Sand Mountain ( not the place )

**bluemtgrass** · May-20-2012, 10:04am

A couple of years ago I heard this tuned, learned most of it and have since forgotten it. No one else seems to play it. The version I heard was played on the mando by a " Johnny " but I don't know the last name. Seems to be a hard tune to find even on the internet. Anyone at least have the chords for it ? The second part chords were a bit different if I recall..

**Henry Eagle** · May-20-2012, 2:13pm

Nathan, I'm not sure if this is of help, since you seem to mention a mandolin player Johnny. But if I'm not mistaken, you're referring to Johnny Bellar, who composed "Sand Mountain" and recorded it (on Dobro) at least once in the '70s with the Stonemans on the CMH label. German guitarist/singer Heiko Ahrend recently recorded a very nice guitar version on CD.
Check this link, just to see if we talk about the same "Sand Mt.": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akufhSmPTgw

Greetings,
Henry

**bluemtgrass** · May-20-2012, 4:32pm

That is indeed the tune although when I heard it it was played with a mando lead along with a full array of bluegrass sounding instruments. Do you know the origin of the song ? Is it a celtic, bluegrass ??? Anyi idea of the chording ? At any rate thanks for finding it..

**Henry Eagle** · May-21-2012, 2:35am

I'm not aware of any mando version. Also, I assume Johnny Bellar actually composed the tune. However, you might want to check directly with Johnny via his website. Maybe he knows about the mandolin recording. His dobro version with the Stonemans has dobro and banjo breaks. Heiko Ahrend's studio version uses guitar and dobro, while the mandolin only plays rythm chops. Both recordings - in the key of g-minor and a-minor, respectively - are powerful and indeed fun to play along with on the mandolin.
Henry

**bluemtgrass** · May-21-2012, 7:59am

A few years ago I worked on this for a couple of days figuring it out and then playing a version I could play. A friend had a cd that had this song. There was no title just a guy giving the intro saying " This is Sand Mountain featuring Johnny. "

** I borrowed this cd again. It is a dobro switching leads with a banjo. There's also a guitar in the back. This time around I'm not sure I even hear a mandolin. Go figure...... However, it is still a great tune and I'll keep plugging until I get it. Its too bad this didn't get more play time. Maybe I can get it enough to mess with it at a Bluegrass festival. I'm curious whether anyone else stumbled onto this song like I did.

Thanks again,

**Daofktr** · May-27-2012, 12:12pm

Not to threadjack, but I listened to this song the other day, and now I'm learning it, thanks to you--darn you!
Why did you have do such a thing? The poor song will never be the same, and I'm praying for its speedy recovery (not to mention rehabilitation).

**bluemtgrass** · May-27-2012, 12:20pm

Originally Posted by Daofktr

Not to threadjack, but I listened to this song the other day, and now I'm learning it, thanks to you--darn you!
Why did you have do such a thing? The poor song will never be the same, and I'm praying for its speedy recovery (not to mention rehabilitation).

I hardly think it will sound as botched as my version but hopefully one would recognize the song. Please clue me in on the chords as I'm stumped. I have most of the melody and I hoped that would be enough to jog my memory. I'm pretty sure my version only has majors, minors and 7ths since that's all I know. Unfortunately what I heard and saw on the guitar was more than that.