Fiddle Hangout - Off-Topic (Not Fiddle Related) Forum Feed

Bluegrass is part of the blues don't you think?

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Mon, 8 Jun 2026 05:20:27 CST

As much talk as I get to read on here about genres and cross genres, I'm curious where you think "Bluegrass" falls in a "Blues Festival"???

Yesterday, we played the Western Maryland Blues Festival. A HUGE festival that went on for years run by the city of Hagerstown MD. It ended in 2018 and was revived this past weekend! It was an honor.

Blues fans are protective about their genre for sure and we did overhear conversations about "Bluegrass??" and the promoter said, "just wait, they will these guys" and boy, it was a good time! Sound company had no idea how to mix acoustic instruments but we pressed on through. I did say to the band, "at least we will stick out and be remembered and if you listen to bluegrass, we were singing about the blues...

Turkish Revelry

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Sun, 7 Jun 2026 20:20:23 CST

Here’s one for you. I purchased the CD this comes from a decade or so ago. The double cd set contains some excellent songs and tunes, but the selections are a bit uneven in texture. Some, like this one, have a distinct folk flavor with others covering punk-rock sounds and even patchbay synth stuff. This piece is nicely sung and has some great fiddle as well. Enjoy.

youtu.be/Hdpe7WgEwX4

Gone to Bass

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Wed, 27 May 2026 06:17:21 CST

The jam desperately needs a bass. I've been invited and encouraged. I really don't have anything more to prove on a fiddle.
Played bass for the whole session yesterday. I guess I'd rather be useful and yet always learning. Learning stuff one doesn't learn in any other situation. You have to be "in it." There's a lot of responsibility in that one(1) note.

Nope. There's no Bass Hangout

Tim O'Brien Songbook now available!

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Fri, 22 May 2026 10:32:16 CST

HI all. The new Tim O'Brien Songbook is available. 40 songs spanning Tim's incredible career, including Nellie Kane, Midnight on the Highway, Walk the Way the Wind Blows. Book includes both notation and lyrics with chord changes. Also, Tim shares his knowledge in chapters on singing and songwriting. Please spread the word! You can find it HERE on Amazon.

celebrate

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Sun, 5 Apr 2026 08:13:34 CST

...for those who believe...

Rejoice - He is risen.

How fiddle can be useful for keying!

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 12:18:19 CST

I just had some fun last week. I basically hacked my father's old straight Morse key into a computer mouse. Now I can practice Morse code on my laptop. It was a cute little soldering project, and even though it’s probably nothing special to many of you, I was absolutely delighted with it hehe. It works 100%!

But here’s the surprising part: my left hand (!) turned out to be my best keying hand, not my right. This HAS to be because of learning fiddle over the past five years!. And honestly, it’s super convenient too: if I keep using my left hand for keying, my right hand stays free to take notes or use the regular mouse.

And for those who were wondering (and who love amateur radio): I have to admit… you all went a bit gaga a while ago about fiddle, radio, and Morse — and I got completely infected :-D This lady is going QRP soon, with a uSDX and a homebrew end-fed antenna...

FHO… still the greatest fire I’ve ever experienced!

100 Days (Original by Eric Avey) with Tristan Wasley

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 07:00:03 CST

100 Days (Original by Eric Avey) with Tristan Wasley

Had a session with my buddy last night. Thanks if you have the time. One mic. Good times.

My recordings - Hazel Dickens

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 14:49:33 CST

Women's History Month has rolled around again, and it seems like "Old People's Week" at the FHO, with people describing their injuries and losing interest in playing.
So, to cover both bases here's a video clip of Hazel Dickens for which I provided the audio. This was a concert at Clintwood high school in Clintwood VA.
youtu.be/DIJsi1c4cBA?si=4TMZH0khI62cFOIr
A couple songs from this show were used in the Appalshop film about Hazel, "Working Girl Blues" and "West Virginia My Home" over the final credits. I recommend the film, which you can watch for free here:
folkstreams.net/films/hazel-dickens
I've never heard this song in 3/4 time before. Its usually more like the version we recorded in the Highwoods Stringband:
youtu.be/xmVRKe4YciA?si=KFg7kFMXg1Z1caU8
Keep on truckin'!

Sandhill Crane migration

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 14:35:49 CST

For folks who like Sandhill Cranes, here's a link to Rowe Sanctuary on the Platte River in central Nebraska: https://www.webcamexplore.com/countries/united-states/nebraska/lowell/rowe-sanctuary-live-webcam-platte-river-wildlife-sandhill-cranes

I grew up hearing these cranes and always enjoyed watching and listening to them when I lived in Lexington, NE. They're very rare here in north central Wyoming.

I love Daylight Saving Time

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Sat, 7 Mar 2026 10:15:49 CST

Twice a year the media publishes complaints about changing the clocks. Politicians promise to end the practice. Epidemiological studies are claimed to prove dangerous health effects.

Back in the fifties for some reason we city folks were told daylight saving time was for the farmers. Of course that wasn't true. Cows follow the sun not the clock. But people follow clocks. I'd say Benjamin Franklin was a genius for inventing it, but I looked it up and that's a myth, too. Too bad. But it is an efficient way to manage daylight over the year. Personally I like to get up in the dark and not have daylight intrude on my morning slumber. Even with DST it's light when I rise in the summer, but at least some of that light gets transferred to the end of the day when all kinds of outdoor activities can benefit.

In the winter nobody likes it to be still dark when they're getting to work or school, so Standard Time then makes perfect sense.

The US tried eliminating Standard Time in 1974 and having DST all year, but the public hated dark winter mornings so it was dropped. Apparently nobody remembers that anymore.

For me DST is a welcomed seasonal tradition, I'll move my clocks forward with a smile this afternoon so I won't have to think about it in the morning.

When I'm not playing acoustic music, we do this...

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Thu, 5 Mar 2026 04:50:05 CST

Recently I got to jam with some of my favorite musicians. The guitarist was the first person I ever jammed with about 30 years ago. This was quite the reunion. I started out playing music in a garage, mostly instrumental back then because no one wanted to sing...or could for that matter.
I've had this lineup in mind for a while now and finally made it happen. Jazz, Funk, R&B and Blues is what I was longing for. We captured about 8 tunes in our first session. Here were 2 takes on some classics. Hammond, E Bass, Drums, Sax and Guitar

testing testing...123 or however high you can count to

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 05:49:39 CST

Is the Soundoff Forum still functional? Did I, through my ignorance of whatever it was I did to put off faithful FHO members to the point they threw it all away and walked out, apparently not silently, apparently there was a swansong connected with explanation that I missed...anyway...does it work?

Well I don't know...but this is a test to see if the forum is working at all... hopefully I didn't manage to ignorantly somehow destroy all of FHO...lol...let's hope not...or at least I'll hope not.

craziness

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 11:14:36 CST

We never got oil changes before...but now we have a Toyota and they say they have to do the oil changes or the warranties are shot...ok...well...anyway we sat there going crazy in a huge crowd...standing room only...for 2 1/2 hours and they charged me over a hundred dollars. I'm tellin' ya...I was born to be Amish...don't like cars anyway...I just hate it that you need one unless you're lucky enough to live in a small town...most of them have been destroyed by Superwalmarts and other such disasters...lol. Yeah I guess I'm sounding like an old cranky person...but we were starving and it's just hard to just stand and wait...there coffee was terrible, by the way...yeah, free, but tastes to me like the old coffee that was half chicory...half something else...which is essentially what Starbucks tastes like to me...like these blends were forum lated with the idea that people don't like black coffee...just all that whipped cream and stuff with a little coffee in it. lol...needless to say...starvin' out a groundhog like that ain't a fun day.

I Know I've Been Changed

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 15:24:27 CST

Part of a project documenting the music of far western North Carolina, led by the late Douglas Day, folklorist at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, early 1980's.
Adult choir, Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Texana (now part of Murphy) NC. Roscoe Hall, director and keyboard (with bass and drum machine). The lead singer is his mother.
Texana has an interesting history. Founded in 1850 by African Americans, led by Texas (nicknamed "Texana" by her father) McClelland. The first structure was a church, built with logs hewn by the women of the congregation. A new church was built in the 1890's on the same site, and the current church in, I think, the 1940's, so this has been a sanctified site for a long time.
Recorded in the church with the Sony 501 digital recorder during a very enjoyable evening. Choir - KM84 (pair), Soloist - Sennheiser MD421, keyboard - direct to console.

Just a note to my FHO friends

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 08:44:42 CST

Hey guys. I hope everybody's enduring the lousy winter weather everywhere. Someday spring will get here.

I just wanted to try to express my feelings about FHO for a minute here. I like sharing and hearing others share our fiddling, telling about our fiddling journeys, the hills and hollers and winding turns it all goes through, etc. I hope I am as encouraging to others here as they have been to me. I'm amateur and obstinate in my ways, so I have little advise to give other than just enumerating the things I've tried and kept or dropped in my own personal back porch fiddling journey, which I have loved from the very beginning.

I'm ok with criticism of my fiddling "theories" or preferences or my playing...I know I ain't nowhere near perfect, for heaven's sake. But I really can't deal with people saying I'm turning people off by my presence here or my music. Don't worry, anyway, my life is so messed up right now I can't play music, so there won't be many more videos coming this way from me. I love sharing whatever I do play because I live in isolation, pretty much housebound and talk to just about no live humans. It's how life has changed for us because of, well I don't feel like I need to make the excuses...so forget that...whether I come on here stressed out and looking for fun and music sharing/music ideas sharing...humorous or interesting stories, etc., it doesn't matter if I'm stressed out or not...I'm intolerant of being accused of turning people off, whether I have intolerable stress or whether everything's happy and groovy...shouldn't matter. I'm just saying, I left this forum after feeling like I was put on the defense for making people get up and leave FHO...I would hope anyone who knew me even a little bit would know I would never in a million years do that, not intentionally, and hopefully not by my own ignorance.

So I had to get a new password to get back on here again. I still don't know if I feel comfortable with it or not. I love defending an idea...argument (friendly) over an idea...might change someone's mind, even my own. I studied philosophy in college just because I do love that sort of thing, not because I wanted to spend my life working for minium wage...lol... which is the end result of that dumb decision...lol.

So here I am. Don't feel like saying "Oh please stay," because I'm not looking for that. I'm just saying...don't accuse me of discouraging people from playing music. Don't ever accuse me of that. I wouldn't do it.

The 14th Salty Ball results

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 08:24:54 CST

So the Pirates Salty Ball was able to raise just over $7000 for Testicular Cancer. And a grand time was had by all! Here's a clip of The Brigands playing Sean Ryan's polka during our first set. Not bad for a group of run soaked pirates!

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1AGMPyzZjD/

Flowers of Antrim

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 12:45:47 CST

Amid the hurley burley of Mardi Gras I thought you might enjoy this recording of "Flowers of Antrim" by the Critton Hollow String Band, from their first LP.
youtu.be/w3oiG83Mn0M?si=u2WfVuJhmjiJy5Tr
Sam and Joe Herrmann, with Sam's brother, Arnold Kempton, guitar, and his wife Patti, bass.
The Star theater in Berkeley Springs was a center for artistic life at that time. It was dark during the Christmas holidays, and they let us take it over for a "studio." Like most purpose built movie theaters the stage was very shallow, with just enough room for a screen and a sound system behind. We arranged the band in a line at the front of the stage, but there wasn't room for the bass, so we hoisted Patti and her bass onto a sheet of plywood atop a few front seats.
Main pickup - 2 Neumann KM84, with Sennheiser MD421 for the bass. Gately prokit mixer I'd built from a kit, Ampex Model 300 mastering recorder with 351 tube electronics.
We were pleased with the results, and Sam, Joe and I took the master tape to Nashville for the mastering session at Masterfonics. We got to work with Glenn Meadows, who probably dealt mostly with big time country records. He was curious how we'd recorded this, and when I told him, he kindly suggested some upgrades to the chips in the mixer that could even improve things.
A memorable experience all around. I think "Flowers" in this context refers to pretty young women, not plants.

Down South in New Orleans

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Sat, 14 Feb 2026 09:11:09 CST

#2 in my series of recordings.
Its Valentine's Day and love is in the air - with Mardi Gras just around the corner! Time for some "hillbilly r&b" from the Metropolitan Blues All Stars about America's most romantic city. Recorded live to 1/2" 8 track tape in Lexington, KY. I also took the (somewhat murky) back cover photo. Album design by Pam Randolph with a painting by Art Snake (aka Rodney Hatfield, who also plays harmonica on this.
youtu.be/F0UWR_P024Q?si=A7aZCpxAZkHyQLwg

My recordings

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 11:37:28 CST

I tried this once before, but nobody seemed very interested. I've made quite a few recordings over the years, some with fiddle, some not. I thought you all might enjoy some of them Here's one: youtu.be/Cbh3ya-HeM4?si=x5u6Q1gJacu3mNI6

PS - If anybody else has something they'd like to share, please do.

New fingerpicks!

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Sat, 7 Feb 2026 08:14:17 CST

Hey, just grappling about all the time trying to find some time for music. Never works for me, but today I had about 5 minutes and decided to try the new fingerpicks I got from Louisville.

My fingers hurt...callous all gone...I gotta play. I tried buying two new guitars, and now two new fingerpicks...lol...unfortunately, you can't buy an hour or two for yourself. But here's a little rushed and clumsy video of show n tell for my new fingerpicks.

youtu.be/U8Zx73fTYAk?si=6YdFUADVJm5_Cumz

Kitchen table Rootcanal Forum

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 18:14:00 CST

Sometimes, I think a forum like that would be more fun.
I think I'm going over to the woodstove and firewood forum.
But my crystal ball foresees trepidation.

Comes To Me (Original Full Band Recording) 1.27.26

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 04:52:17 CST

Comes To Me (Original Full Band Recording) 1.27.26

Recorded this yesterday. I wrote this back in 2019 over some hard times. Music can help in the strangest of times. I was so stoked to re-record this yesterday and in the end, I messed up the file type and had to covert EVERY single clip which took hours but I was determined at that point to finish it. When I got to the end it was late. I realized I didn't capture any drums but decided to move forward. The edits in the end did not export to 4k but rather 1080HD. It's frustrating to engineer, perform and edit simultaneously but this is what I got...I was so tempted to add fiddle because this is in D but I'd stink it up.

weather report

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Sun, 25 Jan 2026 14:32:32 CST

It's too cold, and there's too much snow. That's it. Hope everybody gets through a challenging week ahead.

Our old home town burned up last night

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 10:26:04 CST

We just found out this morning. About 1/3 of the town burned up last night. Wow. I think that makes 100% of places I've ever lived and loved destroyed by one devastating thing or another... seems nobody was killed except for one dog. So far that's all anybody knows.
It's really shocking...I always hoped to go back one day. Just sayin'...hopefully when they assess the damage more will be left standing that it looked like from the videos we saw.

Freeform Improv with Julia Galaxy August 2025

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 05:27:29 CST

Morning, Fiddlers. My money says not many folks on here want to hear this track but in case you do, I hope you enjoy some aspect of it. Most of you know by now I'm a big home studio guy. This track was recorded on one of those new Tascam Mixers that allow you to record 32 Bit Float. meaning, you can take that file into a DAW and mix each track as you would normally in a studio. The guy on Saxophone just offered me Ableton Live. I'm pretty good with just using Garage Band but pretty excited to learn new software at the ripe age of 48...lol. The format we follow in this band "Julia Galaxy" goes like this...

We gather, we sip, and then jam. No discussing. No agenda. Just jam. First we make sure we're "rolling" then off to the races. Many tunes we get up to 25 mins. Some 5 minutes. Nonetheless, we jam. During listening back sessions, we explain it like conversations. One speaks, we listen, then chime in. I can't imagine the ground we could cover if we'd arrange things. What impresses me the most is, the quality of the drum tracks. I'm grateful for the past 3 years, I've had a kit in my friends barn to play. Upon meeting it, I'd say it's the worse kit I've ever played. Again, I was grateful. I'd grown to love it. It kinda felt like it was mine. But I'd only play it like 5 or 6 times a year...lol. That was my practice. Well, now I own my dream kit. I just received these recordings from August. I'm blown away how my buddy was able to mix these drum tracks and get a sound that decent. It's not perfect...but it's decent! Drums aren't the easiest instrument to record. My new drums blow these away so I'm excited to see how he can make them sound compared to these. Ableton has an immense library of sounds, plugins and features.

It's just 4 old dudes making things up...

2-21-26 The Pirates Salty Ball benefit for Testicular Cancer

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 19:51:32 CST

Feb 21 in Manchester, Ct. If anyone is interested, this is the 14th annual event my band puts on. 3 bands, one a R and X rated shanty group, one a Renn Faire trio playing Celtic and other flavored material and us doing songs from the last 10 albums and lots of similarly smutty stuff. Its BYOB, potluck dinner event, in a 81 room hotel that we take completely over. Tickets are $20 and the hotel gives a god discount for rooms. From 7-12PM with a kick ass jam session after hours! 100% Adult Only. All welcome for this! Interested? Release your inner pirate! SAVE THE BALLS !! For more info:

The 14th Pirates Salty Ball

Cannon and Capt T smoking in front of The Balls, '25

RIP Bob Weir

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 16:46:42 CST

I'm far from a Deadhead, but I love this beautiful video of one of their songs: youtu.be/MHo1fNnXFVU?si=1TS0qvQ6zZ7XeCMi He wasn't involved, but some other greats were. Some fine fiddling from several continents. "Let there be songs, to fill the air."

LuLu Gal by FrankCo Penn

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Thu, 8 Jan 2026 04:01:42 CST

Last one!

Cherokee Shuffle live at Rough Edges Brewing by FrankCo Penn

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Wed, 7 Jan 2026 03:56:45 CST

Cherokee Shuffle live at Rough Edges Brewing by FrankCo Penn 12.4.25

Experimenting with overdubs and jams...yes, there are drums on this one.

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Mon, 5 Jan 2026 09:44:17 CST

For years I've used drum machines to records "jams" or "improv" tunes. They helped me write and create many tunes I'm proud of to this day. Over the past 5 years or so, I've really dug into the overdub world but it was always easier with a melodic instrument in my hands. This way, I would lay out the whole song with drums and 1 other instrument. From there, I'd layer until my heart was content. Now, using live drums, I basically jam for a few minutes, capturing the audio and then with a keyboard or bass, I'd play along and record that. Then I'd add layers from there. It's a fun challenge if you will. I'd like to reverse the order and play a guitar for minutes and then add the drums later. I'm hoping to get more creations done this winter as the chilly air has set in around here. This was 1 I made yesterday morning, starting with the drums, then Rhodes, Bass and then Hammond.

Happy New Year! Big Mon by FrankCo Penn

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Mon, 5 Jan 2026 05:19:41 CST

Stay till the end!!!

2026 Hazel Dickens Songwriting Contest deadline January 11

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Sun, 4 Jan 2026 17:47:17 CST

The deadline for the 2026 Hazel Dickens Songwriting Contest is January 11. $850 in prizes. More info: dcbu.org/hazel-dickens-song-contest-2/

Drone accompaniment in the digital age

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 16:35:04 CST

I got Laurie Hart's Give a Coin to the Fiddler and the accompanying 5 CDs as a Christmas present. A recording of Polksa efter Zakarias Jansson on the second CD, track 15, got my attention. The tune is in G Dorian. It is played on a hurdy gurdy with a constant G drone. Here is a video of the tune played by a moraharpa and a normal fiddle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J2IMZ6uwG8 . The moraharpa is an ancestor of the nyckelharpa (key fiddle). When the normal fiddle plays melody alone, the moraharpa continues to play G drones.

I'm jealous of the drone! Here is sheet music for the tune: https://musescore.com/user/148346/scores/151993 . That is not as good as Lisa Hart's music. A minor point is because the tune is in G Dorian, the key signature should have one flat and not two. (There are no E's or E-flats in the tune.) More significantly, the rythym is not good. There aren't any straight eighth notes in the tune.

Here's the drone accompaniment in the digital age part. There are one-line cello drone videos and a dronetonetool.com web site that play long cello drones. Here is a cello drone in G that goes with the Polska efter Zarkas Jannson tune: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvXXdGhJA1Q . I tried different cello drones with some old dance tunes (e.g., English country dance) and it really gives it a medieval drone sound.

checking up on FHO

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Sun, 28 Dec 2025 04:16:39 CST

Been trying to check in at least once a day to see what hot topics are circulating here.

Proud of myself for that. It's a lot more difficult than it should be for me to write a sentence these days...lol...so...hey, I'm doin' pretty good. It's awesome to see activity on here.

Swear & Curse (Cuss) Words

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Sat, 27 Dec 2025 12:53:20 CST

I've found another forum, nowhere near the subject here, where the mods let you cuss. Everyone is an adult. It definitely makes situations more expressive. Not to mention entertaining to read. It's popular. 20 new members a day. Folks are happy, positive. No verbosity. If I want to read full half page diatribe, I'll go to the library.
I don't think cussing is the answer, but it can cut thru in fewer words. Cheers

Merry Christmas!!!

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 05:48:01 CST

He is the reason for the season!

I hope you and your family enjoy the celebration!

Get to know your heroes!

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 05:50:21 CST

Last night I was playing a show with one my bands, Long Meadow Mining Company. A very traditional bluegrass band. It's an annual Holiday show where we have guest guitarist Ken Oyerly and Ned Luberecki on 2nd banjo (Sirius/XM DJ). Also, master luthier Paul Beard on Dobro. Not to mention the other pros on stage, John, Matt and Jeff. My wife asked on the way to the show, "are you nervous?" and my reply was very certain, "nah, I'm good." Not sure what came over me but the moment we hit the stage to a packed house, everything that I prepared for this past month just left my head and left me feeling confused. So much of music is clearing the runway of thoughts so you can land what you've practiced. Well, my head got in the way. But only for a few tunes. Then I look out to my right and see Tom Gray. Bassist and Hall of Famer with the Seldom Scene. I met him last year at this show. The Seldom Scene are legendary! Now I'm back in the groove. Then, they announce that bassist Missy Raines was in the crowd, front row. She is a 10 time IBMA bass player of the year recipient. No pressure Eric...LOL. So, from that point on, those 2 could hear all of my mistakes...LOL. I'm elated with joy as I sit here typing this.
I plan on doing a little more search and learning a little bit more about these players. Getting to know my heroes!

My favorite moments of these shows are when I'm in the green room hearing stories about Sam and Tony. Bela and Trischka. Unreal.

Old Swinging Bridge...it's been a little while.

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 06:09:14 CST

Happy Holidays, Ya'll. It's been a while. Here is a tune with our new Mandolin player. Cheers!

covid bug

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Sun, 7 Dec 2025 05:05:56 CST

I'm so tired of it. We got flu shots and COVID shots this year, as always. Now it's going onto 3 weeks I've had it...tiring...ugh...sick of being sick. I ain't got the time nor the energy for it.

Cristina Vane

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Thu, 4 Dec 2025 19:35:23 CST

I was searching YouTube for the Plank Road String Band LP I recorded so I could listen to "Cherry River Rag" since someone here said they were playing it and this short popped up:
youtube.com/shorts/dTNFdoLjwJM...IIyZneALh
I noticed that the inlays on her no doubt modern banjo are like the ones in my 1908 Vega Whyte Laydie, and that sort of warmed my heart. Then YouTube helpfully suggested this (warning: there's a slightly unladylike word at the beginning):
youtu.be/98jtbQOAexs?si=FTWwn-1jA0BNQFf4
She has an interesting biography, and has met some people along the way (the lead guitar on "You're Not Special" is "Cousin" Kenny Vaughn of Marty Stuart's Fabulous Superlatives).
Lots of her stuff on YouTube.

fad...

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Wed, 3 Dec 2025 10:12:11 CST

This is all Peggy's fault. Shame on her!!!

What would you consider to be a "fad" - within the old time fiddling world?

Snow?

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Sat, 29 Nov 2025 15:42:59 CST

Want some?
I'll send you a box full!
I plowed at 10:00 a.m.. Plowed an average of 10 inches.
At 3:00 p.m. you couldn't tell I did anything!
I guess now it's going to get cold. Tomorrow highs in the teens.
Any wind at all, this will drift nicely. 4 to 5 foot drifts, so much fun, I can hardly stand it.

glad...

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Thu, 27 Nov 2025 13:33:44 CST

I'm so thankful for family and friends; for places like this where we can share our passions with each other; and for the hope we have for a better tomorrow.

Happy Turkey Day!

Yellow Barber

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 18:17:45 CST

I should add, I always thought The Yellow Rose of Texas was a flower. Can someone set me straight on this too? (Thank you for your replies sp far...)

......

Hi everyone, I'm wondering about the term "Yellow" in Yellow Barber. I gather it refers to a biracial black and white person but it's considered derogatory. I couldn't bring myself to call a tune called Indian Squaw but not sure about this one.

What are people doing, if anything, about this tune title? Where I am, people have started calling it THE BARBER, I've even heard OLD TIME BARBER.

Thanks for your perspective.

Sad.

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Sun, 23 Nov 2025 09:42:46 CST

Well, maybe not all, but it does seem that most all good things do eventually come to an end,

I hate to see this place fade away, but I''ve been watching - only one post has a response with in the last day. The closest 2nd place is 2 days - then 5, and 7, I remember watching this happen at the Flatpicker Hangout - the last post there was a reply to "Does anyone still hangout here?" --- and the last post at Mandolin Hangout was 7 days ago. Reso Hanout is still hanging in there - about like FHO here. oh well... here's to posting - to help keep it alive.

Did facebook groups take over - or has everyone just lost interest?

Banjo Hangout still seems to be active. ...but that's banjo players.

I keep hearing about substacks...

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 09:26:57 CST

...and I know, I mean I don't actually know, but figure it sounds like what it is, is something like a blog.

People always say to check out their substacks. Well I never do. But my whole point here is that anytime I hear the word, substack, it just makes me hungry for a really big sandwich...lol...so I wish they'd quit saying it that way and just re-name it for a hungry groundhog's sake...lol.

a new world awaits...

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Fri, 7 Nov 2025 16:38:31 CST

Where to go first...

Happy Halloween!

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Sat, 1 Nov 2025 09:48:57 CST

Here's a picture from a small costume party. My costume is of St Francis Solano. I got the idea a few years ago when I saw the following painting at the Santa Fe cathedral: https://www.christianiconography.info/Wikimedia%20Commons/solanusSantaFe.html

Between my wife and I we covered the Halloween / All Saints' Day / All Souls' Day spectrum pretty well.

That's the cigar box fiddle a made a few years ago. I really like the way it sounds, but it's heavy the way I made it.

I hope everyone is well! I've been slacking on Fiddle Hangout this year.

Getting to know the Gretsch?

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 18:16:46 CST

The electric strings are so wobbly...lol...I'm not playing it easy enough. Anyway...here's a little bit of what it's sounding like. Had a chance to play it for a few minutes tonight.

youtu.be/Tu95U2_N5qQ?si=ioNq7J_Fz3hEW7sC

Graveyard Tales

eric@fiddlehangout.com — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 16:17:03 CST

As the shadows deepen, colors fade to yellow and sere brown, and we remember that the veil between this world and the other will briefly part, here's an album of ghostly tales I recorded at the National Storytelling festival in the early 1980's. We used to build a big bonfire in the front yard of an old house right next to the Old Jonesborough cemetary, with graves going back to 1800. We would haul up a small sound system and reel to reel tape recorder, and enjoy an evening of spooky tales. This eventually was moved due to concerns about the cemetary, and the fact that they couldn't sell tickets.
youtu.be/fRD2JAc7MLE?si=Rcmh83PmyM8Sw1Q-
Enjoy(?)