what's the deal with Dusty Miller

[dusty miller]

Love this song obviously and maybe I am biting off more than I can chew but I have a couple of tabs around here I've found on this and can't get it to sound anything like it. Does anyone play this have proper tab or tips on how to play it? I can at least get songs like Old Ebenezer and Jerusalem Ridge sounding like they are supposed to at a slow pace, this song is a mystery. Any advice.....Kris

[AlanN]

Listen to some of the recorded versions: Monroe, McCoury, Legere. It's all there. The trick is a quick wrist and hanging on the low strings a bit. Gotta pick that one with drive.

[dusty miller]

Thanks Alan, I'll keep at it, maybe it's out of my league. Poor, my user name being what it is... Kris

[mandolirius]

Be very careful about your pick stroke direction.

[Mike Bunting]

There are also two Dusty Millers, the Monroe bluegrass version and a old time version. Which tab do you have?

[evanreilly]

there are several versions of Bill Monroe playing it on Facebook, in the Monroe Mandolin group. There is one two-part version and a three-part version as well.

[dusty miller]

There are also two Dusty Millers, the Monroe bluegrass version and a old time version. Which tab do you have?

Mike, I wanna say I have the Monroe version, not exactly sure, it shows it starting on E and A strings and I thought it started on low strings. Song of the week social group is where I found tab under other tunes not the mandozine, that wasn't working but mandolinlessons .com 6th post down.....Kris

[Mike Bunting]

Is it like this? Sounds like you have the old time tab.

Mike, I wanna say I have the Monroe version, not exactly sure, it shows it starting on E and A strings and I thought it started on low strings. Song of the week social group is where I found tab under other tunes not the mandozine, that wasn't working but mandolinlessons .com 6th post down.....Kris

[mandolirius]

Mike, I wanna say I have the Monroe version, not exactly sure, it shows it starting on E and A strings and I thought it started on low strings. Song of the week social group is where I found tab under other tunes not the mandozine, that wasn't working but mandolinlessons .com 6th post down.....Kris

The Monroe version does not include the second part, just the first and third. The quality isn't very good but I did see Dave Davis & the Warrior River Boys do a blistering fast version on YouTube where they play the second part. I think the tune sounds better with that part in there.

[dusty miller]

Is it like this? Sounds like you have the old time tab.

It doesn't, I think your right Mike, That's half my problem, no wonder it didn't sound right. Thanks for your help...Kris

[dusty miller]

Thank you Mandolirius, I'll check that out. I only have a Sam Bush/ Grisman version not that that 's a bad thing. It's a Great version.

[John Gardinsky]

Along with Monroe's versions check out Mike Compton's off of the Little Grascals disk. Yep.

[OldSausage]

I presume you've seen this one - this always gives me some new ideas:

[sgarrity]

I hate to post a video right after one of the master but here it is, all three parts on solo mandolin. Obviously MC has been a major influence on my playing. In today's bluegrass world you have to find a pretty hardcore Monroe fan that'll know all 3 parts. Most bluegrass pickers just play parts 1 and 3.

[Mike Bunting]

Along with Monroe's versions check out Mike Compton's off of the Little Grascals disk. Yep.

That is a go to record if there ever was one!

[dusty miller]

I presume you've seen this one - this always gives me some new ideas:

I haven't seen that one, Thanks.. Maybe it would help if I wore overalls....Kris

[dusty miller]

I hate to post a video right after one of the master but here it is, all three parts on solo mandolin. Obviously MC has been a major influence on my playing. In today's bluegrass world you have to find a pretty hardcore Monroe fan that'll know all 3 parts. Most bluegrass pickers just play parts 1 and 3.

Absurdly fine playing Shaun, as usual! Makes me want to throw my mandolins away or practice 23 1/2 hours a day, I'll try the latter.......Kris

[dusty miller]

Most mandolin players are dying to play Rawhide when they start out, that's how I feel about this tune........Kris

[John Duncan]

Here's a version by Ronnie Mccoury:

[dusty miller]

Here's a version by Ronnie Mccoury:

Ludicrous speed! And ever note played perfectly......Kris

[AlanN]

And the lovely and talented Ray Legere here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oF8oOecIR8

[John Duncan]

And the lovely and talented Ray Legere here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oF8oOecIR8

Son...what a version!

[swampstomper]

This thread motivated me to see what Spotify has to say about this. Lots of versions there! Although missing some key ones.

Monroe's "Dusty Miller" and its various homages by Compton etc. are Mon's typical reworking of a more complex and "notey" tune. I don't know the origin but it's been very popular with Texas-style fiddlers. Two good versions in that tradition are by Alison Kraus on the "Too Late to Cry" project and by Byron Berline on the "Chambergrass" with Hickman and Crary.

Monroe chose to start on what is for Texas fiddlers the 2nd part (the lowest). The bootleg recordings where he plays all 3 parts show the order as 2nd-3rd-1st according to the Texas ordering. I suspect Monroe got his arrangement from Fiddling Arthur Smith (backed by the McGee brothers), this would be the version played on Opry broadcasts in the 30's. Why did he omit the middle part on the Decca recording with Richard Greene? Maybe to get enough breaks into the playing time?

A nice old-time version with the Monroe 3-part arrangement is by Paul Warren backed by Scruggs-style banjo (I think Haskell McCormick, not sure).

[Wilbur James]

There is also Gene Gorforth's Dusty Miller, you can here John Hartford pay tribute to it on the Hamleton Ironworks CD. I really like this version.

[dusty miller]

Nice back ground on that tune swampstomper, very intresting.
I'll check that cd out Wilbur.

Thanks, Kris