Jamming 101 • Types of jams

o Band Jams o Jams evolve—folk to bluegrass to swing to fiddle tunes o Different types of jams—folk, bluegrass, Celtic, standards, swing, jazz, blues,

‘60s pop etc. o Different jam configurations—2 players, 3- or 4-part harmony, bluegrass band,

four-guitar bluegrass band, 10-guitar/6-banjo bluegrass jam o Different levels of jams—beginner, intermediate, advanced, testosterone o Fingerpicking doesn’t usually work in jam unless you’re really good

• Go to festivals

• Starting out: o Lie low at first o Listen, watch, hang back

• Handy to know chord numbers; takes a while, but worth it

• Chord changes—good to know on guitar, critical on bass

• Good jams are sometimes self-defeating

• Dynamics o When you’re playing chords: play loud enough for others to hear you, not louder o When you have the solo, play loud o When someone else is playing a solo, play softly o When you’re singing, sing loud enough that the others can really follow you o When you’re singing and someone is singing harmony with you, sing LOUD so

they can work with you

• Soloing (breaks/rides)—start with melody

• Dave’s first rule of rhythm

• If there are too many guitars, consider playing a different instrument

• Leaving sonic holes for others; the more players, the fewer notes you need to play; rarely need to play “big” chords

• Boom-ching

• Leading a jam o Be aware of rushing when you’re singing o Choose songs that folks can learn on the fly o Announce the key o Warn folks of any funny chords or changes o Between songs. Some folks like to tell a joke or two between songs, some want

to barrel into the next song

• Break off and start new jams

• At home, practice with CDs, metronome

• Kickoffs, ending, tags

Angel Band I IV I My latest sun is sinking fast I V I My race is nearly run I IV I My strongest trials now are past I V I My triumph has begun V I Oh come angel band V I Come and around me stand IV I Oh bear me away on your snow white wings I V I To my immortal home IV I Oh bear me away on your snow white wings I V I To my immortal home Oh bear my longing heart to him Who bled and died for me Who's blood now cleanses from all sin And gives me victory

Aragon Mill

D At the east end of town At the foot of a hill A G D There's a chimney so tall That says "Aragon Mill" D But there's no smoke at all Comin' out of the stack A G D For the mill has pulled out And they ain't comin' back D And the only sound I hear is the sound of the wind A G D As it blows through the town, weave and spin, weave and spin. There's no children at all In the narrow, empty streets Since the looms have all gone It's so quiet I can't sleep. Now I'm too old to change And I'm too young to die And there's no place to go For my woman and I. Chorus Now the mill has closed down It's the only sound I know Tell me where will I go? Tell me where will I go? Chorus

Banks Of The Ohio I V I asked my love to take a walk V I Just a walk a little way I IV And as we walk, oh, may we talk I V I All about our wedding day I V Only say that you'll be mine V I In our home we'll happy be I V Down beside where the waters flow I V I On the banks of the Ohio I held a knife against her breast As into my arms she pressed She said Willie, don't you murder me I'm unprepared for eternity I took her by her lily white hand And dragged her down that bank of sand There I throwed her in to drown I watched her as she floated down Was walking home tween twelve and one Thinkin' of what I had done I killed a girl, my love you see Because she would not marry me The very next morn about half past four The Sheriff came knocked at my door He said now young man come now and go Down to the Banks of the Ohio

Blue Ridge Cabin Home I IV There's a well beaten path in the old mountainside V I Where I wandered when I was a lad I IV And I wandered alone to the place I call home V I In those Blue Ridge hills far away I IV Oh I love those hills of old Virginia V I From those Blue Ridge hills I did roam I IV When I die won't you bury me on the mountain V I Far away in my Blue Ridge mountain home Now my thoughts wander back to that ramshackle shack In those blue ridge hills far away Where my mother and dad were laid there to rest They are sleeping in peace together there I return to that old cabin home with the sigh I've been longing for days gone by When I die won't you bury me on that old mountain side Make my resting place upon the hills so high

Columbus Stockade Blues D Way down in Columbus, Georgia A D Want to be back in Tennessee D Way down in Columbus Stockade A D Friends all turned their backs on me G D Go and leave me if you wish to G A Never let it cross your mind D If in your heart you love another A Leave me little darling, I don't mind Last night as I lay sleeping I dreamt I held you in my arms When I awoke I was mistaken I was peering through the bars Chorus Many a night with you I've rambled Many an hour with you I've spent Thought I had your heart forever Now I find it's only lent Chorus

Dark As a Dungeon Merle Travis I IV V Come and listen you fellows so young and so fine I IV I And seek not your fortune in the dark, dreary mines I IV V It will form as a habit and seep in your soul I IV I 'Til the blood in your veins runs as black as the coal V IV I Where it's dark as a dungeon and damp as the dew V IV I Where the danger is double and the pleasures are few I IV V Where the rain never falls and the sun never shines I IV I It's dark as a dungeon way down in the mine There's many a man that I've known in my day Who lived just to labor his whole life away Like a fiend with his dope and a drunkard his wine A man will have lust for lhe lure of the mine I hope when I'm gone and the ages shall roll My body will blacken and turn into coal Then I'll look out the door of my heavenly home And I'll pity the miners a - diggin' my bones

East Virginia Blues I I was born in East Virginia V I North Carolina I did go I IV There I courted a fair young maiden I V I But her age I did not know Oh her hair was dark and curly And her cheeks were rosy red On her breast she wore a lilly Where I longed to lay my head The ocean's deep and I can't wade it And I have no wings to fly I'll just get some blue-eyed boatman For to row me o'er the tide I'll go back to East Virginia North Carolina ain't my home I'll go back to East Virginia Leave old North Carolina alone I don't want your green back dollar I don't want your watch and chain All I want is you my darling Say you'll take me back again

How Mountain Girls Can Love I Ridin' the night in the high cold wind V I On the trail of the old lonesome pine I Thinkin' of you, feelin' so blue V I Wonderin' why I left you behind IV I Get down boys, go back home V I Back to the girl you love IV I Treat her right never wrong V I How mountain girls can love Remember the night we strolled down the lane Our hearts were gay and happy then You whispered to me as I held you close We hoped the night would never end

I Saw The Light I I wandered so aimless my heart filled with sin IV I I wouldn't let my dear Savior in I Then Jesus came like a stranger in the night V I Praise the Lord I saw the light I I saw the light I saw the light IV I No more darkness no more night I Now I'm so happy no sorrow in sight I V I Praise the Lord I saw the light Just like a blind man I wandered alone Worries and fears I claimed for my own Then like the blind man that God gave back his sight Praise the Lord I saw the light

I'll Fly Away I Some bright morning when this life is over IV I I'll fly away I To that home on God's celestial shore I V I I'll fly away I I'll fly away oh glory IV I I'll fly away (in the morning) I When I die hallelujah by and by I V I I'll fly away When the shadows of this life have gone I'll fly away Like a bird from these prison walls I'll fly I'll fly away Chorus Oh how glad and happy when we meet I'll fly away No more cold iron shackles on my feet I'll fly away Chorus Just a few more weary days and then I'll fly away To a land where joys will never end I'll fly away

Life Is Like a Mountain Railroad

I IV I Life is like a mountain railroad, with an engineer that’s brave; I II IV We must make the run successful, from the cradle to the grave; I IV I Watch the curves, the fills, the tunnels; never falter, never quail; I I V I Keep your hand upon the throttle, and your eye upon the rail. IV I Bless'd Savior, Thou wilt guide us, I V Till we reach that blissful shore; I V Where the angels wait to join us I V I In Thy praise forevermore. You will roll up grades of trial; you will cross the bridge of strife; See that Christ is your Conductor on this lightning train of life; Always mindful of obstruction, do your duty, never fail; Keep your hand upon the throttle, and your eye upon the rail. Chorus As you roll across the trestle, spanning Jordan’s swelling tide, You behold the Union Depot into which your train will glide; There you’ll meet the superintendent, God the Father, God the Son, With the hearty, joyous, plaudit, “Weary pilgrim, welcome home!” Chorus

Man Of Constant Sorrow I IV I am a man of constant sorrow V I I've seen trouble all my days I IV I bid farewell to old Kentucky V I The place where I was born and raised For six long years I've been in trouble No pleasure here on earth I find For in this world I'm bound to ramble I have no friends to help me now It's fare thee well my own true lover I never expect to see you again For I'm bound to ride that northern railroad Perhaps I'll die upon this train You can bury me in some deep valley For many years where I may lay Then you may learn to love another While I am sleeping in my grave Maybe your friends think I'm just a stranger My face you'll never will see no more But there is one promise that is given I'll meet you on God's golden shore

Mountain Dew I Down the road here from me, there's an old hollow tree, IV I Where you lay down a dollar or two Then you go ‘round the bend, and you come back again V7 I With a jug full of that good old mountain dew Chorus I I7 They call it that good old mountain dew, IV I And them that refuse it are few. I'll hush up my mug if you'll fill up my jug V7 I With that good old mountain dew. My Uncle Mort, he is sawed off and short, And he measures about four foot two, But he thinks he's a giant when you give him a pint Of that good old mountain dew. (Chorus) My old Aunt June bought some brand new perfume, Cause it had such a sweet-smelling "pew" But to her surprise, when she had it analyzed, It was nothing but good old mountain dew (Chorus) The preacher came by with his head heisted high, Said that his wife was in bed with the flu And he thought that we “ort” to give him a quart Of that good old mountain dew (Chorus) My old Aunt June bought some brand new perfume, Cause it had such a sweet-smelling "pew" But to her surprise, when she had it analyzed, It was nothing but good old mountain dew (Chorus) My brother Bill has a still on the hill Where he runs off a gallon or two And the buzzards in the sky get so drunk they can’t fly Just from sniffing that good old mountain dew. (Chorus)

Nine Pound Hammer

Merle Travis G C This nine pound hammer is a little too heavy G D G Buddy for my size, Buddy for my size G C Well roll on buddy, don't you roll so slow G D G How can I roll, when the wheels won't go I'm going to the mountain, just to see my baby And I ain't coming back, no I ain't coming back Chorus It's a long way to Harlan, and a long way to Hazard Just to get a little booze, just to get a little booze Chorus Buddy when I'm log gone, won't you make my tombstone Out of number nine coal, out of number nine coal Chorus There ain't one hammer, down in this tunnel That can ring like mine, that can ring like mine Chorus This old hammer, it killed John Henry Ain't gonna kill me, ain't gonna kill me

Chorus

The Old Home Place G B7 C G It's been ten long years since I left my home G D In the hollow where I was born G B7 C G Where the cool fall nights make the wood smoke rise G D G And the foxhunter blows his horn G B7 C G I fell in love with a girl from the town G D I thought that she would be true G B7 C G I ran away to Charlottesville G D G And worked in a sawmill too D G What have they done to the old home place A D Why did they tear it down G B7 C G And why did I leave the plow in the field G D G And look for a job in the town? Well my girl she ran off with somebody else The taverns took all my pay And here I stand where the old home stood Before they took it away Chorus Now the geese they fly south and the cold wind blows As I stand here and hang my head I've lost my love I've lost my home And now I wish that I was dead Chorus

Paradise I IV I When I was a boy my family would travel I V I Down to western Kentucky where my parents were born I IV I There's a backwoods old town that's often remembered I V I So many times that my memories are worn Daddy, won't you take me back to Muhlenberg County Down by the Green River where Paradise lay Well, I'm sorry my son, but you're too late in asking Mister Peabody's coal train has hauled it away Well sometimes we'd travel right down the Green River To the abandoned old prison down by Adrie Hill Where the air smelled like snakes and we'd shoot with our pistols But empty pop bottles was all we would kill Then the coal company came with the world's largest shovel They tore down the timber and stripped all the land Well, they dug for their coal til the land was forsaken Then they wrote it all down as the progress of man When I die let my ashes float down the Green River Let my soul roll on up to the Rochester Dam I'll be halfway to heaven with paradise waiting Just five miles away from wherever I am

Rough and Rocky I IV I Darling, I have come to tell you I V Though it almost breaks my heart I IV I But before the morning darling V I We'll be many miles apart IV I Don't this road look rough and rocky I V Don't that sea look wide and deep I Don't my baby look the sweetest V I When she's in my arms asleep Can't you hear the night birds crying Far across the deep blue sea While of others you are thinking Won't you sometimes think of me Chorus One more kiss before I leave you One more kiss before we part You have caused me lots of trouble Darling you have broke my heart

Chorus

Wayfaring Stranger Am I am a poor wayfaring stranger

Dm Am Traveling through this world of woe

Am But there’s no sickness, toil or danger

Dm Am In that bright land to which I go

F C I’m going there to see my father

F E I’m going there no more to roam

Am I’m just a’going over Jordan

Dm Am I’m just a’going over home I know dark clouds will gather ‘round me I know my way is rough and steep But beauteous fields lie just before me Where God’s redeemed their vigils keep I’m going there to see my mother I’m going there no more to roam I’m just a’going over Jordan I’m just a’going over home I’m going there to see my Savior To sing His praises ever more I’m just a’going over Jordan I’m just a’going over home

Will the Circle Be Unbroken

I I was standing by my window,

IV I On one cold and cloudy day

I When I saw that hearse come rolling

I V I For to carry my mother away Chorus: I Will the circle be unbroken

IV I By and by, lord, by and by

I There’s a better home a-waiting

I V I In the sky, lord, in the sky Chorus So I told that undertaker Undertaker please drive slow For this body you are carrying Lord, I hate to see it go Chorus Oh, I followed close behind her Tried to hold up and be brave But I could not hide my sorrow When they laid her in the grave Chorus

Worried Man Blues I It takes a worried man to sing a worried song IV I It takes a worried man to sing a worried song I It takes a worried man to sing a worried song V I I'm worried now but I won't be worried long I went across the river and I laid down to sleep I went across the river and I laid down to sleep I went across the river and I laid down to sleep When I woke up, there were shackles on my feet Twenty one links of chain around my leg Twenty one links of chain around my leg Twenty one links of chain around my leg And on each link, the initials of my name I asked the judge what's gonna be my fine I asked the judge what's gonna be my fine I asked the judge what's gonna be my fine Twenty one years on the Rocky Mountain Line If anyone should ask you who composed this song If anyone should ask you who composed this song If anyone should ask you who composed this song Say it was me and I sing it all day long