Wayfaring Stranger

**patsites** · Oct-07-2004, 9:32am

Strictly speaking from an instrument mandolin approach, I have a bootleg from Rockygrass a couple years back, the group was called, "Just Some Mandolin Pickers". It consisted of Dawg, Sammy, Mike Marshall, Ronnie McCoury, and Thile. About 3 songs in they pulled out Wayfaring Stranger in Gm, absolutely beautiful and very useful learning tool for any mandolinist. It is especially cool to hear each individual players approach to the song, tremolo, triplets, doublestops, crosspicking, etc, that particular version covers every facet that a mando can cover.

**Lane Pryce** · Oct-07-2004, 3:45pm

Sam Bush and the Dawg duet. If you have a fast connection PM me your e address and I'll email you the tune. Lp

**oakland** · Oct-07-2004, 5:56pm

I like the Monroe version with the high tenor part and also the one from the Bluegrass Mandolin Extravaganza...

**jmcgann** · Oct-07-2004, 6:05pm

The Wayfaring Strangers- on the CD Shifting Sands of Time (Rounder)

**GTison** · Oct-07-2004, 7:56pm

my fav is Monroe doing it by himself, w/o any company. It's powerful. Try to do some of those pulloffs on a arched fingerboard... Umh umh... powerful even to think of. Him singin flat to the pitch... just a hair above crying it out...

(saw it on a Marty Stewart special and have it on VHS)

Modern Version? Clara Lynch

Oct-08-2004, 12:12pm

Wow, I didn't realize how many people have recorded this song! Thank you for all your opinions.

**Andrew Reckhart** · Oct-13-2004, 3:55pm

I like MY version the best

**GVD** · Oct-13-2004, 4:12pm

I always liked my version and a couple of weeks ago I found out I'm not the only one. Me and a couple of friends were invited to play at a large outdoor party. Everyone was sitting around a bonfire and would give us a little polite applause. At one point someone started talking to our banjo player so I took the oppurtunity to launch into my solo version. Believe it or not I got a standing ovation.

GVD

**Michael H Geimer** · Oct-13-2004, 4:25pm

I'm sure Emmilou and her band did a great version, but I'm gonna side with John above ... this is not a song that should have a "defintive version".

Late one night, I was lying on the couch noodling on my mandolin and somehow wandered into the melody WS in way that really stirred something within me. I realized just how powerful that song is.

I think that's what John was driving at, the song is autobiographical in truest form.

**Bluegrasstjej** · Oct-14-2004, 4:20pm

A female country band named the Thornbirds do a wonderful version of it. You can listen to a soundclip here.

**Michael Lewis** · Oct-16-2004, 12:13am

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Burl Ives. He did a very good version, recorded in the early 50s I believe.

**Peter Hackman** · Oct-16-2004, 2:51am

Originally Posted by (Michael Lewis @ Oct. 16 2004, 01:13)

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Burl Ives. He did a very good version, recorded in the early 50s I believe.

It was his theme song, and his nom de guerre.

**Givensman** · Oct-16-2004, 7:06am

Joan Collins

**mandolooter** · Oct-16-2004, 1:05pm

Wow, Burl Ives...I love his sound track #from Rudolf the red nosed Reindeer movie...I'll have to track down his version of WS. #One of my favorite tunes of Bill's.

Benig...emotional content in that tune is over the top! #At #most of the jams around here it seems folks wanna play fiddle tunes as fast as possible which is fine by me but I'd much rather play a slow sad song. #Its one of the things that drew me to the mandolin, the ability to put the emotions I feel into music.

Keep posting these everyone there great! #One thing I've found is at CD.com you can search for a song and usually come up with 20 versions or so by different bands and most have a small soundclip to listen to.