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Thread: Arthur Smith's "Mandolin Boogie"

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    Registered User f5loar's Avatar
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    Default Arthur Smith's "Mandolin Boogie"

    In 1951 when Bill Monroe went into the studio at Decca to cut "Rawhide" another well know guitar picker went into MGM's studio to cut "Mandolin Boogie". Charlotte, NC native Arthur Smith known for his famous 1948 hit recording of "Guitar Boogie" wanted to see if he could get another hit with the mandolin this time. It bombed and faded quickly into obsurity but today if you listen to it he was doing some rather innovative mandolin picking on this take off from his guitar boogie. He was playing his brand new 1951 Gibson F12 and you will note it rings like bells in this recording as taken from the original 78RPM. A few years later in 1955 he would go back to MGM studios to cut a little banjo tune that featured Smith on tenor banjo and Don Reno on 5 string bluegrass banjo. They called it "Fuedin' Banjos. About a decade later an up and coming bluegrass band called the Dillards would record it as "Duelin' Banjos" but this time using a banjo and a mandolin. And then in 1972 another rather unknown banjo picker, Eric Weisberg would cut the same tune between a banjo and a guitar and use it in a soundtrack to a movie "Deliverance" The rest we say is history. Arthur is still living today in Charlotte at a retirement home at age 90.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxBR_...eature=related

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    Default Re: Arthur Smith's "Mandolin Boogie"

    Good stuff Tom. Hadn't heard about the earliest versions of the movie theme.

    Scott

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    Default Re: Arthur Smith's "Mandolin Boogie"

    I really enjoyed that...thanks!

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    Registered User pefjr's Avatar
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    Default Re: Arthur Smith's "Mandolin Boogie"

    Interesting. I have been a Boogie fan since childhood listening to an older sister play it on Piano. A couple months ago I ran across this Mandolin version and downloaded it from Freegal Music library. A clean copy , little better than this utube one. Spotify has it also. Now, looking for the tabs.
    I have the world in a jug, and the stopper in my hand.

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    Professional Dreamer journeybear's Avatar
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    Default Re: Arthur Smith's "Mandolin Boogie"

    Might as well have it right here for easy access:



    This came up a few years ago when I was wondering what people thought would be good choices for a mandolin showcase - something that you could play to show off your skills, as in a band where everyone (hopefully) gets a chance to shine. I mentioned this because this was my showcase in my old jug band.

    I learned this the old-fashioned way - by repetition. My bandleader gave me a 45 - "Mandolin Boogie" was the B side of "Guitar Boogie" - which I now think was a reissue, from what Tom said here. I made a cassette copy, a few times in a row, so I wouldn"t scratch up the record. Also, this way I could go back over certain parts that were giving me trouble without having to search for them. (Youtube videos make this SO much easier - you just leave the cursor sitting on the time indicator where you want to return.) Some of these riffs are pretty standard blues riffs, some are more intricate. At some point I decided that instead of trying to get the trickiest parts note-for-note, I could just come up with something similar that worked pretty well at that point and could do at a gig without messing up - sort of make it my own. Bear in mind that a lot of times recording sessions were a series of takes one after another, none of them the same, and the company would release whichever one they thought was best. So getting something like this note-for-note isn't 100% necessary. And tabs for something like this are probably going to be non-existent, or a lot of work for someone else to do - unless there is a program that will convert an audio file into tab, which I guess would be very cool. Anyway, I'm just saying that it IS possible to work your way through this on your own - if I can do it, very possible anyone can -it just takes some doing. And you'll doubtless learn a lot along the way. Have at it! Good luck!
    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

    Furthering Mandolin Consciousness

    Finders Keepers, my duo with the astoundingly talented and versatile Patti Rothberg. Our EP is finally done, and available! PM me, while they last!

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    Professional Dreamer journeybear's Avatar
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    Default Re: Arthur Smith's "Mandolin Boogie"

    Guess I might as well post this here too, from that other thread. It reiterates a lot of the bio in the OP and adds some other information. I am impressed by his accomplishments and credentials. I had only known him for these two tunes; he obviously has done a whole lot more:


    A link between the Western swing of the 1940s and the rockabilly of the 1950s, Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith was one of country music's seminal figures. In addition to inspiring several generations of country musicians via his region television program, "The Arthur Smith Show," which aired from 1951 to 1982 and was the first syndicated country music show, Smith wrote and recorded some of country music's most influential tunes. His fiery instrumental "Guitar Boogie," recorded with the Tennessee Ramblers, has been often cited as the first rock & roll song. Released on October 23, 1948, the single sold nearly three million copies and reached number 25 on the Billboard pop charts. It was subsequently transformed into a Top Five hit, "Guitar Boogie Shuffle," by Frank Virtue and His Virtuoso Trio in 1959. Smith composed more than 500 songs, including many other hits. "Feudin' Banjos," co-written in 1955 with bluegrass banjo player Don Reno was renamed "Duelin' Banjos" and featured in the film "Deliverance" without permission. Suing for rights infringement, he won the case. Additional songs by Smith were covered by such country artists as Johnny Cash and Randy Travis. Willie Nelson featured Smith's song "Red Headed Stranger" as the title track of one of his most successful albums. Smith first surfaced in the mid-'40s as the leader of a Dixieland-influenced group The Crackerjacks and gospel group The Crossroads Quartet. He supplemented his income as a musician by hosting a show on 100,000-watt radio station, WBT. The owner of a recording studio in Charlotte, NC, Smith oversaw recordings by such artists as James Brown and Johnny Cash. ~ Craig Harris, All Music Guide
    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

    Furthering Mandolin Consciousness

    Finders Keepers, my duo with the astoundingly talented and versatile Patti Rothberg. Our EP is finally done, and available! PM me, while they last!

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    Registered User Charley wild's Avatar
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    Default Re: Arthur Smith's "Mandolin Boogie"

    Good one Tom! I recall seeing Authur's TV show when I was working in Marshville, NC back in the early 60's. That guy could play anything! Well! I believe his brother was on the show also. Even being from upstate NY I knew who he was from "Guitar Boogie" and Feuding Banjos". So he had wide appeal. I loved his show and tried not to miss them during my NC stay!

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