How to Play Bones with Dom Flemons 

This man is so authentically southern it’s so pure I can’t handle it.

This is the coolest man in existence.

"Once you get a handle on one set of bones, it's nice to throw in another set of bones." That made me laugh so hard for some reason, this video is just great.

"I'm just gonna show you some of the basics" *uses one pair* "It's nice to put in two sets of bones" *brings up another pair* "Once you get the basics on how to play the bones" *pulls up a harmonica* Dude had me thinking he was gonna grab a banjo and play it with his feet too!

Love musicians who teach and do not try to mystify. A plain and simple starter lesson. Well done!

Seriously, the Chocolate Drops were one of the most talented group of musicians in this country's history.

Don Flemons is an American folk legend and true music treasure.

Sir, I could never fantasize rivaling your level of 1) cool 2) dexterity 3) skill 4) developed talent!

Thank you for keeping unique musical heritage alive! I will never forget, as little boy (now 65) seeing a guy playing the bones in Rome, GA. I was mesmerized and have loved the bones ever since. I hope there will always be young people that will want to follow keeping old traditions alive.

Thank you! My grandma Theda (I called her TD”) played a black & white set. She was a beauty who was crippled & in pain, on morphine, but still had that spark of a young girl who loved music & was once a flapper in New Orleans who drove men wild. I loved her, loved to see her play them & never knew anybody else who did, til I met a white minister in a bar in Essex CT, who carried em in his breast pocket at all times. A friend told me that, so I approached him....a rather uptight silver-haired guy in a blue suit. Sadly, the night I met him, he declined my request to hear him play. Can you imagine?🙄 My TD was way more fun than THAT guy. ♥️🎶♥️ So are YOU.

I wish all my teachers expressed themselves so well. He's like listening to poetry.

My grandpa played bones, it was wonderful to hear them clakety clack.. I have those beauties now! Thank you best grandpa in the world!

WHO DISLIKED THIS VIDEO?! Smh! This is true talent and yall should be ashamed of yourselves for disrespecting this old & beautiful musical tradition!!!

Finally someone out there making music creative and fun again. Love CCD!!!

Saw the chocolate drops live... probably the best live show I have ever been to.

What a treat! My brother-in law taught me to play the bones in my early teens (1950s) & he learnt from his dad. Great play-anywhere instrument but haven't done so for years; looking for a set online RIGHT NOW!

Finally someone out there making music creative and fun again. Thanks for sharing this with us .

We had an old man used to stop in on my Nan every now and then. He played the bones. It was awesome to watch. Thank You Sir.🤟😎💚🇦🇺

keeping beautiful musical traditions alive

I love your group Carolina Chocolate Drops. More music, more music, more music.

This man is a true american treasure. I hope he gets the recognition he deserves for being authenticly himself.

I like that you can tell he's done this so much that it's so fluid.

Could not wipe the grin off my face. A jolly good chuckle at the end. Just love this fellow and the rest of the CCDs too.

Thank you for keeping us connected to our past.

My grandfather played bones and harmonica at the same time too. I've got to learn! Thanks.

1:04 that little smile there, he know how cool he looks :)

Thank you so much for this video, my granfather would play these for me everytime time I visited but would never teach me how. He always said he'd tell me before hed die but he recently passed and never got the chance to share due to covid. I'm still very new to the instrument but actually learning helps me feel a bit better about my grandpa's passing. Edit: Edit

oh my golly it was just getting over and i realized i've heard of you guys. i have family in NC Jacksonville area and Raleigh they like your group and now i can see why.

Mr. Flemons, you are a very talented man.

They had great video/sound quality back in the 1800"s

I got CCD to autograph my minstrel banjo. Mr Flemons was extremely friendly and approachable. One of the nicest "professional" musicians I ever met.

I saw these guys last weekend at House of Blues in Boston...this guy is the man! I was in the front row and he was right in front of me! He's just so genuine and a quality person. It was a surreal experience!

Btw I first saw/discovered and favored Carolina Chocolate Drops last summer at the Blue Grass Festival Upstate NY - you were all so amazing.

What a legend

Great beginning lesson that anyone can use. Simple techniques from a master musician. Thank you!

My father played these. In Cornwall England. I grew up with him playing them I am 50 now. Great video.

This guy is really talented !!

Finally the recommended vids brought me something good

Yep, they are rib bones from a bovine. Great job Mr. Flemons.

Dom's a charmer. How he manages those complex bone rhythms while also concentrating on the harmonica is beyond me. His head looks better with his hat on......

i love you dom flemons!

I love the internet. I first heard about this instrument 2 minutes ago and now I get to watch some kind of old-timey wizard making music with kitchen leftovers.

Our youth may not have enjoyed seeing and listening to someone “knocking bones.” I remember an elderly man when I was growing up who we called Uncle Jim Allen. He was very good at it and I loved watching him. People in the Della Green community near Brookhaven, MS knew this man and loved him. I believe he was over 100 years old when he died.

My daddy played the bones, and I still have them and didn't know how to play them. I vaguely remembered, but he's not here to ask any more. So I'm glad to find you!!!

This is the best, most informative, and funniest video you will ever watch on the bones, and it is the only one you need. Dom I love you, but I still can't do this shit so could you maybe smile little less :) Superb! BOOOOOOOONES!

Thanks for showing me. My Mamma had a pair, not of bone, but of wood. They were called "kleppers" and she played them just like mr. Flemons played those bones. And she sang a song to it, that had the same rhythm Mr. Flemons was playing: "Klepper-de-klepper-de-klep-klep-klep..."

I thought my Grandpa was good at bones until I found this guy. I'm truly inspired. Thank you.

Man! So much of this kind of music has wandered away from me over the years. I actually studied old Folk and Blues in high school. Where did that all go? Even got the feel when I first heard the Carolina Chocolate Drops, but lost it all to the day to day nonsense of getting nowhere. Now that I'm old and got the future to myself, I'm finding the special stuff again. So a half-hour ago I'm fixing dinner and bones pop into my head. That's a thing, you can play the bones! Like the spoons, or the hand jive, and those simple wooden dancers hanging over a bouncing piece of wood. Anyway... I sit down at the computer with my feed and look up playing the bones, with my handful of clean, dry, polished turkey leg bones... Man! Watta fool! Looks like I'm starting from scratch all over! What a great video! Someday I'll try it out, but I gotta save up to buy a rack of ribs that big!

This was super rad! And you're an AMAZING teacher. Thank you Dom! :)

I saw the Carolina Chocolate Drops In Gettysburg, PA. It was an awesome, top-quality group with loads of talent! Love them!!!

Simply awesome.

Dom of the Bones ! and harmonica and dancing and banjer and guitar

😁💜This dude is soooooo bad ass!

He actually taught a cool class in my high school. It was cool

Awesome!

Dom is the MAN!

Playing the bones is not as easy at it looks!! Much respect to you!

Nice to meet you last great job....Rev Dippermouth

How have I missed this until now! Genius.

thats nuts, im def going to go by the bone store in my area and pick up a couple of sets of rib bones.

great lesson, great music. thank you

Thank you Don Flemmons!

It's 2019, Saturday morning, just woke up.. how did I get here?

AWESOME ARTIST

How am I supposed to watch his hands when he's making that smug face?! 0:55 😂🤣😂

Still smiling. Awesome presentation.

You’re awesome Dude! I love to listen to you playin’ dem bones!

Very clear and nicely done. Thanks!

Thanks so much for introducing a new instrument to me! All the best to you.

Amazing Talent!

This should be one of the most famous ppl in the world

Don Flemons is one of my heroes!

magnifique , castagnettes en OS, belle prestation, découverte en chine il y a 3000 ans avant jésus Chris, d'après mes recherches .Bravo le musicien Chapeau. J.M

A charming and fascinating video. Thanks

Great to play to traditional Irish music we play the spoons and bones

Awesome! Thanks for sharing!

Awesome skills, great style too!

Made me smile....

I freakin love this dude! I wanna give him a big ol' hug!

Dom could play a phonebook,hes awesome

Very cool! Glad you're keeping this art form alive.

his music and style of clothing are great!

Wow, what I'd give for that kind of musical presence solo. (I give a few hours a day and hopefully I'll be there someday) Amazing! Gonna be on the lookout for some bones.

Just love you guys and thoroughly enjoyed the bone basics. Thank you!

Very cool! I was intrigued by listening to Spider John koerner and was curious what that percussion sound was coming from.....awesome!

Love it!

Awesome. Wonder how many talents are out there will never learn about..., thanks to modern age, and you tube, the horizon expanding.

I always wanted to know how, and you were so kind to share!!! Thanks a LOT!

You are so entertaining!! This is so interesting. I've never heard of these until I seen the interview with you and Rhiannon Giddens.

Such a great sound!!

I play the harp, gotta get me some bones to go with it! Thanks for the video!

Dom does everything right

fun vid! enjoyed his energy. that looks a lot like the seating area next to the bagelry in santa cruz. the second the video began i recognized it.

Thanks Dom, loving the hat!

Love all your video’s

Absolutely Amazing!!!

I have a pair of wooden bones I bought forever ago. I am just now sitting down and trying to figure them out. Thanks for the inspiration!

damn that is a very impressive level of focus

speechless! just wonderful to watch and enjoy

Amazing!!! 👍👍👍