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Thread: Top three favorite Bill Monroe tunes.

  1. #51
    Registered User John Hill's Avatar
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    1. Bluegrass Breakdown
    2. Kentucky Mandolin
    3. Methodist Preacher

    It's tough to pick just 3.

    4. Sittin' Alone in The Moonlight
    5. Wheel Hoss
    6. This list could go on & on!
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  2. #52
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    My favorites right now would have to be:

    1. Backup and Push
    2. I Traced her little footprints in the snow
    3. Voice on High

    Others:

    Body and Soul
    Roanoke
    Precious Memories
    Philip Halcomb

  3. #53
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    Peter: ..never knew that! -(and I thought I knew Monroe's material/discography well). Thanks! - Moose.

  4. #54

    Default Re: Top three favorite Bill Monroe tunes.

    Quote Originally Posted by MWM View Post
    Lured from lurking once again. OK Here goes.

    1. Jerusalem Ridge - 4 parts, minor key, haunting melancholy melody, decent speed - it has it all. This is the tune that made me want to play mandolin. Still gives me the same feeling 25+ years after first hearing it.

    2. Cheyenne - Unusual and very cool. I've seldom ever seen others mention it on the cafe which is the reason I decided to post. I've encountered this one at better jams and it's great to pick on guitar or mando. Starts in G minor, shifts to Bb with a I-iii-IV-I-V progression (didn't I mention unusual?). The Album Band did a great version.

    3. ?# - There are so many. Wheel Hoss and Big Mon actually sound great played at near insane speeds. Southern Flavor and Kentucky Mandolin for the minor keys. Rawhide just because it's Rawhide. The stomps. They're all great.
    ...have to keep telling...-Southern Flavor is NOT in a "minor key" !...it's an audio illusion !

  5. #55

    Default Re: Top three favorite Bill Monroe tunes.

    I hadn't played Southern Flavor in a while. I like the major E chord best but played the minor when I first learned it. In minor it sounds more like Southern Flavoure.

    Three of my flavorites:
    Old Ebenezer Scrooge/Dangerfield
    Southern Flavor
    Roanoke
    Northern White Cloud .

    Is that three?

  6. #56
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    Default Re: Top three favorite Bill Monroe tunes.

    Of course, the question as always is, what exactly is a Bill Monroe tune? Which of them did he really write, etc.

    Gold Rush: Monroe had the idea and Byron Berline helped him shape it into a fiddle tune. Berline also contributed the out chorus. #3: the chords are in A major and there's a prominent b7 in the melody, giving the song a mixolydian flavor. There's absolutely nothing minor about it.

    I'm pretty sure Dusty Miller is traditional.

    Methodist Preacher and Going Up Caney, like all the rest on the Uncle Pen album, are traditional. So are Back Up and Push and Were You There.

    Big Sandy was written by Kenny Baker.

    Jerusalem Ridge is a joint effort; Baker came up with most of the ideas, but Monroe made the decisions.

    Goodbye Old Pal was written by Cliff Carlisle. Monroe bought it from him for 15 dollars (my source:Monroe).

    Clyde Moody claimed he wrote Kentucky waltz. Richard Greene claims he wrote Northern White Cloud from some idea of Monroe's.

    Watson Blues may have been based on You'll Find Her Name Written There, which was written by Harold Hensley, a session fiddler in LA/Hollywood.

    Footprints in the Snow has a very long history and changed quite a bit over the years. It is certainly not a Monroe song, though he may have added a few touches of his own.

  7. #57
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    Default Re: Top three favorite Bill Monroe tunes.

    1. Jerusalem Ridge
    2. Goldrush
    3. Kentucky Waltz
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  8. #58
    Registered User T.D.Nydn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Top three favorite Bill Monroe tunes.

    1. Kentucky mandolin. 2. Big Mon 3. Southern flavor..a second nod to Wheel hoss,Rawhide ..

  9. #59
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    Default Re: Top three favorite Bill Monroe tunes.

    1- Jerusalem Ridge
    2- GoldRush
    4- Evening Prayer Blues (D Ford I know)
    3- Farewell to Long Hollow
    Changes often, but now those are the ones I’m playin/learnin’most on Mand’lin-
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  10. #60
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    Default Re: Top three favorite Bill Monroe tunes.

    Old Ebeneezer Scrooge (what a great title) is the current jam.

    Reading through this old post is bittersweet.

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  12. #61

    Default Re: Top three favorite Bill Monroe tunes.

    All great tunes, for me it’s:

    So. Flavor
    Watson’s Blues
    Lochwood

    For now anyway...
    Northfield F5M #268, AT02 #7

  13. #62
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    Default Re: Top three favorite Bill Monroe tunes.

    Big Sandy
    Kentucky Waltz
    Kentucky Mandolin
    But it is real hard to narrow to 3. Footprints in the Snow should be there too.

  14. #63
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    Default Re: Top three favorite Bill Monroe tunes.

    I’m curious,
    What tunes would y’all more “experienced/know’ed”
    Pickers suggest for newbies or those knew to Monroe style,
    I’ve been at this not long but for a year or so, but only been trying to sound like Mr Bill of late , and I’m finding it much diffytjan what I’ve been doing, but very cool and enjoyable
    Learnin’....

  15. #64
    Registered User doc holiday's Avatar
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    Default Re: Top three favorite Bill Monroe tunes.

    J, I've got some favourite Monroe tunes, like "Old Dangerfield", & "Evening Prayer Blues," (& many others) but for getting into the Monroe style of playing, i'd listen to the "Doc Watson & Bill Monroe Live Recordings".... & hear how he interprets standard tunes like "Paddy on the Turnpike" & "Soldier's Joy" as an example.

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  17. #65

    Default Re: Top three favorite Bill Monroe tunes.

    Quote Originally Posted by AlanN View Post
    Old Ebeneezer Scrooge (what a great title) is the current jam.

    Reading through this old post is bittersweet.
    I think Scrooge is one of the best tunes he wrote, a masterpiece.
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  18. #66
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    Default Re: Top three favorite Bill Monroe tunes.

    1. Jerusalem Ridge
    2. Kentucky Waltz
    3. Toy Heart

    I know this is an old thread, but these are 3 that I love and have been working on.
    aka: Spencer
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