Black Bottom Blues | Discussion
Added 2018-10-04 06:01:31 +0000 UTCgCGCD, relative (aka Double C, One-Finger C or Hook & Line tuning).
I learned this song from George R. Gibson of Knott County, KY when I was very young. He sang both "Black Bottom" and "Stagolee" for me to this same tune. Much later in life when I was in my 20s I heard John Haywood play the song differently--in this video I describe how I heard each of them play and how I choose to play it today.
https://patreon.com/cliftonhicks
Comments
I've heard a few old recording of Deep Ellum/Deep Elm and have seen a few contemporary musicians do it. Thanks, will check those two out.
Clifton Hicks
2018-10-10 09:46:47 +0000 UTC<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVo8okRdn7M" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVo8okRdn7M</a> (Hilary) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sftbBX2QkA" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sftbBX2QkA</a> (Brad)
Tom Starace
2018-10-10 07:03:11 +0000 UTCMu name is Tim, by the way
Tom Starace
2018-10-10 06:54:53 +0000 UTCClifton, do you know Deeo Ellum Blues, practically the same song as Black Bottom. Here are 2 versions of it, one by Brad Kolodner, and another by Hilary Burham, who gives a funky tutorial of it. I've leaned Hilary's version.
Tom Starace
2018-10-10 06:48:22 +0000 UTCWord.
Clifton Hicks
2018-10-05 22:56:49 +0000 UTCI have a lot to say about this, I apologize for being annoying. The single most important thing I have learned from Clifton so far is that you should tune to your voice (if you're singing). My voice is deep, so it can be difficult for me to sing with the banjo. Something about the key of G just doesn't work for me. If you're trying to sing too and having any trouble hitting the notes with your voice, try tuning where you can sing easier if you haven't already. Your singing AND playing will improve fast.
Joe
2018-10-05 22:51:18 +0000 UTCIn those days, when I was down in my early teens it was actually harder than it is for me now. I would either catch a song immediately or I'd miss it and not even try. In later years, after I came home from overseas and was in my early twenties, it got easier. Now, at 33, I can pick up the banjo and fairly quickly figure out any melody I want to--usually! I think it of course has something to do with human brain development stages but perhaps more to do with years of experience with the instrument. Thirty is still plenty young.
Clifton Hicks
2018-10-04 14:22:01 +0000 UTCReally cool song man. It takes me a while for a tune to sink in, so I'll let this one soak! When you were first listening to Mr Gibson did it take tunes a while to sink in too? Or is it because I'm nearly 30?!
Bobby Banks
2018-10-04 08:49:09 +0000 UTC
