer St.
Madison, WI 53703
Phone (608) 257-4576
www.madison.com/communities/wil-mar

For workshop registration, call Julie Cherney at 608-244-2184, or email cherney@uwalumni.com Some workshop topics include flat-picking and finger-style guitar styles; rhythm and melodies, solos and improvisation, timing, tone, and taste; Practice techniques, time management; Emphasis on raising the enjoyment level.

Concert, $10
8 p.m. at:
Mother Fool’s Coffee House
1101 Williamson St.
Madison, WI 53703
(608) 259-1301
www.motherfools.com

Information about Jim Hurst can be found at www.jimhurst.com.

Once again this Tuesday Jon Peik will be leading his popular Beginners Jam at the Germania parlor area (kid friendly) of The Up North Bar, 514 E Wilson St. Madison, near the Essen Haus at the corner of Blair and Wilson streets. Formal instruction and facilitation will run from approximately 7:30-8:30pm.

Jon writes: “This month we will go around the circle with song suggestions from you-so please bring a song to suggest and share. Remember if you sing it, you get to pick the key.  Instrumentals are also welcome.”