As a person who can't play any instrument, this is seriously like magic. I can't understand how people can make an instrument make some of the sounds they make. Like how do your fingers do that? That little rising and falling warble sound? I don't even see you doing anything obvious.
I’ve been a fan for a decade. Thought this would be a different song. “I was born in east Virginia, North Carolina I did roam.” Ever hear a song with a chorus “if my train passes by where you are sleeping, I’ll write you a letter on a dusty boxcar wall.”? Only knew one guy who played it.
That's mighty fine sir. This music isn't in my blood line some others, but it sure effects me more strongly than most. Love that Appalachian sound, that sadness and darkness through and through. Delicious melancholy.
YOU CAN BELIEVE ME THIS SONG MAKES MY SOUL CRY 💔💔💔💔SO BEAUTIFUL💜💜💜💜THANX, CLIF 🙏🙏🙏🙏 ( CONNIE TAN I MISS YOU 💔💔 ) If you can write the lyrics if you have time THANK YOU Cliff. ❤❤
Thanks. Will keep trying. Still have trouble logging in, even with facebook. At least they took out the street signs traffic lights boxes that drove me crazy. Prove I’m not a robot. Thanks, though. What I need now is practice.
You know, I've been a fan now for a while now and this song happens to be my favorite. I even bought a banjo and started learning it. I suppose I have an advantage from playing the guitar, but without getting too far off my intent of writing this, it's a different ball game when trying to sing with it vs. the guitar. I've been practicing this song for a few days now and I guess I decided to try and listen to different versions of it and see how it varied. It seems every folk artist of the 60's has their own version and just about every country/bluegrass band does it too. The closest I've come to hearing your version has been from Doc Watson. It seems most versions of the song tend to be on the major scale side of things and really don't incorporate those 'blue' notes the way your version does and I'm really glad you did. I know in the tutorial video, you suspect it's Anglo-Saxon, but your version tip-toes neatly around that and gets into that bluesy territory. I've never heard a banjo sound like that before and it reminds me very much of early Appalachian blues albums. Sure they were playing guitar, but man in the right hands a banjo sounds as authentic to my ears as any guitar ever did. So I've been scouring the web trying to find more artists that played banjo in that way. Dock Boggs and Roscoe Holcomb seem to get that feel in their playing, but finding these artists hasn't been as easy as I thought. One doesn't necessarily lead to another. Seems to be a big disconnect in that style. I hate to say it, but it 'seems' that the disconnect is in calling a black man's music blues and a white man's music folk... even though it seems they both traveled the same road. Before I end up writing a novel here, could you recommend other directions/artists to discover that capture that feeling?
Check out BF Shelton "Molly Dear" ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-B7YJln1_89w.html and Bill Cornett "Born in Old Kentucky" ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-B7YJln1_89w.html and George Gibson's "East Virginia" ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-3Slvy4gyAZE.html
@@CliftonHicksbanjo Thank you for taking the time to post those links. I noticed you there with George Gibson in that performance with him. I've found several other videos of him on RU-vid, but nothing on itunes which is what I happen to be subscribed to. I often listen to your music on there. I just found your albums on Bandcamp too. I really mean it when I say, when I'm looking for people singing those songs, it's your voice that I compare it to. I really think your voice fits that style perfectly. I've been listening to Dock Boggs, but unfortunately he was already up there in age when he recorded those songs. I kind of imagine he might have sounded a lot like you when he performed them when he was younger. Again, thanks for taking the time!
@@CliftonHicksbanjo For singing, it's the drone string that throws me off. It's on the wrong side of the neck I suppose... that and strumming a song, even with some bass lines that follow, seem to be easier than picking out a melody. It's a challenge for sure!
So glad you did this one 6 months ago. I was struggling with the one from 6 years ago, being (to me at least) in a different key. I love all the Knott County acoustic embellishments one can get by messing with strings Those old strings on your video are still there, I think. ♥️🛶rob
So good! Clarence Ashley does a really good version of this under the name Dark Holler with slightly different words, I highlighted in recommendation you check it out if you've never heard it before.
Thanks for posting--this is my all-time favorite rendition of East Virginia. As I'm try to learn it, it seems to me that maybe you are tuned f-C-F-Bb-C. But maybe I'm hearing or seeing something wrong. I always look forward to your posts of all kinds. I hope the new archeology job is going well.
Yes, that tuning is about right. My thumb string is tuned a bit lower though, to where it matches the first string held down at the 3rd fret, so I thing my tuning is actually e♭CFB♭C (fDGCD, relative).
I wonder if your experience going overseas in the military informs how you play these old ballads (in terms of being able to connect with the emotions of being separated from loved ones or losing friends in battle).
Yes, the experience of crossing the ocean to participate in deadly struggle was informative, to say the least. I also understand that my own ancestors arrived in America long ago after fleeing famine, oppression and war in Europe. The greatest tragedy of my insignificant life, however, is the knowledge that millions of people have been (and continue to be) displaced, terrorized and killed as a result of my presence in Iraq during 2003-2004.
Clifton Hicks, I'm disabled and a veteran, and I do not have a pc or printer, and can't get one anytime soon, but what I'm wondering is do you have a book with lyrics and banjo tablature that I could purchase, or could you consider making one? Thank you, and God bless.
Well Clifton this song has caused me to buy my first banjo. I bought a GT WL250 plus. Now I am gonna try to get as close to the sound of your banjo as i can. can you tell me what head, bridge and strings you have on that banjo. I play guitar, mando and fiddle, looking foward to learning banjo. going to start with your two finger style and the lesson on that song.
