Andy Meets The Darlins

[Steven]

Here is a great episode of The Andy Griffith Show that I just cant stop watching and I'm hoping someone who is familiar with the Dillards can answer 2 questions about the mando break on Old Joe Clark.First what model mando is that being played,it seems to have a very short neck and Second what key is this tune being played in,this one is really making me nuts.I tried it in A,D,and G both up and down the neck but just cant get that same sound as on the show...does anyone know if his mando was crosstuned and if so how?Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[mandolooter]

hummm I have a cd with them doing that song I think..I'll give it a look when I get home. Thats the first song I ever learned, I learned it in A but like the sound of it in D better.

[jim simpson]

I seem to remember the mando being a Gibson F2 - not sure about the key though.

[Dennis Schubert]

On the Live Almost or Back Porch Bluegrass album they played a tune called "Old Joseph" which uses some kind of cross-tuning in the key of A.

Same thing you heard on the TV show, I think. The mando was an F-2 or F-4.

I don't know if this is the tuning that Dean Webb used, but I have used both of these...

GG DD EA C#E

GG DD AA C#E

[Steven]

Well I'll be!, so that isnt Old Joe Clark on the TV show?It sounds the same to my tin ear.Thank you guys very much for the help.Ironweed the crosstuning info is very helpful I will try it.I am still interested in any comments on this tune,they do the same tune on another episode "Andy Meets Earnest T".

[Dennis Schubert]

It's the same tune to me as well, just a different name. If I have time, I will dig out the vinyl and give it a listen tonight. Maybe it's "Little Joseph" instead of "Old Joseph"...

[bsimmers]

I'm an Andy fanatic, and I'll check the tape, but I'm nearly positive it's in the key of D on the episode.
I'm not as sure about Dean's mando, but I always thought he used an F-4 on the show.
Bob

[GBG]

The Dillards added the G chord (in key of A) to Old Joe Clark. I'd never heard it in the tune before their version.

[Jim Broyles]

I don't know about the performance from the show, but the version I have is in D and I believe the mando is tuned AA DD AA AD

[mandolooter]

I had forgotten about this thread but upon further investigation its not on my 3 Dillard Cd's

[Steven]

Thanks folks,I'll try it in the differrent tunings to see.I was curious if it was on one of the CD'S,I'm gonna buy them anyway but this would be a reason to hurry up and get them.Of the CD'S out there which do you all like the best?

[Brian Aldridge]

not exactly on topic, but if you go to http://johnhartford.org/ and click on videos in the index window, there is some good Dillard material there. I believe Dean was playing his old Fern F5 in a couple of them. The bonus is there is a whole bunch of great stuff at that website. Interesting to see Mother Mabel and Sarah Carter in a backyard in the 60s playing and singing. On the Johnny Cash videos, you will see a young Norman Blake playing an F5- I'll stop, as there is too much good stuff there to list here. Great site by John Hotze.

[Jim Broyles]

On the Hartford site linked by Brian, there is a clip of the Dillards, on the Andy Griffith Show, playing "Old Joseph" with the crosstuned mandolin and it is in the key of D.

[mandopete]

You should probably check with Floyd the Barber - he knows everything!

[Jim Broyles]

On the Flatt clips, you'll get to see a 15 year old Marty Stuart pickin a fine manalin!