Leaderboard

Hi all, I hope you are well and feeling some spring in the air. Nothing posted for a while as it seemed some people were feeling the standard of the submissions was a bit intimidating and they wouldn’t give it a go. However, last months submissions were awesome, so now I’m feeling left out. 😭 this is a loose arrangement of a beautiful Mexican love song originally titled “Sabor a mi”, it was recorded in English by Doris Day retitled “True to me”. It’s played on a nylon string Godin Multiac into a Roland GR20 to add some strings. I just can’t get this guitar to sound the way it should so this is the last recording with it. It’s now on eBay. The clicks and buzzes are the guitars fault, the clipping is entirely mine. “You can always make a recording louder, but if it clips you’re screwed “. Enjoy!,

And now something completely different... I always wanted to rock like Status Quo. The intro was tricky to count, and the speed of the short solo was a challenge. But so much fun to learn. Wim.

I was reading about the Elizabeth Cotten’s song Freight Train.She stated that she wrote it, between 1906- 1912. During the 1950’s two guys claimed the song as theirs and copyrighted it and made a small fortune. Their names still appears on some sheet music with hers, even though she did eventually get the copyright. Since she didn’t publish the song when she wrote it, I am assuming her copyright was for 95 years from a publishing date between 1924 and 1987 or 70 years from her death in 1987. Kinda confusing. Since so many teachers say, it should be the first fingerstyle song you should learn, I was curious why Steve didn’t use it in session 10, now I think I understand.

Here's a video I found of Chet Atkins playing it (this video cannot be embedded): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtMpDvOVpVE This got me reading about Elizabeth Cotten, it is a very interesting story. She wrote the song in her teens (some sources say she was 11), gave up guitar for 25 years and was discovered while working as a nanny for the Seeger family. She toured and released records well into her 80s and won a Grammy at 91. The 1956 version is credited as one of the main influences on the rise of skiffle in the UK and was covered by The Quarrymen, although no recording exist. If that's not enough, she toured with Mississippi John Hurt, John Lee Hooker, and Muddy Waters.

Chet Atkins version is probably the best version, but unfortunately it's not available on YouTube. One of the best guitarists is that bloke from Australia, Tommy Emanuel. And his version is. Lotsa luck. Here's the original from Libby Cotton:

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has an exhibit of some of the most iconic instruments in Rock & Roll History. And, as it relates to us, predictably, many of these instruments are guitars. The exhibit is titled "Play It Loud". To name just a few: Chuck Berry's guitar that he recorded many of his hits with including Johnny B Goode Don Feldner's double necked guitar that he recorded Hotel California with. Steve Miller's Guitar that he a surf board painter design John Lennon's 12 String Rickenbacker Jimi Hendix's white Strat from Woodstock (Not a guitar but) Ringo Starr's drum kit from the Ed Sullivan show Over 100 instruments in the display From the Play it Loud website: " For the first time, a major museum exhibition will examine the instruments of rock and roll. One of the most important artistic movements of the twentieth century, rock and roll’s seismic influence was felt across culture and society. Early rock musicians were attracted to the wail of the electric guitar and the distortion of early amplifiers, a sound that became forever associated with rock music and its defining voice. Rock fans have long been fascinated with the instruments used by musicians. Many have sought out and acquired the exact models of instruments and equipment used by their idols, and spent countless hours trying to emulate their music and their look. The instruments used in rock and roll had a profound impact on this art form that forever changed music. The exhibition is co-organized with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and will present approximately 130 instruments alongside posters and costumes. Many of rock's most celebrated and recognized instruments will be featured, representing artists across generations and subgenres. In addition to institutional and private collectors, many musicians are lending their performance and recording instruments."

I am jealous!😉

And I don't think she played Freight Train in Standard Tuning either ….. ?

Thanks for the background info. Yea, I've done ''some'' of it fingerstyle but not much a fingers guy, like the flatpack so just learned another tune ''Carter Style'' and fixing to do Freight Train ''Carter Style'' soon. Only do limited fingers stuff. Just me. Correct me if I'm wrong, without looking on You Tube, Didn't Eliz Cotten play left handed but turned guitar upside down for a right handed player ? ? I think.