Bluegrass "snow" tunes

[Charles E.]

Watching the record breaking amount of snow that has been falling in the south (my former local being Raleigh NC with almost a foot), it got me to wondering. Besides the obvious "Foot Prints in the Snow", what other songs are about snow or mention snow in the tune? Also I am looking for non Christmas tunes as that is too easy.
I am sending warm thoughts to all my fellow southern mandolin pickers. :)

[Charles E.]

Ah, yes there is this.......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmO-Of_SQus

[Chris Daniels]

Just had Snowbird recommended to me when a mere 7.5" of snow had the roads closed here near Charleston a couple weeks ago. It was the perfect time to work on a new tune.

Forget the Ann Murray or Elvis versions. Check out the mandocentric tracks by Jim 'N Jesse or Emory Lester. Either are a tough act to follow.

C.

[Ky Slim]

_eOTaMilIVU

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_eOTaMilIVU


“There’s snow on the mountain and it looks like it’s gonna rain...”

[Pete Martin]

Snowshoes. Make sure you sing the part "put on your snowshoes".

[Bill Foss]

Matterhorn by the County Gentlemen:

We started out from Bern one sunny August morn
There was just the four of us against the Matterhorn
There was Albert the Australian and John the Irishman
Me and Bill from Britain, mad dogs in the sun

Matterhorn, Matterhorn
Men have tried and men have died to climb the Matterhorn
That mighty Matterhorn

Two miles up we lost John and our rations fell below
Now Al and Bill are lying beneath an avalanche of snow
Now here I am alone and I know I cannot stop
Two more yards in front of me before I reach the top

Now here I am a dying upon the Matterhorn
Not a thing for me to lie in or a thing to keep me warm
The Queen would surely knight me if I could get back down
But it's closer here to heaven than it is back to the ground

[Steve Ostrander]

+1 Cold Rain and Snow

[Charles E.]

Snowshoes. Make sure you sing the part "put on your snowshoes".

Thanks Pete, is this the tune?..........

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Sounds like "Spotted Ponies" only with a minor chord.

[doc holiday]

It does sound like Spotted Pony. How about "Snowflake Reel"? Nice guitar version by Grant Gordy & Ross Martin....also great fiddle version by Isaac & Louise Callender (youtube).

[Jess L.]

... what other songs are about snow or mention snow in the tune? ...

Well... there's the almost-bluegrass ;) early finger-picking banjo style of the McGee Brothers version of "Snowdrop" - *not* clawhammer like all the other Snowdrop videos on YouTube. I would imagine that a competent bluegrass band could probably turn it into a modern (Monroe-style) bluegrass tune (see edit below) if they wanted to. :mandosmiley: (Personally, I like it the way it is, but you were asking about tunes to play for bluegrass.) :) I think this was recorded in 1964:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcOIrl2vRKA
(or direct link (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcOIrl2vRKA))

Edit: Here's an interesting tidbit: :mandosmiley:


"In the 1930s, the McGees teamed up with early Opry fiddler Arthur Smith to form a string band known as the "Dixieliners," and in the 1940s they played and toured with Bill Monroe and His Bluegrass Boys and several other notable acts."
-Source: Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McGee_Brothers)

Aha... interesting... I hadn't known they'd toured with Bill Monroe until reading that today. I'd heard that recording eons ago, but didn't know/remember much about it. One wonders about the origins of all these styles, early 3 finger banjo styles leading to Scruggs style etc... hmm...

Anyway, Snowdrop is just a "tune" though, not a "song", I've never heard anyone singing with it, as far as I know there are no lyrics. If you wanted to sing, someone would have to write some words to it. Could be an interesting project! :)

[Charles E.]

That works, "snow" is in the title. I play mainly old time music and am a big of Sam & Kirk McGee.

[Jess L.]

That works, "snow" is in the title. I play mainly old time music and am a big of Sam & Kirk McGee.

Cool! :mandosmiley: :)

[sblock]

Ripped from the headlines...

How about "Snow Way to Treat a Lady"? :))

[Willie Poole]

How about "The Deepening Snow"....More of a country tune but has been done bluegrass style also.....

Willie

[Charles E.]

It does sound like Spotted Pony. How about "Snowflake Reel"? Nice guitar version by Grant Gordy & Ross Martin....also great fiddle version by Isaac & Louise Callender (youtube).

Thanks Doc, what a cool tune. :cool:


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[CarlM]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNl90bdaYCc

Snow Dove. With Dawg and Del

[Timbofood]

Well, “Ice Covered Birches” Cliff Waldron and the New Shades of Grass, Traveling Light album on the Rebel Label.
Though not strictly a snow song, it’s a great one!

[AlanN]

Who's the picker in post 15?

[allenhopkins]

Ice-Covered Birches

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Snow Deer (there's a Woody Guthrie vid with lyrics, too)

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Cold Frosty Morning

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Deepening Snow

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[Charles E.]

Who's the picker in post 15?

Hey Alan, his name is Scott Risner. The video was made in 2010. Looks like he is playing a Duff.

[Roger Adams]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfR_PJGf4B0

[Charles E.]

Tried to post a video of Snowbird on the Ash bank but it would not upload.

[Charles E.]

A new one for me, "Roses in the Snow".......


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Nicely done.

[CarlM]

A singer I used to play with introduced me to Roses in the Snow. She is a huge fan of Emmy Lou who really got it out into the world.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUSZ3oMNHvw

[AlanN]

Hey Alan, his name is Scott Risner. The video was made in 2010. Looks like he is playing a Duff.

Thanks, Charles.

P.S., Raleigh ain't the same without you...

[Timbofood]

Boy, “Deepening Snow” has to be one of the most touching little tunes I’ve heard in years! I’m taking that one to the band! Thanks for sharing Allen!! “Snow Deer” might get in there too!
I like Cliff Waldron’s version of “Ice Covered Birches” better but, I will listen to almost anyone’s, it’s a great “heart song” as a buddy of mine used to call them.

[Charles E.]

Laurie Lewis and Tom Rozum recorded "Teardrops Falling in The Snow". They also played an original tune, written by Tom, called "Snowy Day"........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eP6wdACzH6A&list=PLF_jsGapS9WsZfadc-628kQCLizYzdDSF&index=33

[Tom D]

Claire Lynch Band - Snow Day from the Holiday! recording.

[Rob Ross]

Previously mentioned "Snowflake Reel" is one of my all-time favorite tunes. It is also known as "Snowflake Breakdown", and was written by Canadian fiddler Wally Traugott. It goes together quite well with "Snowball" by Alan Munde and Brian Berline, which makes it a truly bluegrass snow tune.

[ralph johansson]

[QUOTE=allenhopkins;1626237]Ice-Covered Birches

IZbR40Excts

Snow Deer (there's a Woody Guthrie vid with lyrics, too)

c-mYtgD3w9s


/QUOTE]


Snow Deer was written by Percy Wenrich and Jack Mahoney in 1913. The lyrics are about a Native American girl, in the same category as Silver Bell (also by Wenrich) and Red Wing. The only time I've heard it done by a Bluegrass group was when I sat in with Smiley Hobbs' group in Arlington, 49 years ago, playing Mr. Hobbs' mandolin. It works splendidly in that idiom, but it's not really about snow.


And Woody Guthrie strikes some very strange chords in bars 3-4.

[Kellie]

Is Snow Drop Bluegrass?

[Timbofood]

Is Snow Drop Bluegrass?

Many would say “No” but, I can hear a good version of it in my head! Anything can be done in the style if you are driven to do it. My band does “Streets of Bakersfield” as straight BG as possible. It’s fun to cross genres if you can do it with taste.

[KGreene]

Many would say “No” but, I can hear a good version of it in my head! Anything can be done in the style if you are driven to do it. My band does “Streets of Bakersfield” as straight BG as possible. It’s fun to cross genres if you can do it with taste.

I couldn't agree more ... we do quite a few of JP songs in BG fashion ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJzalbTTc9Y ... (snow and Christmas in the lyrics anyway) ... Really doesn't seem that long ago when JP came out with this, makes me wonder where the years went!

[MadMax]

"February Snow," written by Shel Silverstein and performed by Lester Flatt.

[ajh]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBCO90KBMRE

Peter Ostroushko Horizontal Hold

[hatta]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcKGetftfhY

[Jim Garber]

Here's a different :"Snowbird" that I play a lot: an old time Kentucky tune by Sammy Dyer. Also "Snowbird on the Ashbank". Sorry, Charley, to insert non-bluegrass tunes in here.

[Charles E.]

Hey Jim, it's cool with me. I played that one with the group back in Raleigh. Only we called it "Ash Bird On The Snowbank". ;)

[Jim Garber]

Here's Bruce Greene playing "Snowbird".


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tomyfk9-Ah8

[Darin Cochran]

Patty Loveless
Bluegrass, White Snow

https://youtu.be/helw6XLkvxI

[hattio]

Hey,
Does anyone know who wrote Ice Covered Birches? I have been told it was written by a guy named Carl Hoffman, kind of an Alaskan Bluegrass legend. Would love to know for sure.

[William Smith]

Footprints in the snow-Big Mon?? Sled Ridin -Dale Sled. Snow Deer-fiddle tune banjo style by Don Reno.

[MadMax]

One more -- "Snow White Grave," by Jimmy Martin.

[djeffcoat]

Amazing Rhythm Aces!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaJfo7gncvA