A friend of mine has a German Cuckco Clock that does not keep time and will not run worth a damn. He gave up on trying to make it run after 6 months of "dicking and jacking" with it. He says "it hates him" since he told his wife not to buy one of the damn things when she went to Germany. A clock showed up a few days after she got home - Image that. @@jcorkable
This, is genuinely one of the best performances I have ever seen, ever.. his eyes were closed, dam near the entire time.. the banjo never skipped a beat, the voice never faulted. You stayed true through out and sang with it soul... be moved people, don’t be impressed.. be moved
Ah man.. it's not about the mic peaking.. I'm not on RU-vid to look for perfection. I just really digged the way he sang it. It's still my favorite version
“Swinging in, to old Fort Worth in 1883 Some old Mexican cowboy Come steppin' up to me Sayin' how are you young fella When would you like to go And spend another season with me in Mexico I had no employment Back to him did say It's according to your wages According to your pay Said I'll pay you good wages And often too you now If you spend another season with me in Mexico I went up to this cowboy I offered him my hand But he gave a string of horses So old they couldn't stand How nearly starved to death boys I mean to let you know And I never saw a dollar in those hills of Mexico I got up on that steamboat and back to home did go How thеm bells they did ring Those whistlеs did blow How them bells they did ring Those whistles did blow On that godforsaken fortune in those hills of Mexico” ❤
This is so pure!! I love it !! Just one guy and a banjo, yet the energy coming out of him rivals that of any hardcore or metal band I've heard. I love how he plays it so fast and clean while keeping that upbeat percussive sound in between licks
Fantastic. I love that claw hammer. One of my biggest complaints with contemporary Americana and Bluegrass is the banjo player playing with a plectrum! It just doesn't sound the same. This guy has the longest thumb I have ever seen, too.
Listen to Banjo Dave Caroll with Trampled by Turtles. He does a plectrum in 5 string better than some wanna be finger pickers. It's awesome if you ask me
I thought there would never be another 'Old Timer' in these days. But he is one. When you close your eyes and listen, he's from the 30's or 40'. His Rock Salt and Nails is so heartbreaking! Tears in my eyes! And his frailing is so good!
Wow... I've heard Hills of Mexico done by a lot of folks and a bunch of times but as far as singing goes that might be tops. If it looks like he's straining and getting red in the face on those high notes it's because he is. It's a very difficult song to sing and Willie nailed it. Glad he's out there giving a new take on traditional music.
Willie, I’ve been watching you for years. Your sound is intoxicating and it has that high and lonesome sound that bluegrass music requires. Love ya from a far pal. Keep it high and the digits wigglin.
This is music from my teenage years to my early twenties. Lots of good and bad memories, but the best time of my life and early 90's. I'm grateful that I was in that era and experienced a way of life (a simple life). That anyone will never experience again.
When IIIIIII was in fort worth in eighteen in eightythree, S'm old Mexican cowboy come steppin up to me Saying how're you young fellaaah, how would you like to go? And spend'a nother season with me in mexico? I haaaaad no employment back to him did say It's according to you wages, according to your pay, say I'll pay you good wages and often too you know If you speeeeeend'nother season with me in Mexico I went uuuuuuhp to this cowboy, I offered him my hand But'ee gave a string of horseeeehs so old they couldn't stand, and I nearly starved to death booooooy as I mean'to letchu knowhuouou and I neeeeeever saved a dollar in those hills of Mexico. Started uuuuuuup that steam boat'n to home did go How them bells they did riihiiiiiiiing those whistles did blow How them bells they did riiIIIIIIIIIIng those whistles did bloww, On that gooooood forsaken fortune'neath those hills of Mexico.
I saw him open for Punch Brothers during their New Years shows, and immediately loved his style. He's got such a unique voice and way of playing that makes you take notice. It's awesome he's finally got an album out.
I love to play this for people and watch them make the sour lemon face. I can’t lie, that may have been me at first, but honest to god this is one of the best ever. I love it and will always come back for it. Thank you Willie and NPR. 😁
Sounds like this has been past down through his family. His voice was made for this type of music. Never let these things die, for it is important to reflect on the history of American folk music.
Some young musicians make great effort trying to sound and look "old timey", but still come across like characters in costume. Willie Watson is not one of them.
He makes his own clothes that he sells online. Overalls, nice hand stitched pants. This guy is the real old timey deal. They (Old Crow) used to make moonshine and grow their own weed in the hills of North Carolina outisde of Boone. Guys lived a vagabond life for a long time before getting big and moving to Nashville.
All the respect in the world to anyone who can play banjo period. Clifton Hicks and Meredith Moon both do wonderful variations of this song. That being this guy channels the feel of Roscoe Holcomb like no other contemporary artist that I've heard.
clifton hicks has two different versions of it, and both are fantastic; one is clawhammer/frailing (like this version) and another is in the two-finger style similar to Dock Boggs(which might be my favorite recording of this song)
Mr. Watson you, good sir, are High,Lonesome, and Legit. I anxiously await your arrival in Michigan at The Ark. If you have not yet played there, you will soon discover that the room was built for you and you for it. October 2015 will not be here soon enough for my liking. Thank you for the gift of this music!
+The Mafia Gaming I am pumped for the show! You are a Native of the Emerald Isle I take it? There is an artist that I follow with great interest who is travelling with the great Don McClean presently; Jarrod Dickenson. They are doing several shows in your part of the world. When this tour is finished, Jarrod will hook up with The Waterboys for a 6 or 7 show tour opening for Michael Scott and company.... How I would LOVE to take in one or more of those shows! 400OTD
Great to see someone playing clawhammer on a resonator in the spirit of Grandpa Jones and Stringbean. That's almost exactly the sound I'm always aiming for - this pretty much nailed it.
Everything about this is perfect, except for the spiking audio... wish the levels would have been set properly on that mic to capture his voice better. Still an amazing video shoot! I have probably watched this 50 times.
To be fair, he's definitely singing very loudly, and 1 mic for him belting and th e banjo, that's a difficult balancing act for the audio engineer. I think he really shouldn't have been singing that loud, like acoustically I'd say it was a crazy imbalance.
@@PK_Mega_Awesome yeah I suppose but not really to this extent, in my opinion anyway. Like he's absolutely roaring. Check out some other bluegrass acts that use 1 mic, their volume control is incredible.
Loved the music the first bars he played and for me that is very very rare. Purchased two albums so far folk songs 1 and 2 and recommend them to anyone
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