Forum - Banjo Ben Clark

Jamming To The Unknown

#1

So I went to my second jam session at a local fire hall tonight. Had a lot of fun, but it was weird. They played a lot of country music, many songs I never heard before as I am not much of a fan of Nashville music. We play “Behind Closed Doors,” “White Sport Coat & A Pink Carnation” and some old Ray Price song, as well as “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky-Tonk Angels” and other beloved favorites. That was weird, but I did my best to follow the chord changes.

When it was my turn to lead, I did “Sitting On Top Of the World.” About a quarter of the way thru it I realized there were not too many other people playing. It seems they didn’t know the song. It wasn’t much better when I did “Life’s Railway to Heaven.” Hmmm. All my life these had been old, standard favorites.

Am I living in some sort of alternate universe?

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#2

First time I’m hearing “Sitting on top of the world” but song sounds very nice! I checked out a doc version also one by Josh Turner even more beautiful. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpr4Lc0ORJ4. Maybe you should be prepared to play all by yourself and take the stage if others weren’t so used to it! :slight_smile:

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#3

Just sounds like the jam is more centered around country than bluegrass.

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#4

It happens. Even in bluegrass, you’ll find that there are subdivisions- some people really like instrumentals and fiddle tunes, some people (like me) mostly like playing vocal songs because they listen to bands like BGAB and LRB. Sort of depends on who you listen to. I had a similar experience tonight- jamming with SOMEONE who didn’t even know Blue Railroad Train :face_with_raised_eyebrow:

(She sure did know a lot of Jake Workman licks though…)

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#5

The Jake workman licks helped me learn blue railroad train. Win win. So @BanJoe you can learn something from your jam too even if it isn’t exactly your style!

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#6

Best arrangement I found on YouTube.

Capo up two Key of A - Great tune to practice backup.

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#7

That’s all sweet & pretty, but I’m more accustomed to something that sounds lke this -

Actually, the version I love the best is from the Earl Scruggs Revue 25th Anniversary Special LP, with Rodney Dillard on lead vocals. It’s has kinda vanished from YouTube.

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#8

You are absolutely correct. I try never to close the door on learning anything, and playing along with some of these old country tunes had its challenging moments.
At one point we did “In The Pines,” but there was no high tenor, and certainly no lonesome sound.
That’s when I learned I’m not a high tenor either! :grin:

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#9

What a sheltered person. :smile:

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#10

Oh! geez our trains are RED! I never knew there was Blue ones. I guess I had a sheltered up bringing

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#11

The same song sound different though between the different genre, maybe that’s why.

#12

I’ve never even heard of it… :joy: