Stoney Creek

  1. OldSausage
    OldSausage
    I don't think anyone has done this one yet - I don't know much about it, except that I believe there are two different tunes that share the same name as this (and there are other Stoney tunes such as Stoney Point and Stoney Lonesome). It's unusual in that the A part is in the key of A with a bluesy modal feel, while the B part is in F major.

    Anyway, this here's my version of Stoney Creek.

  2. Toycona
    Toycona
    The A part reminds me of 'Kitchen Girl.' Well played, OS!
  3. Michael Pastucha
    Michael Pastucha
    Stoney Creek is a Jesse McReynolds original. It's from 1962 and was recorded on Jim and Jesse's Bluegrass Special album. Thanks for doing such a bang up job on this one! Haven't heard it in years -- I'll have to see if I can still remember how it goes 'cause I used to play it a lot way back when...
  4. Marcelyn
    Marcelyn
    You made that look so easy, David, I almost picked up my mandolin to play along. That's what they call an audible illusion. Really smooth playing.
  5. David Hansen
    David Hansen
    What a really cool tune and excellent arrangement and execution as well. I'm still waiting for that CD of yours.
  6. OldSausage
    OldSausage
    Thanks David - yes, it's a long time coming, that CD, isn't it. Thanks for the info about Jesse McReynolds Michael, I had thought it might be more of a banjo tune, but actually it makes sense that a mandolin player would have written it. Sadly I don't seem able to find a recording of Jim and Jesse doing the song, either online or off, I'd love to hear the original. I'd also love to hear you playing it!

    I had to learn this one quickly for a show I did last week, and I didn't really get it right in time for that - you're correct Toycona that the A part sounds like Kitchen Girl, I kept wanting to break into that while I was trying to get the tune straight.

    And thanks Marcelyn, if I made you want to play along, then I did my job
  7. Michael Pastucha
    Michael Pastucha
    Sorry, I don't have a recording of Jim and Jesse doing Stoney Creek, but I once saw them do it live. After a quick search I found a more recent album by The Masters called Laid Back. The band members are: Eddie Adcock (guitar, banjo, mandolin); Josh Graves (dobro); Jesse McReynolds (mandolin); Kenny Baker (fiddle); Missy Raines (upright bass). I listened to the cut on Rhapsody and it is quite excellent. I've been trying to work up a version of the tune -- got to get the cobwebs out of my brain first because its been a long time since I've played it!
  8. Michael Pastucha
    Michael Pastucha
    Well, I cleared some of the cobwebs out of my head and got a version of the tune down. There's a little crosspicking in it, but it's not like Jesse's style because those backwards rolls of his are just wicked hard! I fit a new bridge to my old F2 because the one on it (not the original) wore out. The mandolin sounds even better now than it did before.

  9. OldSausage
    OldSausage
    That's great, excellent job Michael, and gives me lots more ideas for this tune. The open-string possibilities of the blues A and straight F keys really make this tune an interesting mando lessson.
  10. Marcelyn
    Marcelyn
    Wow, Michael, amazing!
  11. Toycona
    Toycona
    Really, the two of you should get together and do some recording...which makes me think, has there ever been a "SAW Summit"? Now, that'd be a fun picking party!

    I sure like the sound of that Gibson...
  12. Barbara Shultz
    Barbara Shultz
    That WOULD be a fun party! I'm thinking there's hardly two members even in the same state, and we are truly global... almost as many participants NOT in the USA as there are in the USA!
  13. OldSausage
    OldSausage
    There must be some form of the Drake equation that could be used to predict our quantity and distribution. Well, if Michael is ever in Georgia he'd be very welcome in my basement. I think it may have been tried before, but since so many of us have our own recording facilities, one week we should probably try to do a mashup where everyone who wants to sends a few parts at the same tempo and we mix them all together.
  14. Barbara Shultz
    Barbara Shultz
    This tune was voted tune of the week for week #132. Here's a link to that discussion.
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