Tune List

Here are some of the tunes that we play along with the key, chords and sources for our version.
Click on the tune name to download a MP3 snippet. These are mostly jam sessions and home recordings but it should be good enough to learn the tune. Please let us know if you want something added here.

In this notation, each chord letter represents 1 beat.Please note, these chords are intended to get you into the spirit of the tune.
Actually, there are no absolutely right or wrong chords! Many people may play them differently.Some folks have been known to change the progression as they go through the tune just for fun!

Tune
Name
Key Chords Source MP3
Source
      ArkansasTraveler
D
AABB
A part DGAD AAAA DGAD DAAD
B part DGDA DADA DGDA DGAD
Bruce Molsky Pot
Luck String Band
      AvalonQuickstep
D
AABB Note extra beats in B-part
A part DDDD DDAA DDDD GADD
B part DDGGDD AADD DDGGDD AADD
Original Fat City Band SBFOTM
Jam
      BanjoTramp
D
AB Same length as a standard 64 beat AABB but extended A and B
parts.
A part
DDDD GGDD DDDD EEAADDDD GGDD GGDD AADD
B part
DDDD GGDD DDDD EEAADDDD GGDD GGDD AADD
Ward Jarvis and Dana Loomis Jim
Stanko
      Bonaparte'sRetreat
D
AABB
A part DDDD GGGG DDDD AADD
B part DDDD AAAA DDDD AADD
Fuzzy Mountain String Band Jim Stanko
Briar Picker Brown D AABB
      Chinese Breakdown
D
AAB As played by The Arm & Hammer String Band
A part
DDDD DDAA AAAA AADD DDDD DDGG AAAA AADD
B part
DDDD DDAA AAAA AADD DDDD DDGG AAAA AADD
Arm & Hammer String Band Jim Stanko, Joe Mazotas and Rick Carlson
      Chicken Reel
D
ABBACC
A part DDGG DDAD DDGG DDAD
B part DDGG DDAA DDGG AAAD
C part DDGG DDAA DDGG AAAD
Jim Stanko, Joe Mazotas and Rick Carlson
      CumberlandGap
D
AABCC Who knows where the extra part came from; note
the last part has only 3 lines/measures (or 12 beats)
A part
DDDG DDAD DDDG DAAD
Alternate A:
DDDG AAAD DDDG AAAD
B part
AAAA GGAD AAAA GGAD
C part
DDGG DDGG AAAD
( 3 part) SBFOTM at Mannion’s Jam Jim Stanko
      Durangs Hornpipe
D
AABB
A part DDGG AAAA DDGG AADD
B part DDGG DDAA DDGG AADD
Jim Stanko, Joe Mazotas and Rick Carlson
      Forked Deer
D
AABB There are many versions of this tune: some crooked,
and one which has 5 parts. This is the common one.
A part DDGA DDAA DDGA DAAD
B part AAAA AAAD AAAA DGAD
Leo McDermott
Fortune
D
AABB Uh,oh! Some folks argue which is the A part; no
matter! The chords are the same for both!
A part DDAD DDAA DDGG AADD
B part DDAD DDAA DDGG AADD
Bruce Molsky
Jonah in the Windstorm
D
AABB
A part DDAA DDAA DDGG AADD
B part DDDD DDAD DDGG AADD
Bruce Green
Jaybird
D
AABBDDDD AAAA DDDD AAADGGAA AAAA GGAA AADD Bruce GreenPete Sutherland
Lazy Kate
D
AABB
A part DDDG AADA DDDG AADD
B part DDGG DDAA DDGG AADD
Little Girl Fool Ya
D
AABB
A part DDDD AAAD DDDD AAAD
B part DDGG DDAD DDGG DDAD
      Lowery's Quadrille
D
AABBCC
A part DDGG DDAA DDGG DDAD
B part DDGG DDAA DDGG AAAD
C part DDDD GGGG DDDD GGAD
Mike Jarboe Mike Jarboe
      Maggots in the Sheep Hide
D
AABB
A part DDGG DDAA DDGG DADD
B part DDDD GGDD GGDD AADD
Bayards Hill Country Tune Book Lake Genero 2004 Jam
      Moses Hoe Your Corn
D
Lake Genero 2009 Jam
Mississippi Sawyer
D
AABB
A part DDDD GGGG DDDD AADD
B part DDDD AADD DDDD AADD
Half Shaved String Band
Nixon’s Farewell
D
AABB
A part: DDGG DDAA DDGG AADD
B part: DGDD DGAA DGDD AADD
Written by Curtis Bouterse . It’s in the Portland Collection
Peacock Rag
D
AABB
A part: DDDD GGEE AAAA DDDD
B part: BBBB EEEE AAAA DDDD
Authur Smith Alan and Marc on Youtube
      Vivian Williams from you tube
Pig Ankle Rag
D
AABB Note the extra lines/measures in each partA part
AAAA DDDD AAAA DDDD GGDD AADD
B part
AAAA DDDD AAAA DDDD GGDD AADD
Highwoods String Band
      Red Lick
D
AABB Some folks think of this as a backwards
Liberty… Note the extra line/measure in the A part.A part
DDDD GGGG DDDD GGAA AADDB part DDDD DDDD AAAA AADD
Mannions Jam
      Jim Stanko and Rick Carlson
      Rock theCradle Joe
D
AABBA part DDDD DDDD DDGG AADDB part AADD GGDD AADD GADD Leo McDermott
Sarah Armstrongs Tune
D
Bayard Hill County Tunes Book (Labeled #33 Old Reel)Orephus Supertones
      Shoo Fly
D
AABB
A part DDDD DDAA AAAA AADD
B part DDGA AAAD DDGA AADD
Black Creek Jam 2004
Shuffle About
D
AABB Note the one extra beat at the end of the B part on the A chord before returing to the Apart
A part DDAA GGAA DDAA GGAA
B part DDDD AAAA DDGG AAADA
Peter Sutherland
      SnakeRiver Reel
D
AABBA part DDAA DDAA DDAA DAADB part CGDD CGDD GCDD AADD
      ManniosJam
      The Snouts and Ears of America
D
AABBA part DDDD AAAA DDGG DADDB psrt DDDD AAAD DDDD AADD Bayard Hill County Tunes Book
      Barb Bloomfield at Mermaid In Jam
      Soldier's Joy
D
AABBA part DDDD DDAA DDDD AADDB part DDGG DDAA DDGG AADD The Skillet Lickers The TunePoachers (Rick C, Jim S, Joe Zand Bob B)
St Anne’s Reel
D
AABBA part DDDD GGGD DDDD GADDB part DDGG AADD DDGG AADD Everybody
Stewart Lundys Tune
D
AABB
A part DDDD DDAA DDGG AADD
B part DDGD DDAA DDGD AADD
Young Fogies volume 2 , Hoover Uprights
      Suzannah Gals(a.k.a Western Country)
D
AABB Another tune where there are 2 sets of chords commonly
played; pickers choice!A part DDDD DDDD DDDD AADDAlternate: DDGG DDAA DDGG AADDB part DDGG DDAA DDGG AADD
Half Shaved String Band
      Toe-Nail GapJam Session
Texas Quickstep (a.k.a Rachel)
D
AABBA part DDGG AADD DDGG AADDB part DGDD AADD DGDD AADD Palmer and Greg Laux
Valley Forge
D
ABBCC
A part CCCC CCCD CCCC CCCD
B part DDCC CCDD DDCC CCAD
C part DDDD DDAA DDDD DDAD
Ill Mo Boys
      West Fork Gals
D
AABBA part DDGG AAAD DDGG AAADB part DDDD AAAA AADD DGAD Half Shaved String Band Jim Stanko, Joe Mazotas and Rick Carlson
      Yellow Barber
D
AABB
The very last time through substitute a D chord for the last A chord
in the B part
A part DDDD AAAA DDGG DDAA
B part DDDD AAAA DDGG DDAA
Buddy Thomas Jim Stanko, Joe Mazotas and Rick Carlson
      Yellow Roseof Texas
D
AABB As played by the New Lost City Ramblers transposed
to the more common key of DA part DGDD DADD GGDD AADDB part DDDD AAAA DDDD AADD
New Lost City Ramblers
      Jim Stanko
Crooked Yellow Rose of Texas
D
AABB This version os from Bruce Greene; note the last
part has only 3 measures (12 beats)
A part DDGG DADD GGAA AADD
B part DDDD AAAA AADD
Bruce Green
And the Cat Came Back
G
AABBCC (Doc does not play it this way)
A part: GGCC GGDD GGCC DDDG
B part: GGGG GGDG
C part: GGGG GGGG DDDD DDGG
Doc Roberts YouTube version
Danced All Nigth With a Bottle in Her Hand
G
AABBCC (The order varies, some leave out part C)
A part: GGGG DDGG GGGG DDGG
B part: GGGG DDDD GGGG DDGG
C part: GGCC DDGG GGCC DDGG
Skillett LickersHighwoodsGellert and Leftwich YouTube of the Skillet Lickers
Shove the Pigs Foot a Little Further in
the Fire
G
AABB
A part GGCC GGDD GGCC DDGG
B part GGCC GGDD GGCC DDGG
Bruce Molsky w/ Big Hoedown
      Cuffy
G
AABB
A part: GGGG DDDD GGGG DDGG
B part: GGGG CCCC GGGG DDGG
Highwoods String Band
      Leo McDermott
Indian Nation
G
AABB
A part: DGDC DGDG DGDC DDDG
B part: GGGG GGDG GGGG GGDG
Dan Gellert, Brad Leftwich
Nail the Catfish to the Tree
G
AABB
A part GGGG DDDD GGGG DDGG
B part CCCC DDDD CCCC DDGG
North Carolina Breakdown
G
AABB
A part GGGG GGDD GGGG GDDG
B part CCCC GGGG CCCC CCDG
Bayard Ray
Waldorf Reel
G
AABB
A part GCGC GGDD GCGC DDDG
B part GGGG DDDD GGCC DDDG
Fly by Night String Band
Walking in My Sleep
G
AABB If not for C chord in the 3rd measure of the A part, this would be a 1 part tune the way Tommy plays it.
A part GGGG GGDD DDCC DDGG
B part GGGG GGDD DDDD DDGG
Buffalo Gals
A
AABB
A part AAAA AAEE AADD EEAA
B part AAAA AEAA AADD EEAA
John Hatcher version from Mississippi
      Boatsman
A
AABCB
A part AAAA AADE AAAA DAEA
B part DADA DAEA DADA DAEA
C part AAAA AADE AAAA DAEA
Ed HaleyThere are a couple of others which are quite different. Steve
Austin and Carl Baron at Lake Genero 2004
Boatman
A
AB Note the extra beat at the end of the B-part
A part AADA AAEA AADA AAEA
B part AAEE EEEA AAEE EEEAA
Marvin Gastner
Great Big ‘Taters in the Sandy Land
A
AABB
A part AADD DDAA AADD AAEE
B part AADD AAEE AADD EEAA
Rayna Gellert
      Goingto the Free State
A
AABB This is also known as Clinton, or Apple
Knocker
A part AAAA AAEE AADD EEAA
B part AAAA AAEE AADD EEEA
Lake
Genero Jam
      Greasy Coat
A
AABB
A part:AAAA AAEA AAAA AAEA
B part:
AAGG AADD AAGG AAEA
Black Creek Jam 2004
Grub Springs
A
AABB
A part AAAA AAAA AAAA AADA
B part AADD AADD AADD AEEE
Steve Uhrik, Gerall Hieser, Jim Stanko
Jim Shank
A
AABB
A part AADD AADD AADD EEAA
B part AAEE EEAA AAEE EEAA
Bruce Green,Rhys Jones -Stary Night
Liza Jane
A
AABB
A part AAAA AADD EEEE EEAA
B part AAAA AADD AAAA EEAA
Jim Stanko
      Little Billy Wilson
A
AABBCC (note that in the MP3 here,Leo only plays the B part once)
A part AAAA EEEE AAAA EEEA
B part AAEE AAEA AAEE AAEA
C part AADD AAAA EEDD AAEA
Joel Shimberg Leo McDermot
      Hangman'sReel
A
AABCDD My chords may vary slightly from this recorded
version…
A part AAAE AAAE AAAE AEEA
B part AADD AAEA AADD AAEA
C part EEAA EEEA EEAA EEEE
D part ADAD ADAE ADAD AEEA
Jam Session
at Brandywine
Kansas City Reel
A
AABB
A part AEAA EEEE AEAA EEEA
B part AADA EEED AADA EEAA
Greg and Jere Canote
      Old Joe Clark
A
AABB You’re right, these are not your typical bluegrass
chords.
A part AADD AAEE AADD EEA
A Alternate: DDAA DDEE AADD EEAA
B part AAAA AAEE AADD EEAA
Dan Gellert, Brad Leftwich Skillet Lickers
      Rebel Raid
A
AABB Ms. Ella plays a D7 behind Ed in the B part, but
the D major works fine too.
A part AAAA EEEE AAAA EEEA
B part DDAA EEAA DDAA EEEA
Ed Haley Steve Austin
and Carl Baron at Lake Gener0 2004
Ways of the World
A
AABCC Note extra beat in 2nd measure of A part
A part AAGG GGGEE AAGG EEEA
B part AAEE DDAA AAEE DDAA
C part AAEE AAEA AAEE DDAA
      Texas Gals
C
AABBCC
A part CGCC CGCC CGCC GGCC
B part CCCC FFFF CCCC GGCC
C part CCFF GGCC CCFF GGCC
Leo McDermott
Pikes Peak
C
AABB
A part CCCC GGGG CCCC GGCC
B part CCCC FFFF CCCC GGCC
Arm & Hammer String Band
Cherry River Rag
C
AABB
A part CCCC D7D7D7D7 GGCA7 D7D7GC
B part CCCC GGGG CCCC D7D7GC
Ed HaleyPlank Road StringBand

3 thoughts on “Tune List

  1. Hi charlie. Maybe you could post a downloadable copy of this? Standard cut/paste doesnt work well on it. See you soon.

  2. I’ve come to your jam a few times and really had a nice time… However after reading your mission statement where everyone plays the melody…I’m not sure how my cello would fit in… I’m just an intermediate player and believe me the tempo and technique shown there is a far cry from where i am today…. I did and will make a copy of your tune list…, and hope to see you later sometime this decade lol.. sign, an intermediate cellist

  3. THANKS, We have an Old Time jam every Thursday night in San Antonio Fl. NOT Texas. Four or five of the songs you have listed are thing we are just starting to play. Great to see so much info in one site!

    Steve Cox

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