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Thread: Butch Baldassari Tunes

  1. #1

    Default Butch Baldassari Tunes

    With the recent release of the recordings of Butch Baldassari playing Monroe tunes with the orchestra, I thought we should have a thread where people could post some of Butch's great tunes. Or you can post tunes you learned from Butch's great fiddle tune books. Or post videos of Butch playing. I'll start with Slocum Hollow, one of my favorite tunes that Butch wrote. I'm playing it on my Heiden A5 with iRealPro backing track.

    Hope some other folks will join in.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QC05rEi7D4

    2010 Heiden A5, 2020 Pomeroy oval A, 2013 Kentucky KM1000 F5, 2012 Girouard A Mandola w ff holes, 2001 Old Wave A oval octave
    http://HillbillyChamberMusic.bandcamp.com
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  3. #2
    Kelley Mandolins Skip Kelley's Avatar
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    Default Re: Butch Baldassari Tunes

    Don, nice picking! That's a great tune. I was picking that at a workshop with a friend when Butch walked in. He said "hey, I know that tune"
    A short time later, I got to pick it with the master himself.

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  5. #3

    Default Re: Butch Baldassari Tunes

    Wow Don you and the Heiden sound terrific on that tune! Your notes are very clear and distinct and your tone is beautiful. That’s probably my favorite among Butch’s compositions and you have inspired me to go back to it. Really well done!

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  7. #4
    My Florida is scooped pheffernan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Butch Baldassari Tunes

    Quote Originally Posted by Don Grieser View Post
    I'm playing it on my Heiden A5 with iRealPro backing track.
    I look forward to inheriting that mandolin, Don. Such great woodiness to the tone with no loss of note clarity. That’s how an archtop with f-holes should sound.
    1924 Gibson A Snakehead
    2005 National RM-1
    2007 Hester A5
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    2018 Vessel TM5
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  9. #5

    Default Re: Butch Baldassari Tunes

    Skip, how cool is that!

    Thanks, Andy. Let's play it at Monroe Camp next year! Maybe we could teach it to a bunch of folks.

    Pat, yes, it's my all time favorite mandolin. I don't know about that inherit thing.
    2010 Heiden A5, 2020 Pomeroy oval A, 2013 Kentucky KM1000 F5, 2012 Girouard A Mandola w ff holes, 2001 Old Wave A oval octave
    http://HillbillyChamberMusic.bandcamp.com
    Videos: https://www.youtube.com/@hillbillychambermusic

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  11. #6
    My Florida is scooped pheffernan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Butch Baldassari Tunes

    Quote Originally Posted by Don Grieser View Post
    Pat, yes, it's my all time favorite mandolin. I don't know about that inherit thing.
    I can assure you that your poor widow will never appreciate that mandolin as much as I would.
    1924 Gibson A Snakehead
    2005 National RM-1
    2007 Hester A5
    2009 Passernig A5
    2015 Black A2-z
    2010 Black GBOM
    2017 Poe Scout
    2014 Smart F-Style Mandola
    2018 Vessel TM5
    2019 Hogan F5

  12. #7
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    Default Re: Butch Baldassari Tunes

    Yes that Heiden is sweet! A mandolin to die for....
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    My YouTube Channel

    "Mean Old Timer, He's got grey hair, Mean Old Timer he just don't care
    Got no compassion, thinks its a sin
    All he does is sit around an play the Mandolin"

  13. #8
    Registered User Drew Egerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Butch Baldassari Tunes

    Great job Don!

    I have yet to learn any of Butch's original tunes, but one of my first instructional aides was Butch's "Bluegrass Mandolin Workshop" DVD. It really got me off on the right foot I think. Basic enough to grasp, but advanced enough for someone coming from playing guitar already to not feel too dumbed down. I liked his teaching style a lot.
    Drew
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  14. #9
    Mandolin user MontanaMatt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Butch Baldassari Tunes

    Edited…
    Just did the Baldassari artist search on the TablEdit Library, there are lost to learn!
    Last edited by MontanaMatt; Nov-30-2022 at 11:42am. Reason: Correction
    2007 Weber Custom Elite "old wood"
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  15. #10
    Mandolin user MontanaMatt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Butch Baldassari Tunes

    Does anyone already have transcriptions of “Two Girls From Galax, or Minorsville”?
    2007 Weber Custom Elite "old wood"
    2017 Ratliff R5 Custom #1148
    Several nice old Fiddles
    2007 Martin 000-15S 12 fret Auditorium-slot head
    Deering Classic Open Back
    Too many microphones

    BridgerCreekBoys.com

  16. #11
    Kelley Mandolins Skip Kelley's Avatar
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    Default Re: Butch Baldassari Tunes

    Matt, Two Girls From Galax is called Kitchen girl. It's a popular fiddle tune. That one and Minorsville are out there in tab form.

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  18. #12

    Default Re: Butch Baldassari Tunes

    Here's a great video teaching Butch's tune "Old Town". I'm working on it now. Butch played it at warp speed. Enjoy!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiDKu07ExwE

    2010 Heiden A5, 2020 Pomeroy oval A, 2013 Kentucky KM1000 F5, 2012 Girouard A Mandola w ff holes, 2001 Old Wave A oval octave
    http://HillbillyChamberMusic.bandcamp.com
    Videos: https://www.youtube.com/@hillbillychambermusic

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  20. #13
    Registered User bbcee's Avatar
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    Default Re: Butch Baldassari Tunes

    After getting "Mandolin for Dummies", the next instructional book I got was "30 Fiddle Tunes for Mandolin". The choice of tunes plus Butch's effortless playing bowled me over, and continues to be an inspiration.

    I still aspire to his playful, bouncing playing style, evident in slower tunes but equally at speed. As do we all!

    Oh, and this is just two tunes, so you don't have to make as much of a time commitment as the title implies


  21. #14
    Registered User Frankdolin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Butch Baldassari Tunes

    Sounding great Bruce!

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